What is up with the belly fat??

[APanthesilia]

Hello All,

I've been sick over the weekend, there is a bad storm across the UK today, and to top it all off, I look in the mirror and just can't tell I've lost anything. I know I have, the scale and the tape measure tell me I have, but I just can't see it. I think it is because my belly isn't going anywhere! It is still big and round and droopy! I know this takes time, but I think I am losing other places and not the belly! It is frustrating as my belly is where I want to lose the most! I've been doing sit-ups and push-ups as well as walking quite a lot and doing more intense cardio when I can. I am on plan and doing well with the food. I just want the fat to be leaving me in a more proportionate way...or if not proportionate then belly first! I think I'm just down because of being sick and having to walk through the wind and rain so the belly fat is getting to me more. I just see it every time I look in the mirror and I am getting more and more fed up with it the more and more I am eating healthy! I think it should just go away now! Oh well, I know it takes time and I am in this for the long haul...just wanted to share my frustration with my STAC-er buddies. You guys always understand what I'm going through! Thanks!!

Amy

By the way-- Is anyone else from the UK getting blown away right now? I know in London we don't have it as bad as other parts of the country, but it is so dreary and very windy here! Not to mention tube and power outages! Hope everyone is staying safely inside and avoiding the storm!

[Zarabelle]

Re: What is up with the belly fat??

I hate my belly too! Hang in there - you will see it soon.

It is horrible weather here (Surrey). Absolutely pouring and gale force winds last night

x

[shirley3010]

Re: What is up with the belly fat??

Hi APanthesilia

Yes it is rather blowy out there today .. took an age to get into work, they closed the Queen Elizabeth bridge on the M25 and all the traffic had to be diverted. Nightmare. I live on the outskirts of London in Essex and I know we haven't had it as bad as cornwall and wales.. I hate to think how they are feeling today. Do you remember 1987 or are you too young? What a bad night that was.

[Zarabelle]

Re: What is up with the belly fat??

I remember 1987 (I was 15 and at school). That was awful! We had to negotiate trees in the road on the way to school - I think it was shut anyway. Terrible night...

[Adena]

Re: What is up with the belly fat??

Amy, I can relate. I've lost almost 90 pounds, down from a size 26 to a 14/16, and my belly still hangs there, all mushy and droopy. Perhaps even droopier, now that there's not as much fat to fill it out. When I look in the mirror, my stomach looks very much like it used to. Smaller, I guess, but very similar. I don't just want smaller; I want a new SHAPE!

I have confidence that it will improve in time, but believe it will be the last thing to go, and I'll have to work out well-beyond reaching my goal weight to see the kind of change I want to see. Surgery might be in my future -- but I'm going to give the old-fashioned approach a long, patient try before taking that step.

Hang in there -- it will improve. In time.

[DigitalMocking]

Re: What is up with the belly fat??

Are you taking progress pictures?

Something weird happens to a lot of people as they are losing weight. We become hypercritical of our body shape and all the new curves/sags/dips. I find myself thinking I look fatter now, which is ridiculous. I have progress pictures to help me realize that my body is changing, and heading to where we want to be.

It's like the opposite of growing your hair out, there's that "ugly stage" for your hair as it gets longer, I think there's an "ugly stage" that we perceive out bodies going through as we get the weight off.

[purplecat]

Re: What is up with the belly fat??

I just started using the Aveeno Firming Cream. I doubt it will do much as I've had 5 stomach surgeries. My stomach hangs and looks like the Pillsbury Doughboy. I have a feeling that a tummy tuck is in my future (we'll see when I reach goal).

[APanthesilia]

Re: What is up with the belly fat??

Are you taking progress pictures?

Something weird happens to a lot of people as they are losing weight. We become hypercritical of our body shape and all the new curves/sags/dips. I find myself thinking I look fatter now, which is ridiculous. I have progress pictures to help me realize that my body is changing, and heading to where we want to be.

It's like the opposite of growing your hair out, there's that "ugly stage" for your hair as it gets longer, I think there's an "ugly stage" that we perceive out bodies going through as we get the weight off.

I've got a few pictures but I should do more, I just don't like the way I look in pictures so I tend to avoid them! I know it would be better to take them but I'm afraid I'm just not very brave!

