when I first started this journey my biggest bone to pick with my body was my midsection. This is the one place I seemed to always carry my weight. And I know I have lost 30 lbs and I know I look good but I still see a belly. Now granted not as big but still there. My husband (bless his soul) says its not that bad and its very little and I must admit I look at him like he is crazy. And I really don't want to develop an unhealthy eating pattern or anything. So I am going to post 2 pictures a front and side view to see if I am crazy or not. And if you do see it do I just need to keep on my current calorie level and exercise and it will come off or do I need more exercise or what.




I would like to get the belly gone by 4th of July because I would like to get another tat and thinking of getting in the lower belly hip area but I don't wanna do that if I still have a noticeable belly. Because I could not wear a shirt to show it off. And the 4th is 5 months away so its not like I am trying to lose it by next week or something....

I think you look great... If you are unhappy with your (non existent) tummy, maybe try really bumping up the ab work. Google some websites on ab workouts. I think all you need is to tighten a little and you'll have super sexy abs.

That's not a bad belly! Not bad at all.
How tall are you?
Have you had a look at a couple of those bikini-ready, abs threads? I'll come back and post a link.

Here's the oldest one
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128156
And this is the latest one
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130236

There's some extra tweaking we have to do to have amazing abs. Women, alas, are roundish ... that's healthy normal. But if you want flat amazing abs .... there's other work to do.

Check out those threads. Watch the Weight and Resistance Training threads ... and you'll soon see what's up.

First of all, congrats on your weight loss so far!! You look GREAT!

I am on WW and not counting calories, but here is my opinion. If you are not losing any additional weight at your current calorie level you may want to bump it down some and crank up the exercising by targeting your mid-section. Trust me, you don't have far to go!!! =0)

YOU CAN AND WILL DO IT!!

Well ... if it were me I'd want honesty. I know people (and husbands) are being supportive when they say "nooooo ... you're imagining it" but I know that there are times that you need someone to say - yes, you're not crazy or being weird or obsessive. So I'll be that person!

I do see a little tummy. I don't see a BAD belly, and certainly nothing I'd be ashamed of if I were you, but there's a little bit of bump there. (and that's from someone who has more than a little bit of a bump and is really wanting to get rid of it and who isn't about to post pictures of herself yet ... so take that for what it's worth!).

I've heard, read, been told by my doctor and others that belly fat is just really hard to get rid of and the ultimate last to go.

I've also heard, read, been told that simply focusing on abs exercises doesn't remove belly fat. It does is firm up the muscles *under* the belly fat which will make your abs look great when the fat is gone. But the only way to get rid of belly fat is to burn it off with exercise and reduced calories.

It looks like you've already lost 30+ lbs and are about 7-10 from your goal - and it seems to me that the last 7-10 lbs are the ones that are going to make that difference with your tummy.

I'd just keep doing what you're doing.

Thank you everyone for the input. I don't want super flat or a six pack set of abs. I am a woman and I know that a little curvator in the lower belly is normal I just want some of whats left gone. I mean who does not want that at some point.

Susan I am about 5'6-5'7 somewhere around there. I will go check those threads you linked right now.

I am also 5'7", 127 lbs with a very small frame and I have a little more belly than you do. You just look like a normal woman to me, you don't have a super model belly - but you know who does? Very young girls and...super models.

If you're willing to eat very very clean and work out consistently (cardio + a lot of strength training) you can probably reduce your body fat to accomplish this goal (the forum for Oxygen magazine is a great place to talk to women with similar goals and get their advice).

I wonder if you have slightly unrealistic expectations of what real women look like (not that real women can't have perfectly flat bellies, of course some do) because all of the images we see of women's bellies are impossibly sleek, toned and air brushed.

Congrats on your weight loss. If you are 5'6", your BMI is 20.5, which is on the low side of normal (normal being 18.8 -24.9).

I think you look pretty good, like you don't have to lose weight. I'd get rid of the belt, though... if you notch those things too tight you can muff out a tiny bit like in the first picture. Just the pants should be good.

comming from someone who has been told, you have a large frame, your a curvy girl, etc (when none of that is true and I've been 50lbs overweight the whole time), I'm going to be honest too.

In my opinion a 2 piece bathing suit is not flattering unless you have the body for it (and most people don't, even many of the people who wear them). Your probably about 10-15 lbs (and some ab work) away. If I saw you on the street I would think you looked fine, I would not consider you at an unhealthy weight, you just need to be perfect to wear a 2 piece well.

I have seen (for better or worse) women who are heavier than you wear them, but I think that in order to compleatly pull it off you've got a few more pounds to go.

You could do what Catherine said, too. I just read you want a tatt near your hip/belly area and I wouldn't even wear belly exposing stuff. If you want to show off your belly I would definitely tone up and lose a couple more pounds. I know this sounds bad, but people will think badly of you if you expose your belly and it's not darn near perfect and toned. You really need to have a tight belly to show it. That's why teenagers do it while they can, you know. I know I wouldn't... not yet, anyways.

Me without a belt thats like telling me to walk without a leg lol. I always wear belts but never belted tight.

I don't think my out look on bellies for women is unrealistic. I know we all have a little bulge there. I mean we do have a uterus and all that. But I don't think its unrealistic to have a more toned belly is it?

Ehhh maybe I get it on my shoulder instead. But I still wanna work on a more toned belly.

You look great, but you could lose fat off the belly if you wanted to. A combo of diet, cardio and weight training will burn the fat. You've already lost 30 pounds: you know what to do. It looks as though your arms and legs are very slim, so the next few pounds might just come off the tummy!

My flat-bellied friends recommend Pilates and Turbo Jam for great abs. But seriously, you look great!

Why, you look normal! I'm someone who always has had a belly and always will, most likely. I had one two-piece bathing suit in my life, and that was when I weighed 130. I think it lasted about ten minutes

What has really helped me has been doing some abs work--crunches with weight machines, for example, and leg lifts, and even just plain situps (with bent legs). It's amazing what the combination of losing fat and toning the abs will do! So give it a try. As I said, I'll always have some belly, but I do look firmer.

Jay