How did you get rid of belly fat?

[MagicalMom]

I have been doing pretty good losing weight in all other areas, except my belly. I've been doing cruches but haven't noticed much. Any new ideas?

[Tink]

Isn't it funny how that is the last place it comes off? I am a Curves member and every month they measure you to see if you have lost any inches. I have lost everywhere, and the belly is the slowest place! I just go to the gym and walk, so I am hoping that soon it will start to make better progress.

[disneychrista]

The way to lose belly fat is the same as the way you lose any other fat eat less than you burn. There is NO WAY to lose weight/fat in one particular place. It sucks, I know.

[believe]

For me walking, Pilates and Taebo tend to help. I do ab crunches every morning, plus when I am at the gym for weight training. This helps to tone so that when I do lose more in the waist it will look good;) Wishful thinking I think....Like others have said, it tends to be the last place for me.

[JMD]

It's impossible to spot reduce. You need to lower your overall bodyfat with a good diet and consistent exercise and you eventually you will lose the fat around your stomach. Some areas of the body seem to take longer to lose the fat than others. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to specifically target one area.

[eeyore45]

The lady trainer dude on Bravo Workout was on a talk show and said the ab crunches we do are worthless!! :scared1:

She reccommended the strength training and using the ball and rasing it up over your head and then (the weight was about 53) raising it to one side, down on the ball, raising to other side... Also, on the ball, tummy side down, start walking, till the ball is by your ankles (I've only been able to get the ball to my knees... then do push ups with the ball at your knees, or ankles)

as well as planks - and push ups (I think its ornish that has a 12 min program that helps with strength training - including the plans, you are on your elbows and toes sorta push up position... and hold it for 60 seconds - even if it takes you 4 tries to get to 60 ... then on each side... just hold it...) and for abs they recommended the laying on your back, lift yp your feet, knees kinda at a tuck/sitting position and then one at a time lower a leg, quickly but not all the way to the ground... I'll try and find the website link...

[lenshanem]

I've gotten down pretty small except for my tummy. It is just awful! I'm extremely short and had two big babies - both c-sections. I finally asked my GYN about it recently and she basically told me either I had to accept it or get it cut off. Not really what I wanted to hear. She felt around my tummy and thought my stomach muscles were separated. So not even tummy exercises are gonna tighten that thing up. I drove home in tears.

TUMMIES STINK! :mad:
I look at these women on TV and think most of them had to have had a tummy tuck. What about that Star Jones from the View? I just saw a pic of her in People magazine. There is just no way.

My neighbor makes it a point to tell me a least once a month that I need to work on my tummy - just exercise a little more. Meanwhile, she never exercises and I'm running and walking. Some people have no clue. :sad2:

[Miss Jasmine]

I have found upping my cardio helps with combating tummy fat. I haven't been doing much cardio and I have a bit of a tummy right now. I hate it. I went out and bought an elliptical today.

[MagicalMom]

Thanks guys. The tummy is the only thing I really seem to have a problem with. I was able to get a flat stomach after my 1st C-section, then again I was in my early 20s. I had my last c-section at age 29 & never fully regained the muscle strength. I'm not ready to give up just yet though. :)

[believe]

The lady trainer dude on Bravo Workout was on a talk show and said the ab crunches we do are worthless!! :scared1:

She reccommended the strength training and using the ball and rasing it up over your head and then (the weight was about 53) raising it to one side, down on the ball, raising to other side... Also, on the ball, tummy side down, start walking, till the ball is by your ankles (I've only been able to get the ball to my knees... then do push ups with the ball at your knees, or ankles)

as well as planks - and push ups (I think its ornish that has a 12 min program that helps with strength training - including the plans, you are on your elbows and toes sorta push up position... and hold it for 60 seconds - even if it takes you 4 tries to get to 60 ... then on each side... just hold it...) and for abs they recommended the laying on your back, lift yp your feet, knees kinda at a tuck/sitting position and then one at a time lower a leg, quickly but not all the way to the ground... I'll try and find the website link...

I wouldn't say they are worthless. I notice a difference just by doing crunches. I do notice more of a difference when I do Pilates, which are some of the moves mention by this individual.

[perd]

Well, some low carb book I read (maybe South Beach Diet?) had on the front cover "lose belly fat first" and it said the way to lose belly fat is low carbs. I half heartedly lowered my carbs for a short time and in that short time my belly DID seem to shrink.

