How do I get rid of belly fat?

[ChrissyBells]

I've lost 110lbs and am now 9st9lbs

I know some of it is skin and I cannot do anything about that but inside the belly skin I have a lot of fat.

I don't want to lose anymore weight.

My original goal was 11st7lbs but my belly was still huge, so I kept going, trying to shrink it. But it was still big however much I lost

I am going to lose 2 more lbs to be 9 and a half stone but I have to stop there, I cannot go lower.

But my belly is still big in comparison to everywhere else from the side!

Is there anything I can do?

Images of my waist in size 12 jeans from front and side for comparison!

Two things spring to mind:
Are you just bloated?
Consider seeing the GP as sometimes women think they have stubborn fat but actually have an ovarian cyst.

Better posture. Strengthen your core with exercise - weightlifting, pilates. It won't do miracles, but it can help everything stay in place better. You will kind of have to re-teach yourself how to hold yourself now that your body is a different shape.

Not massively today, am not due my period for about 12 days and not feeling too bloated
I don't think I have any cysts as I don't have any issues/pain/symptoms of one

Congrats on your weight loss. That is an incredible amount you managed to lose.

Have you had children? Pregnancy has a lot to answer for.

You have a waist just that your belly still bulges out? Have you tried sit ups? I know it would reduce the fat but it will at least make that area more toned.

For me, losing 10 pounds did a lot to reduce the area from under the chest to the belly button. But from the belly button down (called the 'gunt'), it is much harder to shift.

For me, only a tummy tuck. Best thing I ever did for myself.

I've lost some weight (2-3 dress size) but I've seen the biggest change when I started being consistent with weights. Including core exercises and pilates. I've not lost much more weight but it's made a difference to my body shape.

Yes, 4 children.
I know it's to be expected but it's frustrating!

I think this is what I need to do
Daunting though!

Unfortunately not an option for me at all

I had stage 1 ovarian cancer 5 years ago.
Often the only sign is a big or bloated stomach, there is rarely any other symptoms.
I thought I was just fat, but it turned out I had an ovarian tumour that weighed 50lb…….. 😬

Wow that's insane! I'm glad you overcame that!

I'm very squishy though.

If I lay down I can push and palpate my uterus and there's nothing there, just a lot of squishy fat

It was slightly mad!
The tumour was found when I had an MRI scan for something else.
The time scale from scan results to major abdominal surgery was 5 weeks.
I had a complete hysterectomy, including my cervix, my appendix removed and even had an umbilical hernia repaired on the way out (I believe in getting my moneys worth!)
Amazingly the tumour was benign so I didn’t have to have any further treatment 🙂

So glad to hear that was benign. It must've been terrifying.

I’ve lost 5 stone and am now 9 .5 stone, 5’7. It’s been three years now, and I still have that tummy. I’ve had 2
c sections, and I don’t think there is anything I can do (other than a tummy tuck which I can’t afford.

As to fitness and the gym - I hate to say it, but I go to about 6 classes a day, including weights, core work, yoga etc. My core is loads stronger and I am toned all over , apart from my tummy.

on the plus side, I am better at holding it in!

It really sucks :(

I can't afford a tummytuck either.

6 classes a day??

Not to be alarmist, but as others have said, if you do lose weight/tone up core etc. and still find you're struggling to slim down your waist, there is nothing to be lost by popping to the GP and mentioning you're regularly bloated, and asking for a CA125 test which would pick up issues such as ovarian cancer. The reason I say this is that my mum struggled with her weight for years, yo yoing and never losing the tummy bulge. She unfortunately was eventually diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer (by which point she did have other symptoms) but I have to wonder how long it had gone on for undetected. Posting this not just for you but for any others reading, as it's a cancer that is so commonly missed and often not found until it's far too late, due to the symptoms being so subtle or easily confused with other things that already plague women as we get older (bloating, frequent need to urinate being two of the most common)

I do appreciate the warnings but my belly was absolutely massive
It's always been where I catty my weight and I have a huge apron of fat and skin.

It's not bloat and there's nothing 'hard' in my tummy. It's just where all my fat has settled in the apron of skin.

I can lift it up and see the slim shape underneath,

I went to a surgeon about a tummy tuck and he dis an examjnation and palpated my stomach and said about muscle repair too but I just can't justify the cost of removal. He said I have a heavy apron of fat and it could be removed
He didn't mention bloating or anything untoward in my abdomen

Your uterus should be within your pelvis and not really palpable unless you're pregnant. You might want to get that checked.

@fudgesmummy 50lbs tumour! Bloody hell. I bet you felt walking on air once that was removed.

It was benign but stage 1 ovarian cancer? I'm confused.

Well done you for losing the weight!! It can be a tough old slog! I was 11 stone post partum, pre pregnancy was 9 stone 3. In all honesty it’s only now I am 8.5 stone that I really feel better , yes at 10/9 stone I could tell the difference, but honestly with shifting that extra half a stone, my stomach feels toned and my mum pouch has very nearly gone. I vouched I wouldn’t go under 9 stone as I am paranoid of being called too thin which has happened a lot all of my life when 7/8 stone. I am unlikely to go under my weight now though and I am likely to go up as I weight train etc. this is not to say starve yourself or lose more weight by the way, I am just sharing my experience.

I can only tell you what worked for me. No carbs that are processed. Avoid processed food in general. Eat smaller portions. I went vegan too. I'm unsure if that helped. I think it is more the no processed carbs that work.

To add- I also had an apron as I had an emergency c section, the scar tissue gives an apron! it is only in the last month or two it is nearly disappearing. Which I never thought would happen.
Pre losing 2.5 stone it was so obvious and I was so self conscious, now I feel confident! But I would say only since the last 6 lbs went!! But ultimately we are so hard on our selves as women and we would never criticise our friends/family the way we do ourselves. We really ought to be kinder and embrace our bodies!

This is the answer.

Check your pelvic tilt. You can google how with YouTube videos.

Then 1-1 old school Pilates instructor to activate your corset muscles. This isnt your abs. It’s underneath a giant sleeve; basically like a thin plastic shopping bag running from your diaphragm to your pelvic floor. At the moment that’s all your organs and intestines just bunched up there at the bottom of the shopping bag.

You would be surprised how quick a fix it is. 6 weeks to retilt your pelvis and a further 6 months to stabilise and get the shopping bag back in shape.