To think I'll never get rid of belly fat put on after 30? Does ANYTHING work?!!

[Valeriana87]

I'm really down about my belly. I look pregnant and dreading summer clothes. I think there are a few issues going on. I have some diastasis recti, but I've had that for 16 years since eldest born, so it's not all caused by that. I now have a layer of fat on top of that. It appeared when I hit 30 (metabolism? change to where fat goes on?). I have mild PCOS. Also, bloating which gets worse throughout the day. Also I'm 5ft 1 so it looks worse on me.

If you managed to reduce your belly without exercise (can't cause of DR) - HOW DID YOU DO IT?!

I'm wanting to start getting ready for the summer by at least attempting to reduce it by a little.

My BMI is 24 and I don't want to lose more than half a stone, it's just the belly.

Is it true you can't 'spot reduce' fat? Am i resigned to tent dresses?

@Leftbutcameback I don't have young children anymore (they are 12 and 16), but I do have severe PTSD and have days where I have anxiety attacks back to back and it's awful and I'm barely functioning. Some days are OK. My sleep is mostly OK but I do have some nights where I get very little sleep. I find valerian root helps it, only taking when sleep is bad, but gives me bad reflux/heartburn the next day.

Low carb diet works

@Valeriana87 that sounds so tough, hope you find some peace.

I would go and see a private woman's health physio about the DR and get a tailored programme. Pilates with someone who knows what they're doing, swimming and aqua aerobics type exercise will be fine but knowing the basics of how far you can push yourself with your condition is crucial. You have been doing the exercises online for a year but without professional guidance you could have been doing them ineffectively unfortunately. I'd get some professional help which will reassure you.

It's the wine ! Give it up and I bet it would go down !

@Valeriana87
I had a mini tummy tuck about 5 years ago and no matter if I put on weight my stomach always stays flat
I think I paid about £4500 and that included lipo
Best thing I ever did

Join us in the low carb bootcamp. We are only on week two. If you look on the spreadsheet all the rules are there, the weekly threads give lots of support, advice and recipes. The pinned posts are various recipes too. (Sorry if that’s already suggested, I didn’t RTFT)
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/low_carb_bootcamp

I should add, it’s the only way of eating that I’ve found makes my huge apple shaped gut trim down.

If you managed to reduce your belly without exercise (can't cause of DR) - HOW DID YOU DO IT?!

By logging everything into My Fitness Pal. No exercise at all. My belly became totally flat once I got towards bottom end of my BMI.

A lot of belly fat will go if you eat good food but cut out sugar (where ever from) and starchy carbohydrates. There is a book called The Blood Sugar Diet than gives guidance on this.

Also you don’t need 2000 calories a day once you are a bit older unless you are working very hard physically and on your feet all day etc

There's a great thread about this hut we are all over 40.

Loads of tips and basically there is hope and no need to accept this!

To think there must be a way to shift lower belly in your 40s? http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/amiibeingunreasonable/4440092-To-think-there-must-be-a-way-to-shift-lower-belly-in-your-40s

“Valeriana87

@Leftbutcameback I don't have young children anymore (they are 12 and 16), but I do have severe PTSD and have days where I have anxiety attacks back to back and it's awful and I'm barely functioning. Some days are OK. My sleep is mostly OK but I do have some nights where I get very little sleep. I find valerian root helps it, only taking when sleep is bad, but gives me bad reflux/heartburn the next day.“

I am so sorry about this OP💐I apologise for not having rthft before. Stress is known for making tummy fat I think ( cortisol). That is mentioned in the book too. Also lack of sleep.

So perhaps you need to start with some psychological help for PTSD if possible, and Mindfulness, and walking might help.

Also zinc, Vit D, B vitamins and magnesium.

I have PCOS am 50 and swim v hard 6 times a week and eat low carb. I still have fat in my abdominal area (below belly button) and tiny pockets at the top of my thighs and arms. Its my reserves for when a famine comes apparently due to the whole PCOS thing.
Starving myself just meant losing weight everywhere else and still keeping the not so little wodge. My thighs, arms back, buttocks are like steel but still have the fat belly. I have just learnt to live with it.

This is likely insulin resistance. Belly fat combined with PCOS is a massive red flag for insulin resistance.

You need to cut out refined carbs, up the veg and fibre, massively reduce the wine.

Insulin resistance is basically a warning that in 10 years plus you'll have type 2 diabetes or other metabolic illnesses.

Intermittent fasting and drinking lots of water helped me

OP if you get anxiety and it spoils your sleep try a weighted blanket. I bought mine on kudd.ly site. Not a usual blanket. It has transformed my winter sleeps! For years I woke at 4am. This year it is cured thanks to this! It is for anxiety/autism/fibromyalgia. So anybody of that ilk.

I’d echo everything everyone says about cortisol, stress and belly fat. I have managed to reduce mine through low impact cardio and certain weights exercises (I also had DR, but it’s improved dramatically with gentle , regular exercise and Pilates). The thing with the gentle cardio (so static bike or elliptical for looong endurance type steady sessions) is not so much the effect it has on body initially, rather the way it reduced my stress levels which I’m sure had the biggest effect.

I walk on the treadmill for 30 mins, on speed 4/5 on the highest incline three time a week - that’s helped reduce my stomach fat after my second DC. I also drink lots of water, have a high protein, veg and low carb intake.

Give up alcohol and eat healthily 90% of the time. Exercise 6 days out of 7. I run 4-5 times per week, strength train x3, swim x2 with some Pilates and yoga most days. When I don’t run I walk at least 4 miles. I’m older than you but to be brutally honest you have to be fairly dedicated once your over 40-45. It’s 30 I think you should be able to get back on track very quickly tbh.

Cut the wine out, it’s 800 calories a bottle. One 50g bar of choc a week.

Alcohols terrible for anxiety, mh generally isn’t helped by booze. I have pcos, my bmi is 18. If I gain weight my cycle packs up completely.

Abs show with low body fat percentage. As you age you tend to lose muscle mass so even if the same weight may have higher fat levels than when younger.
If you want to fix diastasis recti use a good lifting belt when doing squats & deadlifts, it repaired mine after having our twins (17lb combined at birth so I was huge).

Intermittent fasting (e.g. the 5:2 diet) is the only thing that works for me.

Thanks, the intermittent fasting looks interesting. Only eating 8 hours a day sounds like a challenge though! I will try it out tomorrow.

My slimming world consultant said a donut is equivalent to glass of wine, so you could effectively be having 12 donuts a week?
Get a pedometer/ smart watch or app and aim for at least 3km a day of walking if you can.
PCOS is hard too. It can lead to pre diabetes so watch all sugars if you can. You might be amazed at how much sugar you are having in hidden sugars. Good luck.

Could there possibly be a hernia poking through the DR, as your BMI is only 24? This was what happened with a relative of mine, and it went on for years until it was investigated. She then had the hernia repaired and the muscles sewn together. Has a lovely flat tummy now.