[mikron]

LOW Carbs is the way, I cut all white foods and sweets including ice cream. Works great and is not that hard to do. Lost 35 lbs. in 6 months with very little exercise.

[Octoberbride03]

Crunches are not worthless. Situps are worthless. I'm doing a stability ball dvd and my belly fat is going easier than the rest of it for who knows what reason. Crunches are really good for you, but you have to do them correctly and most ppl don't, the use their neck instead of their abs. But when you do them correctly your abds get stronger and your balance is better.

You should do more than just front crunches though, you should also work the obliques on the side and the back too.

[Purrrrfecta]

Well, some low carb book I read (maybe South Beach Diet?) had on the front cover "lose belly fat first" and it said the way to lose belly fat is low carbs. I half heartedly lowered my carbs for a short time and in that short time my belly DID seem to shrink.

Yes, my doctor told me that the South Beach Diet is the perfect diet for losing belly fat. I want to try it, but I get blood sugar lows too often, and I think right now WW is the answer.

[tbstein]

I'm extremely short and had two big babies - both c-sections. I finally asked my GYN about it recently and she basically told me either I had to accept it or get it cut off. Not really what I wanted to hear. She felt around my tummy and thought my stomach muscles were separated. So not even tummy exercises are gonna tighten that thing up. I drove home in tears.



I have 2 large babies and both with C-sections. I have also had my incision opened for 2 additional surgeries (hernia and hystorec) so I will not be able to really tighten it to flat, but I can tone a bit. It was suggested that when I finish my weight loss that a tummy tuck should be taken into consideration. Yep--that brought on the tears. I just would like gravity to reverse itself and help a bit. That would be nice! I do walk like mad tho!

Wendy

[luv2nascar]

same problem. Stomach is not sliming down and toning the way the rest of the bod is trying to. It is slow go on the tummy. Yuck. I am breaking out the Biggest Loser workout video again. I walk 1.5 miles a day 4-5 times wk and it isn't helping the belly that much. Come on Bob help me work that middle section.

[JMD]

Yes, my doctor told me that the South Beach Diet is the perfect diet for losing belly fat.


What kind of doctor told you this? Its physically impossible to target one specific area for fat loss. You cannot spot reduce.

The only way to get rid of belly fat is lower your overall bodyfat and the abdominal area will reduce in proportion. Unfortunately, the belly area seems to be the last place to lose it.

[Miss Jasmine]

What kind of doctor told you this? Its physically impossible to target one specific area for fat loss. You cannot spot reduce.

The only way to get rid of belly fat is lower your overall bodyfat and the abdominal area will reduce in proportion. Unfortunately, the belly area seems to be the last place to lose it.

Actually there have been studies linking simple carbs to belly fat. Since South Beach focuses on better carbs (complex carbs), it does stand to reason that this would help reduce belly fat.

[Purrrrfecta]

What kind of doctor told you this? Its physically impossible to target one specific area for fat loss. You cannot spot reduce.

The only way to get rid of belly fat is lower your overall bodyfat and the abdominal area will reduce in proportion. Unfortunately, the belly area seems to be the last place to lose it.

No no no, not that you will lose your body fat all in one place. I think what my doctor was trying to say was that people who have certain types of body shapes tend to metabolize carbs in certain ways. In this case those who are apple-shaped

Trust me, she is not a quack by any means. ;)

[MelanieC]

I've definately heard that eating clean will help your belly. That is basically watching the sugar and junk (white carbs, etc.) That boils down to watching your carbs. It's easy to do on WW's or whatever plan you do. Its all about eating healthy. Eat whole grains, natural sugars like fruit instead of sweets, less fattening forms of protein, etc.

The belly is often the last place some people loose it - myself included. When I got to goal last year, I still had some belly fat. I have also had 2 c-sections, so I am pretty certain I will never have washboard abs.

[kaysmommie]

I've gotten down pretty small except for my tummy. It is just awful! I'm extremely short and had two big babies - both c-sections. I finally asked my GYN about it recently and she basically told me either I had to accept it or get it cut off. Not really what I wanted to hear. She felt around my tummy and thought my stomach muscles were separated. So not even tummy exercises are gonna tighten that thing up. I drove home in tears.

TUMMIES STINK! :mad:
I look at these women on TV and think most of them had to have had a tummy tuck. What about that Star Jones from the View? I just saw a pic of her in People magazine. There is just no way.

