Will I ever lose my hanging gut?

[foreverhanging]

I have decided that enough is enough - since becoming pregnant in 2016 I appear to have put on 4 odd stone and it's getting worse. I am going to join a gym - I can do healthy eating etc but I don't think it's enough so I'm hoping the gym will give me an edge to help me lose it and keep strong.

I used to be beautiful (albeit still curvy with big hips) but now my boobs are tennis-ball-in-socks-like and I have massive stretch marks on my enormous legs, fat arms at the top, huge hips, a double chin and worst of all a hanging belly which I just wonder if it'll ever go ? I'm not sure how my skin can stretch out to the disgusting awful shape I am now and then go back even if I lose the weight - surely I'll be left with a hanging bit?

I think it's such an awful mental battle. I am starting to see my problem with food and how much I rely on it emotionally!

I just can't believe I ever thought I was fat when I was this big:

Picture..

Now I look like this

Me too. Which is telling in itself isn’t it - if we were worried about weight and food when we were slim then there’s a psychological fault at the root of all of this.

Be kind to yourself though.

Your body is different but it’s also made children. That’s pretty impressive.

First night at the gym today! Wish me luck. I'm not going to push too hard

Yay well done!

Keep going.

I've found it's all gone downhill after 40. i was actually thin on my 40th birthday (crash diet, didn't last) and now I'm 2 stone heavier and feel like an elephant.

It just makes me so miserable every day. I wake up and it's the first thing on my mind and the last thing at night. It's like wearing a heavy suit of armour I can't take off, only it's not armour, it's fat.

I keep stopping and starting diets, I need to have a good long period of time where I commit to a certain way of eating. I did this last year with the paleo diet, and got good results but then I got injured and laid up in bed in pain last Autumn and all my resolve went out the window...

Ah well at least we are not alone in this.

Russell that's exactly how it feels. Definitely together in it xx

I did it! 40 minutes in the gym. I forgot to set my Fitbit to record the exercise though. Eejit

Ah well done! I walked miles yesterday and my phone died so I didn’t record it. Damn it.

@foreverhanging I have started swimming early days as I needed to improve my core strength and it has definitely improved the tummy - now have muscles holding it all in.

@Ariela yes I love swimming and I'm hoping to be able to go a few times a month. It's difficult for me to find time because I'm a sahm and my husband works away a lot so I have to fit it in when he's home and dd is in bed !

I put on lots of weight when Pg the final time. I was just so tired working and looking after a toddler, so I ate too much.

She was born in August, and I knew I'd put on weight, but I decided I'd just leave it until the new year then do a diet. As it was, it was really affecting my mental health, so when she was 6 weeks I joined SW.

Based on my SW starting weight, I reckon I'd put on about 4.5st during pregnancy. It took me a while to lose it all, but it happened. It took about about 15 months to lose 3st with SW.

For me, feeling like I was doing something about it, although slowly, really helped my mental health. I didn't have PND I don't think, but my emotional state was certainly more fragile after this baby then the previous one. Please be gentle with yourself. You have made a start on your plan towards weight loss. It won't be instant, but you are in control now. If you have a blow out, enjoy it, draw a line under it, back on your plan next day.

Good luck with it, you will get there.

I'm someone who looks TERRIBLE with any kind of excess weight. I was three stone overweight at one point and I looked much, much heavier despite being very tall. FWIW, you have a much nicer shape than I did.

I agree that it can feel overwhelming to the point of wanting to give up. One thing that really helped me was recognising and accepting my limits:

• Although I've done marathons/hardcore workouts in previous years, right now I'm just not in that mindframe - and that's okay. Instead, I've been doing Leslie Sansone walking vids on Youtube as my main workout. Gentle, but effective. Find something that's sustainable for YOU.

• I cannot have junk food in the house. I will eat it. I only buy enough food for a few days at a time so I can't binge. Harder with a family, but ask your partner to get on board for a few months to support you.

• I HATE counting calories so instead I have a rota of meals in the 300-400 range that fit into my calorie limits. No agonising over what to eat.

In terms of loose skin: I drink bucket loads of water and my skin has always been prone to stretch marks and looseness, so I do think genetics plays more of a part than we'd like it to. I have seen some improvement with at-home dermarolling, but it's slow going. Lots of tutorials on Youtube. xx

@Foreverhanging I have found early morning 6am shift for a swim works well. Start as they open swim as many lengths as I can in 50 mins, Back home by 7.15.

I have the saggy tum too (I call the overhang The Envelope Flap) and another poster mentioned how bellydancing can help tone up everything on your front from your braline to crotch, so I figured I'd give it a go...

They were very much right The way we have to move our hips and waist tightens it up more, and because it tones up the front of the torso, it's lifted the flap to about half where it was.

I've only been doing it a month but I do ten mins of practise a day while cooking etc because I can see actual progress.

Anyway, that's just my tuppence in case anyone else fancies biting the bellydancing bullet!

Actually, there must be youtube vids for bellydancing so SAHMs might find it easier to access?

To be fair op, that photo of you in the black is a very different outfit to the stripey jumper. Horizontal stripes are not flattering.

If I were you I'd pin that pic on the fridge for inspiration : you look the bomb and you can be the bomb again.

The plank is the answer!

My belly has always been my problem area even when slim, now in middle age..... don’t ask.

However I’ve started exercise classes( I’m not motivated enough for the gym) and the plank has been a belly game-changer.
I started with 30 seconds daily, but after5 weeks I do one minute and my whole torso has really shrunk.
My apron has Diminished, it feels like the muscles pull it in and up. I’m
delighted, but have 4 or 5 stone to go.

I am dieting too for the last month, but was on holiday for 2 weeks and for the first time ever managed moderation.

Planking is something I can definitely give a go. And maybe the belly dancing too but only when I'm on my own haha.

I know it is a different type of outfit but I basically don't take pictures of myself anymore because I hate how I look so I couldn't find a good comparison really.

In other news, I am now the proud owner of a rowing machine which sits in the garage. I'm aiming for 20 minutes a day at least and the gym on days dh is in in the evening. Hoping this will be the thing that makes the difference! I've stuck to my calorie counting for the last two days which is an improvement on before. I have a couple of events this weekend which mean I'm not in control of the food but I'll just enjoy it and try to think about what I'm eating instead of going back to old habits

That’s great OP. Happy rowing!

I’m 4ib down - fitness pal app is really helping. I did put away an Easter egg last night though...

You looks nice OP, then and now. I'm sure your tummy will go back, it may not be the same as it was pre-children but I'm sure it won't hang. I worried about the same thing as my gut did hang down a bit after having my last baby. I've lost 2.5 stone now and have 11lbs to go to a healthy weight and it doesn't hang anymore, just bulges 😂

I'm not due to weigh myself until Tuesday so I'm hoping I don't cock it up this weekend. I find it so hard to reconcile with my 'new' self. I even still shop for my non fat self !