Why does this keep happening?!

[elenasalvatore]

I am a curvy 5'9 and after wrestling with my weight for years I decided that this was the year to sort it out. I started at 13st. I have lost 10 pounds so far (yay!) but in the last week, three people have drawn attention to my stomach.

• one was a gym instructor who asked how many months post natal I am (4 years - her face fell a bit)
• a business client who asked when I was due. Umm not.
• DS4 who asked if I had a baby in my tummy.

So I can forgive DS. Just about. But having been really proud of how I am doing, I feel like i'm getting more negative attention than before?! And most importantly how do I solve my gut region? I had a C-section with the above mentioned, and I am left with a shelf. But I also have quite a protruding stomach which feels firm not flabby. I saw the doctor a while ago who said I just need to do sit ups. But it's not really working.

Help!

Have you tried cutting out wheat for a bit?

Maybe check out the book 'Wheat Belly' - the clue is in the title!

Ps, I'm talking from personal experience - cutting out wheat (well, 90% of the time) has made a huge difference to my tum. Huge.

Ooh thanks. I will try that. I'm so sick of it!

I had a friend with a protruding tummy and she had huge fibroids

Right this is tanukisan from earlier, have just name changed. Must be feeling brave tonight but here goes! Before and after shots

Wow! Thanks for the pics - I am definitely going to try wheat free. Mine is MUCH more bloated looking so I am certainly not brave enough for a pic. But might do a before and after for future reference.

Pixie - will look into fibroids too, hadn't thought of that.

Yes get them checked out but also try this; the best (and easiest) belly flattening exercise ever!!

1. Lie on your back on a firm flat surface (I do this in bed!)

1. s l o w l y to the the count of 6 bring up your head and shoulders, for 6c.m. and hold for the count of 6. Then the same going down (THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO KEEP YOUR HEAD IN LINE WITH YOUR SPINE).

I do this 3 times at night and 3 times in the morning it's amazing really!! It activates your belly muscles all night so you burn calories while asleep !!

I think perhaps your other weight loss has been around your stomach not on your stomach and has made your stomach look bigger in comparison. Well done on the weight loss so far.

I have no advice but just to tell you that I had the same thing... It's as if my tummy sticks out above my belly button. Its the same as you, not flabby but hard, the only thing that reduced it was weight loss, sit ups didn't do much ( but I was doing exercise anyway so quite toned).

Oh I also agree about the give up wheat thing so very true. Tanukisan I have pure rye toast and or ryvitas instead. Yo do need to read labels though it's in almost everything .

And have your carbs separately from your protein (that works very well).

Thanks everyone. Feeling quite motivated to get this sorted out! Wish me luck!

Good luck

Another thing that helped for me was coming off the pill and finding a non-hormonal form of birth control.

Helped reduce bloating so much!

Not sure if that applies to you, OP, but thought it was worth a mention.