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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to ask how to loose lower belly fat

58 replies

Coldshoulders · 21/12/2018 22:41

So all my life I been a slim person, ate what I like when I like never worried about my weight, never gained weight was never an issue until recently! Started gaining weight which looks to me like it's all lower stomach! Some days I actually look like I'm with child (not pregnant btw). So the last few months I feel as if I have piled loads of weight on my stomach area. Tried to eat more healthy, tried doing exercise still feel like I'm a balloon. Any tips or help for loosing my pouch? School run takes 2 hours a day I would say I'm active and don't eat too much junk so God noes but nothing will shift this weight and it's getting me down x

OP posts:
showmeshoyu · 21/12/2018 23:05

Unfortunately, you can't "spot burn". You can't choose which but fat moves from. More's the pity.

Mixedbags · 21/12/2018 23:18

I find if I stop eating crisps/chocolate and 10minsmore activity per day over 5 days my stomach really goes down. Do you eat chocolate/crisps?

Haggisfish · 21/12/2018 23:20

Oh god, me too. Exactly the same-always been really slim, but often look pregnant unless I remember to suck in. I do eat too much crap and drink a bit too much wine. Along with not doing huge amounts of exercise...hmmmm!!Grin

Cherries101 · 21/12/2018 23:22

Belly fat responds better to diet than exercise.

ScottCheggJnr · 21/12/2018 23:25

Google the term 'skinny fat'.

As above, you can't spot burn, but if you're already quite slim then lifting some weights might tone things up.

OComeAllYeFaithful · 21/12/2018 23:26

This has always been my problem area. I finally got rid of mine with a combination of losing weight and exercise. Even when I got to a ‘healthy’ weight it was still a bit wobbly. Also you need to reduce refined carbs, particularly sugar. If you have persistent bloating or change in bowel habits, please do consult your doctor for advice as it could be a sign of other underlying health issues.

What really made the difference was daily planking. Then it looked flat. (Sadly I got ill and gained a lot of it back but I’ll be back on it at New Year!).

XmasPostmanBos · 21/12/2018 23:29

Whilst you can't spot burn fat long term, it is known that some of the first fat to be burned if you go on a strict low carb diet comes from the area around your internal organs (hence why it can help reverse t2 diabetes which is often caused by fat around your liver and pancreas) and so it will often reduce your belly fat. If you are getting some bloating this could make your belly seem bigger too, it can sometimes be caused by certain foods not agreeing with you. Have you ever noticed any bloating after eating?

bridgetreilly · 21/12/2018 23:41

Blood Sugar Diet.

gendercritter · 21/12/2018 23:45

Low carbing and cutting gluten really gets rid of it but I don't think that's sustainable for most people long term

FineIsAChanceThing · 21/12/2018 23:55

I’d suggest seeing your GP if all the weight gain is on your lower stomach and have them rule out fibroids. I’m very slim and gained a bit of a paunch - when the doctor felt my stomach, she told me I was presenting as approx 12 weeks pregnant. Eventually turned out that I had a whopper of a fibroid.

Haggisfish · 22/12/2018 00:13

Sadly mine is also round my hips and arse’Grin

Larasshadow · 22/12/2018 01:33

5:2 diet is really helping me lose fat. (According to my scales that measure fat. Don't know how accurate they are but the figure is reducing)

Pontingss · 22/12/2018 05:54

It’s probably not but I would get checked out by GP as when I had this I had a huge ovarian cyst. No symptoms, just thought I had a belly despite being slim and then one day it twisted and I had to have emergency surgery. Like I said, unlikely but might be best to check because I was very ill with it at the time.

LadyRochfordsFrostedGusset · 22/12/2018 05:57

Lose.

Lose.

Lose.

Lose.

Lose.

Lose.

Lose.

Lose.

Sparklingbrook · 22/12/2018 06:01
Hmm
Clionba · 22/12/2018 06:06

If it's loose, ie the skin is baggy, it's probably just post pregnancy and will tighten up again as you lose the general weight.

namastayinbed · 22/12/2018 06:33

The joe wicks bodycoach plan worked for me - but I don't find it sustainable long term.

Blobby10 · 22/12/2018 07:13

My PT and my sports physio told me that women spend far too much time worrying about not having a flat stomach. To do so takes a ridiculous amount of work, isn't sustainable and with all the internal organs we have down there, we are better to have some protection for them!

However, as a nearly 50 year old, I have found my midriff gently expanding over the past couple of years (never been flat btw especially after 3 c sections for 10.5lbs babies!) but having cut right down on bread, pasta, rice and potatoes, my stomach area is definitely reducing. I do eat carbs - can't go completely without as I get too tired! - but only if I have earned them through exercise just before or just after consumption.

My advice OP is not to compare yourself to the images on social media or advertising - eat healthily, enjoy your children and thank your glorious body for carrying and giving birth to them

stillreadviz · 22/12/2018 08:11

Similar problem, I've always put it down to genes

Kikidelivers · 22/12/2018 08:13

No secret

I don’t eat crisps / chocolate etc (helped by fact I don’t actually like very much)

And I work out. 3 runs, 3 yogas and 2 weights

If I had to say what helped most - I’d say the weights

Dotty1970 · 22/12/2018 11:32

AIBU? Go on the diet forum.
5 2 diet is good with pilates.
Not much you can do about it other than diet and exercise, mine will always be there but less of it if I lose fat.

Dotty1970 · 22/12/2018 11:34

Haggisfish

Sadly mine is also round my hips and arse’

Arse fat is good now a days! It used to be does my bum look big in this and now its my bum doesn't look big enough in thisGrin

The4thSandersonSister · 22/12/2018 11:37

Cut carbs and sugar, but if your a high-waisted Apple like me it will be the absolute last place you'll lose it from.

fabtasticmrpox · 22/12/2018 11:48

If this is a new thing please see your GP to rule out any medical causes. My friend suddenly felt bloated all the time . She has been diagnosed coeliacs. Another friend sadly had ovarian cancer.

SinkGirl · 22/12/2018 11:50

How old are you? Abdominal bloating that never goes down should be investigated, especially if you are over 40.

Sadly as we get older our oestrogen levels drop which makes us more prone to storing fat in our bellies and makes it harder to lose weight.