I LOVE your analogy about the ugly stage! I think you are right! I also think I have more dips and sags than I used to. Is that normal? And you are right that I am becoming more and more critical of my body the more I lose. I sometimes analyse places on my body like my ankles for goodness sakes! I never did that before I started because I knew I wouldn't like what I saw. I think it is more and more being aware of what my body actually looks like because I spend more time looking at it than ever before. I read a post on here once (sorry, forgot who wrote it!) from a new starter who said she was throwing in the towel- literally taking off the towel she always covered herself up with so she could really see her body, it was something she didn't ever do. I think I'm the same way! So it is part that I'm looking at my body more, part that I want it to look better because I am working so hard at it and part because I am analysing every part in a way I never have. Thanks for helping me think through it!

My belly is still big and droopy though! I'm certainly not imagining that! I always always keep it sucked in but that doesn't really help, it's just an illusion! And it is discouraging because I'm starting to be able to wear smaller tops and smaller dresses but I can't wear smaller trousers because my belly is still so big! Even the word belly is pretty gross to me!

Oh well, we'll see in time how it goes and to be brave I'm going to take a progress pic tonight...or maybe tomorrow morning! The temptation is though to suck in and hide the bad parts like I try to do for every picture, I don't think I want to see what my body is like in a picture without it! You just can't deny a picture!

Thanks for replying everyone it is good to know that I'm not alone here! Purplecat and Adena, I know you are thinking of getting tummy tucks. Have other people on the board had them? I think I'm a long way from something that drastic, but I was wondering how other people have done with it? It seems scary to me!

[DuchessOfDork]

Re: What is up with the belly fat??

Ugh, I've always had thigh problems. Big fat disproportional thighs, with cellulite hanging from them. It's horrible.

[Smallerizing]

Re: What is up with the belly fat??

Hang in there -- it will improve. In time.

Can you people stop using that WORD?!?! Mine "hangs" too. It was even gross when I got down to 127. Then I filled it all back up again, and wish it was all droopy and empty, at least then I could fold it up and tuck it into a size 4 pair of cute jeans!!

What I mean to say is, there are worse things than a droopy belly. And with some people I've heard that it firms up. Even if it doesn't, it looks way worse with the blubber filling it out. My doctor called it "menopause belly" in my case, and said it really has nothing to do with weight, her 100 lb older ladies come in and complain of a belly.

[partytrouble]

Re: What is up with the belly fat??

if it helps give you hope, my belly went away when i hit about 160 and is nice and flat now, no pooch! i am not doing ab exercises yet. maybe yours is going to go away too!

[DigitalMocking]

Re: What is up with the belly fat??

A lot of it depends on genetics too, but I'd rather have droops and sags rather than I nice fat buddah belly

[julirama723]

Re: What is up with the belly fat??

Amy, I still have a bit of a belly, but the thing that has helped to give me an hourglass shape and tone my midsection is lifting weights. Do you do any strength training? Running seems to whittle away my mid-section, too.

That being said, I still have saggy skin. But, I guess I'd rather have saggy skin than a Buddha belly, like DM said! A tummy tuck is something I might look into...too bad I'm deathly afraid of surgery!

[Sera]

Re: What is up with the belly fat??

ugh, I know the belly problem as well.
I know a lot of it has disappeared since I started and I do see that but it's still the part right above my belly button that stands out...I absolutely hate it.
I went to the Levi's website a few days ago to see what size of jeans I would fit in according to their size table and while my bum and thighs would fit in a size 28, my waiste keeps me at a 34...damn that belly grrrr.

[APanthesilia]

Re: What is up with the belly fat??

Amy, I still have a bit of a belly, but the thing that has helped to give me an hourglass shape and tone my midsection is lifting weights. Do you do any strength training? Running seems to whittle away my mid-section, too.

That being said, I still have saggy skin. But, I guess I'd rather have saggy skin than a Buddha belly, like DM said! A tummy tuck is something I might look into...too bad I'm deathly afraid of surgery!

I don't do strength training and I know I should. I can't afford a gym membership right now, can I do strength training at home? I can buy some small weights but I don't think I'd even know what to do with them! Any advice?