My Stubborn Stomach

**Vanett** · February 25th, 2010, 09:14 PM

I've been working out, eating right, drinking plenty of water, eating whole grain bread and yet my stomach looks the same. Does anyone have any tips on how to get rid of my bulging middle? I notice changes in my arms, my hips even my boobs but this stomach of my is so darn stubborn.

**sosassafrass** · February 25th, 2010, 11:03 PM

you may not be happy with what i have to say, but....

all of the people i've spoken to (doctor, nutritionist, trainer, people with degrees in exercise science) say...you can't spot reduce fat. I swear...my life would great if I could.

even if you do 3,000 crunches, ab rolls, vaccuum poses, belly dance and anything else that is supposed to strengthen your abdominal muscles...your body decides where the fat loss is going to come from. so unfortunately, you'll have to just keep losing body fat overall and after a while, your stomach will reduce. Fat loss varies from person to person. I've heard that it tends to go from the most recent place it appeared. If your weight started in your stomach, it could be the very last place for the fat to disappear from.

so...alas, it doesn't matter how much you work out your stomach...it's 80% diet, 20% exercise. my favorite quote is...flat stomachs are created in the kitchen not the gym.

I'll use myself as an example. My weight loss was noticeable in my face and neck (i have a naturally round face), then i could tell the loss in my hips (not so much in my thighs), bust (oddly enough my hips and bust have been losing the same amount of inches) and now my stomach (which is going sllllllllllllooooooooooowly). my back and side rolls unfortunately will be last because i've had them for as long as i can remember. Funny thing...i'm starting to lose weight in my feet! I usually buy a 9 because i have a wide foot...now my 9's are getting too big, so i'm going to try on some 8.5's this weekend. Hopefully at the end of this....my shoe size will be an 8....a 7.5 would be stupendous

**MsBridget** · February 26th, 2010, 02:59 AM

and remember the first place you tend to gain weight is that LAST place it will come off!

For me, my thighs are my worst area BUT when I start losing weight my breasts are the first to go

**SWEETJAS** · February 26th, 2010, 05:22 AM

Well, I have heard some odd things from people, but these seem to have worked for them. A squeem or Ardyss body magic. Don't know much about these, but a lot of woman swear by them.

II used a postpartum bellywrap simular to this, I got it off of ebay hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Get-Your-Flat-Stomach-Back-After-Pregnancy---The-Belly-Wrap-Secret and I wrapped saran wrap around my stomach then put it on and work out for an hour. I must say it did make my stomach a lot flatter. It would be all sweaty when I took it off

. Not sure if I had lost fat, but I did lose inches! Of course you already know that cardio works best for losing overall weight, but spot reduction is impossible it seems

.

**fallenangel915** · February 26th, 2010, 05:25 AM

I have the same issue; and the brewskis don't help, either, LOL...I think that the stomach is harder to lose, in general. Spot-reducing is not going to happen, it will just have to be a gradual thing, especially if you have had babies because the abdominal muscles stretch out...I already know that is going to be the case with me, but I guess I can look at the bright side and know that the love-handles and back rolls will go first...don't worry; you will get there, and every small victory is one step closer to where you want to be.

**sosassafrass** · February 26th, 2010, 07:09 AM

Originally Posted by SWEETJAS

Well, I have heard some odd things from people, but these seem to have worked for them. A squeem or Ardyss body magic. Don't know much about these, but a lot of woman swear by them.

II used a postpartum bellywrap simular to this, I got it off of ebay hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Get-Your-Flat-Stomach-Back-After-Pregnancy---The-Belly-Wrap-Secret and I wrapped saran wrap around my stomach then put it on and work out for an hour. I must say it did make my stomach a lot flatter. It would be all sweaty when I took it off

. Not sure if I had lost fat, but I did lose inches! Of course you already know that cardio works best for losing overall weight, but spot reduction is impossible it seems

.

sorry, i had to laugh about that

...because the old folks

told my sister and several of my friends after they gave birth that they have to "train" their stomach and behind to get back to normal. By "training"...that meant wear a girdle and/or support panties.

I'm not talking about those BS Spanx...(I wasted my money on one and sorry to those that think they work...but i have girdles, like what your granny probably wore..although its an exercise itself to get it on and don't have to go to the bathroom or you will be SOL...that makes Spanx look like play-play). They said..."you put that girdle on, the day you leave the hospital and you wear it daily and it will train that stomach and butt, so it won't look like two pigs in a blanket fighting".

