Has anyone actually successfully tackled a belly?

[EdgarAllenSloe]

I'm not overweight. My BMI over the past five or so years has varied between about 22 and 24, depending on high days, holidays and how far from pregnancy I am! So I'm not fat. But my ENTIRE life I've had a flabby belly. It's never varied. I've had phases of intense exercise, minimal carbs, higher sugar, mostly-vegetarianism - my weight changes, but my waist is ALWAYS a minimum of one dress size bigger than the rest of me.

Has anyone ever been in this situation and managed to reign their tummy in? I don't need weight loss tips and I'm not talking about losing weight and some of it was noticeably off your belly - I mean really changing your shape. Is it actually possible?

[StormOfSekhmet]

Watching with great interest!! I have an abundance of tummy, you can't see it from the front, there's not much fat on the sides. it seems to be on the front, so it looks big from the side. That sounds confusing. Sorry. I am on a strict diet, plenty of exercise, it's going down slowly. I think tummy fat is notoriously hard to lose.

[itsboiledeggsagain]

Ive started doing pilates and yoga and I think my body is changing a bit after a few months

[mamansnet]

I am overweight and it's all on my abdomen. Had 2 people offer me their seat on the train this week 😭 can't seem to shift the weight at the moment even though I'm eating right. If anyone has any tips, I'm all ears!

[EdgarAllenSloe]

That sounds confusing

No, that's me! I'm like an optical illusion - from the front I look slim, because I have narrow hips and thin legs. Then I turn to the side and look fat, because my belly sticks out - it protrudes basically as far as my boobs! It properly looks like it belongs to someone else. Quite apart from how it looks, nothing fits. I need at least a 12 to get round my waist, but usually 10 for the rest of me - even when I can get something to fasten, it's right and I have bit flab rolls at the waist. But I also have thigh gap. It's like ALL my fat is on my belly.

It doesn't sound as if anyone who's responded so far has found the magic answer yet...

[EdgarAllenSloe]

tight big (not right and bit)

[BathTangle]

I know exactly what you mean about the "slim from the front but belly sticks out" thing. I am sure for me part of it is posture and loss of muscle tone, as well as the excess fat, so I am doing lots of pilates/core strength work alongside trying to reduce sugar / junk intake.

[ChrisPrattsFace]

I lost over two stone when I was pregnant and hoped my muffin top wouldn’t be there once he was born... however it is. The rest of me looks great except that belly! Someone come with the answer? 😂

[StormOfSekhmet]

Mine is improving with low carbs, and exercise. Still a bit of a wobbly tum, still can see it from the side, but getting there. Changes in body shape I think take time, so it seems like it isn't working. You have to be very patient, and not give up. I'm getting there, slowly. It is wierd how there is no fat on the sides!! I had an apron too, like a c section overhang, and I haven't even had a c section!! That has gone. Exercise has helped a lot.

[EdgarAllenSloe]

See, I've always been fairly active. I swam a LOT as a teenager - 4.5 hours a week of proper club-standard training - and I've always walked everywhere. But the sticky-out stomach persists. I spent a year doing weekly Pilates and it made absolutely no difference. Never done radically low carb, I guess....

[Aprinceinapaupersgrave]

There is a book called Wheat Belly which might help. When I cut out highly processed foods, sugar and wheat the good results show first in the belly region.

[StormOfSekhmet]

You could try low carb, and see how you get on? How about a course of skin-tightening treatments, e.g. radio frequency kinda thing? Or, one of those electronic belt devices? Maybe it's the skin that's a bit loose, and not the amount of fat, if that makes sense?

[Landlubber2019]

@StormOfSekhmet well done ;what exercise do you do and how often?

[StormOfSekhmet]

@landlubber2019, I exercise 4 times a week, using dvd's. I do about an hour at a time. I like Bob Harper, Tracey Mallett, Jillian Michaels, and those 10 minute workout ones for the abs. Progress is slow, I use wrist and ankle weights, and sometimes small hand weights. It makes a big difference. Toning the tummy area is very hard. I still have a bit of a tummy, there's some way to go yet.

[FairiesontheSwing]

Depends on how radical you want to go. Try cutting out wheat, dairy etc. in case its bloating rather than fat. If that doesn't work, would you try liposuction?

[m0therofdragons]

I'm finding low carb and running is a good combination.

[DisorganisedOrganiser]

God knows. I tried weight training which is meant to work miracles. Even had a personal trainer who came well recommend and works miracles for weight loss in general. Nope. Still apple shaped. If I lose weight in general (eg through running) I can lose the tummy but also end up too thin everywhere else, no boobs or hips. My tummy is always a dress size bigger. I’ve given up now. Nothing works as I think that is just my natural shape. I will never be hourglass much as I would love to be.

[DisorganisedOrganiser]

Forgot to say I also tried giving up sugar and alcohol. Nothing . All I hear when I query it with gym instructors / PT is ‘you can’t spot reduce fat’ so I have stopped trying.

[thenewaveragebear1983]

Mine is improving with low carbs, core exercises and general cleaner eating. Over the summer I have fallen off the wagon a bit and I am really seeing it on my stomach now. Because my skin is so saggy there, as soon as my stomach sticks out through food or bloating, it's a bit of a double whammy

I have been researching a cosmetic procedure called a collagen lift, which can give a temporary repair to the saggy crepey skin (my stomach was destroyed by stretch marks and two c-sections) - its a few hundred pounds for a course and I'm quite keen to do it but I want to find real life testimonies first rather than sales testimonies.