To ask if this will work re giant belly

[stilllooksixmonthspregnant]

After four children, youngest is 5, I have to do something about my huge tummy.

I am a healthy weight for my height, though I would like to be less, but my tummy is fucking huge. I've lost about 7lb recently and am 10 stone ish (5.5 height) but my tummy just stays the same.

It folds over like an apron and the skin is flabby and wobbly (and milk white though can't do so much about that!)

It has been like this for five years and I am sick of it wobbling, and sick of feeling upset when I look at it in the mirror.

Here is my plan - if anyone else has any advice I would be grateful.

1. Continue to eat 1300 cals per day
2. Cut right back on sugar within that 1300 cals - was snacking on little chocolate bars but I think that sugar just gets converted to belly fat.
3. do 20 mins HIIT training every day.
4. Cut out sugary juice even zero calorie Coke, etc, as apparently this is still bad for belly fat.

and

1. Don't know if there is any point in using my slendertone belt to try to tone up the wobble or best just trying to burn the fat away first through exercise? Just don't want to be left with loose flab.

Thanks in advance, really have to do it this time, so fed up of my disgusting belly.

You can't spot reduce fat through exercise, but you can tone up the muscles underneath, which might help if you have a pot. Do proper exercise not slendertone though. I've also read that sugar and carbs contribute more to belly fat too. You could have a look at Michael Moseley's blood sugar diet. The main diet is low cal, but there are othere options in the book for doing it on a 5:2 basis. Some friends of mine said they found it really good for making their bellies shrink. I can't comment personally as my huge arse is my problem area and weight always come of my boobs and belly first.

I wish there was an easy answer for this I have the same problem.
I find not eating wheat or sugar helps and Im doing the BSD (blood sugar diet). Plus big control pants and flattering clothes.

Hi OP. I have two children and am really quite slim (8st 12 at 5ft 8). Unfortunately my belly doesn't go unless I literally haven't eaten anything due to diastasis. Could this be a factor? You certainly don't sound at all overweight.

It sounds like the muscles are weak and the skin has been stretched. There really is very little you can do about the skin unless you have a tummy tuck (which I absolutely do not recommend). You can firm up the muscles but it's likely you'll always have some overhang.

1300 calories seems low - are you managing ok on that?

Have a look at the Mutu system, I haven't done it but have read good reviews on here. It's specifically aimed at this problem

Hi

No I don't have diastasis, I was checked for that after DC4, actually the muscles were in good condition after years of constantly holding my tummy in! There's just a massive layer of fat there.

1300 cals is manageable for me, I'm hungry by the end of the day but not horrendously so.

I will look at the Mutu system, thanks Curls.

Has anyone tried Cool Sculpt - I can't afford it anyway but wondered if it works?

Just continue to loose the weight slowy and exercise, it's only the amount of calories that you eat that counts. The exercise where you draw you pr belly in and hold is good for core muscles.

Cool sculpt? No I looked into that and you need like 6 sessions and then you have to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

I think stomach fat is largely determined by what you eat. Best exercise is HIIT and weights.

I follow a youtuber who had lipo done in March and she's already got her belly back because she eats junk. So even surgery isn't always the answer if you aren't going to change.

I second Mutu! Not just for Diastasis Recti.

I am exactly the same! My weight hit 15st when I was pregnant with my DS. I am using the MyFitnessPal app which has done amazing for me, I have lost 2 1/2 stone in 9months. I found a good moisturiser with elastin and vitamins in has worked to tighten the skin slightly has also worked with my stretch marks. And I have been doing Jillian Micheals work out dvds I have lost 5ins so far. Also make sure you drink plenty of water to ensure the skin stays hydrated, and exfoliate to increase blood flow to help the skin tighten up.

