BmI in normal range now but tummy still in danger zone

[Brightmoments]

Hi

My BMI is now just within the normal range. I'm aiming to loose another stone so that its comfortably within the normal range then plan to taper off the weight loss jabs (I've been taking wegovy which has worked really well for me).

The problem I have is my tummy. I'm still a size 14 because I have a lot of belly fat. I'm fairly slim else where. Im active - go swimming and aquafit classes twice per week, have a treadmill at home which I use 3-4 times per week and walk daily outside. I calorie count, aim for 10,000 steps a day (often achieve well beyond this) and rarely drink alcohol.

I have just started to introduce daily workouts of 10-15 minutes focusing on my belly but I'm aware you can't spot reduce fat. Has anyone else had this problem and if so how did you overcome this? I'm not convinced loosing another stone will make much difference to my tummy but shall see.

I'm not on WLI but I am cutting at the moment. I would say go by the mirror and how you feel and keep losing weight until you feel happy. What are you doing on the treadmill? You could swap or add in a HIIT session per week on the treadmill which should boost your metabolism and burn more fat afterwards.

What is your waist height ratio? Once that is in the healthy range I wouldn’t worry too much personally.

It could be your diet composition. I’m guessing you’re eating some foods that spike your blood sugar. For me the biggest culprit was my morning porridge even though it is supposed to be the opposite. I now have chia seed pudding instead.

A lot of it depends on your natural shape I think. I had a big tummy, but it all went, leaving me pear shaped - which was the shape I'd been before the weight came on. It was thighs and bum for me that were last to slim down. You might be a natural apple shape so it could be your tummy reduces last. Also, if you're perimenopausal or older, our hormones love to grace us with a squishy middle.

Me too, I have got down to the weight I was 25 years ago. All great but...I have a tummy roll that I definitely didnt have then! (I had a completely flat tummy then, even drew attention to it purposely with a belly button piercing). Which is so disappointing! My limbs are looking scrawny and my bum is flat so I dont want to lose any more really, but I still have this roll which I can grab and jiggle and which means that I look bulbous in tight trousers or skirt, and can't tuck in a shirt...

You probably just need to lose more weight, when I am top end of my healthy BMI I am disproportionately heavier in some places than others, I don’t start evening out all over until I’m closer to the middle of my BMI.

What are the 15 minute belly work outs? Weights seem to be missing from your regime. I would aim for a more balanced exercise regime.

How long are you swimming for and what stroke? Aquafit doesn't do much...

Every week I do
*swim 2x60 minutes each week, gradually increasing the time I spend doing front crawl.

*2x weights sessions (might be body pump, body pump heavy or lift club depending on my schedule)
*1x reformer, 1x pilates athletic (more strength and conditioning based class)
*Plus 90-120 minutes brisk walking a day.

I do still have a little bit of a tummy, just a little bit of podge that overhangs slightly, really lower belly. I hate it. You can see it sticking out when I am in skin tight leggings and tops, and in trousers, the front zipper section doesn't hang right because that's where the belly fat it. The rest of my belly is slim. I am a still overweight technically, but a size 10. Waist is 29" so from the belly button up I look slender.

The belly fat is definitely improving though, so this routine seems to be helpful.

I’d say it’s more of a body-composition issue than a weight/BMI issue.

You don’t seem to have any resistance training in your schedule, so it’s possible you’ve lost a decent amount of muscle mass off your legs/arms leaving them slimmer than your tummy area.

Rather than focusing specifically on loosing more weight, focus on building some muscle. If you try to eat at maintenance while resistance training you could swap some of the fat weight for muscle weight your body will look completely different.

First, well done on your weight loss and exercise so far. Keep losing weight and keep working out and it will come. Search on YouTube for exercises for core strength to add to your routine. Try and do 15 mins every day or at least 3x a week. Such as…
Plank - excellent for core, way better than sit ups. Time it and work up to 2 mins.
Mountain climber - do a plank and bring your knees up to your chest alternately.
Plank to downward dog - do a plank then push into a downward dog
Dead bug - lie on your back and extend an arm and leg then switch. Etc etc
Honestly when you can do 2 mins plank - on elbows not hands - you won’t have a flabby belly.

@Hellohelga I do a 2 minute plank and my belly is flabby! I don't think that logic works sadly.

OP ive gone from a size 18 to a size 10. I have a saggy tummy but it’s improving slowly. I’ve been a healthy bmi now since Sept and the changes to my belly are still ongoing. It’s changing shape and the overhang (god I hate it) is slowly reducing. I’ve been consistent with my diet and exercise but I started weights in Oct and have kept them up. I really feel this is what is making the difference to how my body looks (and feels!). Give it a go. Build up slowly so it isn’t overwhelming.

I found the last stone or so made a huge difference, but you do need to tighten it up with muscle, and you need to think of what’s loose skin v fat.

i do planks every morning and evening, and sit ups etc most days, just routine now, doesnt take long, and i do my normal work outs and strength training. My stomach is flat with a ring of muscle,

my bmi is now 20, and I’d say you probably need to get to about a 23 before you see it shrink, with work,

Build muscle through weight training to failure. It will give you a nice toned shape and help burn fat. Another half stone or stone less will help too. A BMI of 22 or 23

Exercise that tightens your abdominal muscles will help, I expect. Some of the extra inches on your waist will be saggy tissue rather than fat, and if you can build up the rectus and oblique muscles, you may see quite a difference.

I’m on wegovy too and my stomach is shrinking but will be the last thing to go. I’ve been doing reformer Pilates and that is helping to tighten everything up.

I had to get to bmi 24 before my waist height ratio was in the healthy range. I’ve read that we lose weight from the top down and the inside out. Visceral fat goes first, which is good, but we lose weight from our face, shoulders and back before our waist. Waist comes before hips for most women, though, and thighs are apparently the hardest of all to shift weight from. This rings true for me. The more weight I lost, the more change I saw in my midriff. If you get a 3d body scanning app like MeThreeSixty you can see this effect in play when you project into the future - they have a little slider bar so you can project what you will look like after further weight loss. On mine, you can definitely see the loosing weight from there to down thing happening.