Big fat belly.

[Thatsminging]

Mine.

I’m sick of it and feel so down. I don’t overeat, walk the dog everyday and have started cycling again, but still need to lose 2-3 stone to be a size 10 again. I used to be slim, but had to work out 4-5 times per week to stay that way. Within a year of stopping the gym (ivf/fertility treatments and pregnancy) I was starting to put weight on. Now with a 2,5 year old toddler, I just feel too far gone.
I’m still suffering some effects of long covid from March last year so can’t do intense cardio. What can I do 🤷🏻‍♀️I really don’t feel myself. Is it possible to lose this much weight and how quickly?
My belly is huge right now and sort of firm high up, not even flabby but sticks fight out 😪

Hi OP I think you should focus on recovering from covid as it's obviously really hit you. Can you ask your Dr what exercise they advise? Could you walk on a treadmill and increase the incline each week? Walking at a good pace up hill will burn as much as running. What is your BMI? I would concentrate on that rather than getting back to a size 10 as inevitable your body will have changed (not just muscles but your ribs can get wider too, making you a bigger size). Personally I think you should avoid any harsh dieting while you are still unwell from covid, at least not unless it's on the advice of your Dr.

I guess people are thinking of ruling out any nasties, such as ovarian cancer.

@HotPenguin I’m really not sure sure of my bmi, I’m guessing 27/28 perhaps.
Being down with this has made me pile on the pounds too as I lay around a lot over summer. I’m perfectly fine in normal day to day life now, but can get breathless from simply dancing round with toddler Dd, which I never had before, so know I need to take it carefully. At the same time I want to get rid of this weight to help things along and help recovery along, I can’t win 🤷🏻‍♀️
Dp also suffered fairly badly and is super fit, slim, surfs, cycles etc, so I think we were both unlucky

@Cuntryhouse I’ve had it long enough that I’ve had gynaecologist apps etc inbetween and non problems, I think it’s just basic hard fat! 😩

That's good then. Always thinking of poor twitterqueen.

Thanks @thatsminging - I need to lose 2 stone but ideally would do 3 but losing 5 pounds has been a yo-yo! I’m debating doing Second Nature but would like to have another baby. I’m annoyed because I don’t even drink these days!

Definitely also have a stomach that is high up and hard, I just assumed that it was visceral fat rather than just normal flab. But that is even more depressing!

Must be really hard with long covid which sounds quite bad. Think we need all round!

I saw the thread title and immediately thought please see your gp for a proper examination, pelvic and a scan if you haven't had one.

@Passanotherjaffacake I’ve not drank in a year! Can’t drink any alcohol now as it makes me ill or coffee or sugar really..so I’m many ways I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been (or should be at least 😩)
Is visceral much worse then? Mine must be that too

@Passanotherjaffacake Just Googled, that’s much worse 😕

@endofthelinefinally I’ve got weight elsewhere too and have had it through gynaecologist exams etc, I’m guessing just fat, thankfully

I recommend you try weight bearing exercise over cardio. Really good for toning you and tightening up your figure. Probably more manageable too whilst you're not feeling up to cardio. Have you heard of Les Mills body pump?

@Hohofortherobbers I’ve not heard of it? I have weights in the spare room (alongside excercjse bike, treadmill and skipping rope, hula hoop. How would using the weights reduce stomach fat though

Are you weighing out all of your food? Sometimes by just guessing we can accidentally eat out a few hundred more calories. Also don’t eat back the extra calories you’ve burnt by walking.

Unless you have some health condition you should be losing weight if you are eating under your BMR. This is the basic amount of calories your body burns if you were to sit in bed all day. I would go on a BMR calculator and work this out and then weigh out and log everything you eat for a week.

If this isn’t helping I would look at making a GP appointment.

And you need to be remembering to count absolutely everything too! Splash of milk in your coffee, sugar, oil you cook with can all add up if you forget to log it.

Weird question but have you got a round face too? My friend is being investigated for Cushings and her main symptom is hard high round belly and high heart rate and blood pressure

My fitness instructor reckons weights/squats are the best thing for all over fat burning! Sadly I don't do enough of them for it to have worked yet, but I believe her. You know you've had a workout, but it's not as intense as cardio.

Having good musculature keeps everything tucked in firmly and improves your posture at rest (shoulders back, abs in etc), also weight bearing exercise builds muscle which burns fat very efficiently even when you're not exercising. Look up Les Mills body pump online, you could start it at home till gym classes reopen

If your belly is high up and looks pregnant still, it may be that your stomach muscles haven’t knitted back properly after pregnancy. This is called a diastasis recti.

www.healthline.com/health/diastasis-recti#TOC_TITLE_HDR_1

I had this problem and had never ever had a belly in my life until I changed from the combined pill to the mini pill. My stomach was hard and I looked pregnant, it wasn't typical fat it was practically rock solid! Anyway long story short I changed contraception and it's slowly coming off.

My friend has this problem and she's gluten intolerant it turns out...she's seen a dietician and now suffers from diverticulitis as well.

She has to eat what really amounts to a very basic diet of meat and veg and some fruit and fish. If she eats any grains or dairy, she gets that big, firm stomach again.

Ps op just saw you have long covid- is the same here and I had an ecg and chest xray to rule out long term damage as was getting chest pains still after 7 months, then she asked about stomach issues as people presenting to her have brought it up. I said about bloating and a dicey tummy with dairy, white bread cereal and fizzy drinks so I said have cut them out and cut back on dairy. That's when she booked me in to check out my stomach. Just thought would let you know in case it's covid related. And do take it easy on yourself, just when I think I'm back I get a land- fitness definitely building but moved on further the other day and bam! Take care op!

Research Dr Jason Fung, it may help you. Fat is often a hormone condition not a calories in calories out.

Hey OP, I started a thread about having a large waist, not sure if any of it will be helpful/interesting. I'm not overweight and have a slim body - except for my middle, which is above the measurement the NHS give for being 'high risk' for heart disease, clots, etc.
This was my thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4214201-Should-I-be-alarmed-if-my-waist-size-is-over-34in

and it might be worth checking BMI and (scroll down) waist measurements on this NHS page: www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/bmi-calculator/

I'm determined to do something about it as it's becoming really clear this isn't just post-baby belly (my youngest is 3 - I also had IVF with that child and a c-section) and is really disproportionate for my body. I'll do it if you will!

Also please be careful of doing 'core' exercises until you've had your ab muscles checked to make sure they're not separated as this can apparently make things worse (I have been doing them for the past 8 months or so but I'm worried now I might have separated abs... can't feel myself as too much flab and not sure what I'm supposed to be feeling)

[quote Thatsminging]@Hohofortherobbers I’ve not heard of it? I have weights in the spare room (alongside excercjse bike, treadmill and skipping rope, hula hoop. How would using the weights reduce stomach fat though[/quote]
Building muscle burns fat. It's that simple. The more muscle you have, the more calories burnt and body fat lost, from all over the body. Weight bearing exercise/weight lifting will raise you heart rate in the similar way to cardio. I lost 12 kilos in 3 months by weight training. I did no traditional cardio whatsoever apart from a daily walk.

When it comes to losing weight, particularly burning fat, what you eat is more important than exercise. Weight loss is 80% diet, 20% weight loss.

Lastly, don't add in any calories given due to exercise. So ignore any 'extra' calories that appear on your your daily diary on My Fitness Pal if you have done any exercise.