I would say the same as motheroftwo , definitely look in to this , there are exercises you can do to pull the muscles back together . NOT sit ups etc as if your under neath muscles are separated , things like sit ups etc do more damage .
This link has helped me a lot :

yourpostbabybody.com/exercise-after-a-c-section

Ignore that is says about c section as most of the article is about how to pull the stomach muscles back together . Good luck

I was also going to tentatively suggest CoolSculpt. I don't think it's a miracle but claims to get rid of the fat cells. You have an exceedingly common problem. I'm 8.2 and 5'3" and still hate my stomach. I've beaten it by wearing flattering clothes and Pilates.

I have had 4 C sections.Implants put in 20 years ago then taken out last year and had breast uplift at the same time(no implants).
I am now on Day 10 recovering from my tummy tuck.
One very happy lady already.....

One thing about your plan concerns me and that is limiting yourself to just 1300 calories. Chronically consuming too few calories actually slows your metabolism and thwarts your efforts to burn fat. If you are moderately active and healthy, I think your caloric intake needs to be more than 1300 calories. Also, I think completely cutting out sugars aside from the ones found naturally in fruit and vegetables would provide you with noticable results. And stay the hell away from any kind of soda, even diet. Our brains react to them the same way by spiking blood sugar levels, even if it's diet.

Eat 1800 calories and do regular cardio exercise and strength training - yoga, weights, pilates. People with weak stomach muscles almost always have weak back muscles and you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of back problems.

5:2 is brilliant for reducing visceral fat.

Work out your total daily energy expenditure, OP.

tdeecalculator.net

What's HIIT? And how does it help belly fat?

Just continue to loose the weight slowy and exercise, it's only the amount of calories that you eat that counts. The exercise where you draw you pr belly in and hold is good for core muscles.

Anyone knoe more about this exercise? Thanks.

The belly is the last place you'll lose weight. It's the way the body works during weight loss.

Focus on building up your core through abdominal workouts and that will help tone the area. Make sure you're eating enough calories too. Maybe worth joining a gym and getting a PT for a couple of months. Or finding a PT locally that has a studio you could train in.

Daily Pilates

Honestly I can't recommend it enough. I'm slim but always had a sticky out belly from 3 sections. I decided enough was enough at the beginning of the year and have done a 15 minute Pilates work out every day for over 6 months. There's loads on you tube

Obviously diet will help loads too but deffo try Pilates. Good luck x

Tofu, I think it's planking. If you do it properly it's very effective at core strengthening. Op that's what you want to do, you need to strengthen your back as well as your front, look up core workouts.

I tried Mutu as have diastasis recti (AND lots of tummy fat - joy!) and liked the womens' health and "whole body" ethos, eg lots of squats and lunges, but found it the "intensive" workouts classes hard, dull and repetitive. Dreaded them! I did get stronger and then switched to other kinds of fitness. I now really enjoy Les Mills group workout classes and yoga most.

My core strength is much better now, which has improved how I feel and look, but doubt will lose the tummy unless I address my longstanding binge eating problem!

Thanks RJ.

God. I feel your pain. I have lost just shy of 3 stone on the blood sugar diet. I cannot seem to get rid of any of my 'overhang'

It makes my stomach look bigger than it actually is and restricts the kind of clothes I am able to wear.

I can tell that even if I get down to a size 10, the overhang will still be there. It's quite annoying.

The belly is definitely the last place weight comes off. I've lost 5 stone 9lbs since Sep, gone from a size 22 to a size 12 and its only in the last two months that my belly has started to go.

I can't recommend strength training exercise enough. I have actual hard stomach muscles in places now (still a bit of fat left!). There's a tummy exercise I do, that I'll try to find a link to, that has worked wonders. I couldn't do more than six reps when I started and now I can do 25 on each side. It really works.

I feel your pain. I lost 2.5 stone, was the correct weight for height etc, size 10 and still couldn't get rid of the overhang of fat and skin. I could pick it up and swing it around!
In the end I paid £5000 for a tummy tuck, which I know is not an affordable solution for everyone before I get flamed, but I was so miserable about the lumpy flap of fat I had. I don't regret it and was worth the months of penny pinching to pay back the money.