I've lost over 20 pounds, and now am comfortably within the "normal" weight range for my height. I wear 8s and 10s. But I still have a pudgey belly, that I don't see getting rid of even if I lose 10 more pounds.

So, I've been wondering about my goals, and how much more should I lose. I'm 23, for what it's worth.

While it's impossible to tell you exactly how your body will react, I do see that we are very similar in height and your goal weigh is about where I am now. at 144, I still had a belly, too. At 135, it was pretty flat. Hope that helps.

Thanks!

I guess what I am debating is whether or not I should stop losing weight at some point before I lost all of this belly. My lower body is already fairly lean, and my butt is getting flatter.

What are you doing in the wya of exercise? I had a pretty flabby stomach until I started doing cardio and strength training - I've read/heard that it's generally impossible to get rid of fat around your middle without exercise - not sure if that's a rule, but it's true for me.

I'm 5' 3" and 118 pounds with a BMI of 21 (which is in the low to middle of the healthy range). I wear a size 2-4 and I think my body fat is somewhere around 25-26%. I exercise seven days a week: one hour of cardio four days a week, weight training three days a week with a personal trainer, and a heck of a lot of ab exercises and I still cannot get rid of my belly. It's not huge (but I can definitely still pinch an inch) and I look fine with clothes on (esp. with body shaping undergarments), but I'm never gonna be able to wear a bikini (or mid-riff baring shirt--OMG, such a scary sight, even worse than the bikini ). At one point I managed to get my body fat down to 23% but I still had my belly.

Having a flat stomach is more than just eating and exercise, it also is partly hereditary. Both my parents carried their excess weight in their stomach and, surprise surprise, that's where I carry mine as well. Some of us just aren't meant to have a perfectly flat stomach. I know I sound terribly discouraging, but I think it is important to recognize that the ideal of flat stomach isn't realistic for everyone. It may be that concentrating on maintaining your current weight and forgetting about your belly is the right decision for you.

I'm down to 120 lbs, and I still have my belly .. I really think it depends on your body shape. I carry my fat on my upper body, and I only gain it on upper body.

Women by nature have a fat pad on their lower abdomen .... it's how we are made.

This may be an outrageous thing to say on a diet website, but it's biologically true.

I'm not talking about big ol' bellys - but for a lot of us, losing weight will make it shrink but will not eliminate it. And toning the underlying muscles can give you better support which will lessen the appearance

I'd just like to see a time when it got to be below my bellybutton. There WAS a time decades ago, when it was below, I was a tiny thin little thing and I still thought I needed to lose. Wish I knew then what I know now.

I guess I think if you are only losing because of your belly, well it may never be gone.

Some people think of a woman's belly as a thing of beauty, as a source of life.

Also, you could do what I did and take up belly dancing Its great for your core muscles and abs, and it gives you quite a different perspective on that female fat pad.

You are beautiful, belly and all.

Nona

P.S. Here's one of the most amazing bellies in the world!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pA5CTHQPys

I am at my goal weight and I still have a belly too. I had thought of trying to get to 135 to see if it would help. Every time I do get into 130', I go straight back up to low 140's. I simply can't maintain that low. I bought some body shapers and wear one if wearing a clingy type shirt. Works great. Of course, I'd love to have the flat little belly I had as a teen, but it's not going to happen. Like the poster, one of the reasons I am staying at this weight is my lower half is small enough and I don't have room to lose any more from my butt or legs.

Even at my lowest weight in high school when I was dancing 4 hours every day for dance team, I still had a belly. However, I think if I maybe would have watched what I ate better I could have gotten there. Maybe try belly dancing? And Pilates is a good way to get rid of the belly. I find that even after a couple times of doing it my stomach already feels flatter. There's a lot of places now (the YMCA for example) that offer the Pilates Reformer machine....it's quite expensive, but I've heard it works wonders.

Yes, I think my belly is hereditary. Women on my dad's side are usually tall, chubby with a belly and a large chest.

I guess it comes down to acceptance of my body type. On the other hand, I know I could afford to drop a few more pounds. The issue is just how much.

Thanks, Nona, for the suggestion of belly dancing.

My problem area is my saddlebags. My hips have very little fat except in one area in which there is just enough fat to create an unsightly appearance.

Unfortunately to lose them I would have to get to an unhealthily low weight.

So I just accept it as one of my body's quirks.

Well at 5' 4", my belly didn't start to disappear until I got close to 135 pounds (start to). It was the last thing that started shrinking on me...chest unfortunately being the first. I also helped it along by doing a lot of situps to firm the muscles. I also concentrated on keeping my abs tight to help train the muscles. It does make a big difference.

I agree with nonamortica. That said, if you want to try toning what you have, T-Tapp and Callanetics give the best results I've seen. (Google them if you can. I'm typing one-handed.)