My neighbor makes it a point to tell me a least once a month that I need to work on my tummy - just exercise a little more. Meanwhile, she never exercises and I'm running and walking. Some people have no clue. :sad2:


Well I'm glad I'm not alone as misery likes company. I can't lose this pouchy tummy and I want to be able to wear a bikini and look good in it. But I guess that won't happen without a tummy tuck. The second child was so darn big he stretched my tummy. Wow I'm glad i don't have your neighbor, that would make me feel even worse.

[castleview]

Actually there have been studies linking simple carbs to belly fat. Since South Beach focuses on better carbs (complex carbs), it does stand to reason that this would help reduce belly fat.


I am an apple shaped girl and I could tell you that eliminating sugar and refined carbs did help the waistline quite a bit. Of course I had tried the Somersize diet. Definitely lost the weight, but it was so easy to put back on. Now, I'm doing it the old fashioned way - watching caloric intake, exercise, adding more protein and cutting way back on junkfood. So far so good.

Even though I'm still 20 lbs from where I want to be, my stomach feels better when I don't load up on sugary and processed foods. :goodvibes

:wishmember

[JMD]

Actually there have been studies linking simple carbs to belly fat. Since South Beach focuses on better carbs (complex carbs), it does stand to reason that this would help reduce belly fat.

Do you have any links to these studies that show you can target fat loss to specific areas? I would be interested in ready them.

[Miss Jasmine]

Do you have any links to these studies that show you can target fat loss to specific areas? I would be interested in ready them.

I didn't say that you can target fat loss to specific areas. What I said is that simple carbs can contribute to belly fat and by eliminating or reducing them will help you to lose belly fat (you'll probably lose in other areas as well).

As for links, I just remember reading articles in fitness magazines. :)

Also stress adds to belly fat, so working on stress issues can help as well.

[JMD]

I just remember reading articles in fitness magazines. :)




That could be the problem. ;) Don't believe everything you read in Fitness mags, most of the stuff they publish is garbage.


Saying simple carbs contribute to bellfat is deceiving. They contribute to "fat" which may or may not be stored in the belly. Your body does not determine the source of the excess calories then assign them to different areas. Some people have a tendency to store excess calories in the belly area, others store it in the thighs, hips, butt areas. Everyone is different.

There is no possible way to spot reduce, regardless of exercise selection or diet. You need to lower your overall bodyfat and the fat around your midsection will decrease in proportion to the fat around the rest of your body.

[Miss Jasmine]

Thank you for speaking down to me. I know to take what I read in Fitness magazine with a grain of salt.

Okay FOR MYSELF, I notice that when I increase simple carb intake my belly fat increases, while my other trouble areas, butt and thighs, don't see much of a change. When I decrease simple carbs it reduces in this area but not in my other trouble areas. THAT IS JUST ME THOUGH. When fat is increased in my diet I notice an overall fat gain in my trouble spots, not just belly fat. AGAIN JUST ME.

[Miss Jasmine]

Here is an interesting article from the Mayo Clinic.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/belly-fat/WO00128
One particular paragraph


Healthy diet. Changing unhealthy eating habits can help fight belly fat. Read nutrition labels, and replace saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats. Increase portions of complex carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables, and reduce simple carbohydrates like white bread and refined pasta. If you need to lose weight, reduce your portion sizes and daily calorie intake.


Again I KNOW you can't spot-burn fat, but it's interesting nontheless and yes most likely it would result in one losing fat in other areas if there is fat to lose.

[JMD]

Thank you for speaking down to me. I know to take what I read in Fitness magazine with a grain of salt.




I wasn't speaking down to you, I apologize if it came off that way. After rereading my post, I realize it was a bit abrasive. My apologies.

[MagicalMom]

Well, I have come to a decision that all children born via C-section should pay for their Mom's tummy tucks after they graduate from college. After all not only did we carry them for 9 months, raise them, give up our stomach muscles but we also gave them perfectly shaped heads! :lmao: I'll discuss it with the kids tonight after dinner. :rotfl:

[fofinia]

Well, I have come to a decision that all children born via C-section should pay for their Mom's tummy tucks after they graduate from college. After all not only did we carry them for 9 months, raise them, give up our stomach muscles but we also gave them perfectly shaped heads! :lmao: I'll discuss it with the kids tonight after dinner. :rotfl:

:rotfl: :rotfl2: I like this idea! How old do they have to be before we can hit their piggy banks? Is 5 old enough? I don't want to wait another 15 years with my pouch!!!