I'm inclined to believe the loss in inches was due to exercising, burning fat (especially if you were doing cardio), thus losing inches...yeah you lost water weight too if it was sweaty, which may have given you that initial immediate reduction but you replenish that water after exercising...i hope. It's just like when wrestlers and boxers wear the weight suits and the sauna suits to drop weight before weigh-ins.

As far as Ardyss Body Magic, Kymano(sp?) and things of that nature...I remember someone on here ordering one. I didn't follow up and see how it worked out for her. Don't get me wrong, they are pretty decent girdles (i tried one on) and it holds everything in, but that thing is constricting everything, for me...all that compression on my stomach stunted my appetite. Its like..when you overeat in that thing, you'll be so miserable...you'll either a.) not wear that ****** again....but you spent between $100-$150 on it...or b.) stick it out...and eat less so you won't feel uncomfortable.

That's why they are like...wear it everyday and you'll lose weight. I've even seen people working out in it...I put it on the same level as a sauna suit where that thing will be so sweaty because you are squeezed in there like a sausage...you're pull water weight off, but really your exercising and reduced calorie diet is what's prompting you to burn fat thus creating a calorie deficit and losing weight.

**Vanett** · February 26th, 2010, 11:55 AM

I heard about the Ardyss Body Magic suit, actually an old hs friend had me cornered last night on facebook selling the heck out of it. He said his wife lost a lot of weight from that. I had no idea people were losing weight from this thing. I knew it corrected posture and held your stomach in. I was thinking about trying one out, but those things are kind of expensive. I think for now I'll just stick to good old cardio to get rid of this stomach of mine. Ive been using the walk off the pound videos with strength training and I notice immediate results in my arms and thighs. I know spot reduction is impossible, but when i was working out with the resistance ball I notice my stomach leave a lot sooner. I will have to go get another one because I love that ball, working out on that thing is amazing! Thanks for the advice ladies!!!

**lizmcgarry** · February 26th, 2010, 12:16 PM

Liposuction after all your weight loss!! Or a tummy tuck

**thanvi** · February 27th, 2010, 04:13 PM

I too have the same problem. In fact, I read that you cannot spot reduce (it would be sweeet if we could). I think someone mentioned that earlier as well. I have been working out and eating well. I have noticed that my stomach has shrunk significantly from when I first started. It isn't "flat" but it is smaller. I am more concerned about my back fat which is pretty darn gross. Good luck hun! Just keep at it!

thanvi

**BrewCityBaby** · February 27th, 2010, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by Vanett

I heard about the Ardyss Body Magic suit, actually an old hs friend had me cornered last night on facebook selling the heck out of it. He said his wife lost a lot of weight from that. I had no idea people were losing weight from this thing. I knew it corrected posture and held your stomach in. I was thinking about trying one out, but those things are kind of expensive. I think for now I'll just stick to good old cardio to get rid of this stomach of mine. Ive been using the walk off the pound videos with strength training and I notice immediate results in my arms and thighs. I know spot reduction is impossible, but when i was working out with the resistance ball I notice my stomach leave a lot sooner. I will have to go get another one because I love that ball, working out on that thing is amazing! Thanks for the advice ladies!!!

When I worked out with my personal trainer years ago (best investment I ever made), he said the only way to get the flat stomach is to get a good amount of cardio in everyday along with a good ab workout that hits all your muscles in your belly. That way you are building muscle which burns more fat, and when your belly fat does start going away you will be ahead on the belly toning.

**BrewCityBaby** · February 27th, 2010, 09:38 PM

Oh, just had another thought. There is a meal plan book called the Flat Belly Diet. Its based around the meditteranean way of eating. I have the book and I havent gotten a chance to start the actual meal plans but the basis of the book seems really good. Its not super lo-cal (about 1600/day), doesnt cut out anything like a lot of the other fad diets out there. Its based on eating a lot of whole grains, fruits, veggies, and a including one of the good fats (olive oil, avocado, almonds, dark chocolate) with each meal and snack, and avoiding processed foods, white flours, processed sugars. The user reviews I have read said a lot of people noticed they werent so bloated and did in fact lose some weight.

**Mary-Mary** · February 28th, 2010, 12:58 AM

Well your first pounds are not going to just come out of your belly you need to give it more time, try and do more cardio and some ab exercise but I do think is possible to get your stomach flat again it might take allot of work but it is possible.

From my experience it took about 30 pounds so i could see a difference, just do not give up