Lose Belly Fat FRUSTRATED

[pickles7904]

I have worked out and lost almost all the weight I need except this darn belly fat! I am losing my boobs and butt and dont want to lose anymore. i dont want to look anorexic. I just want to get rid of my belly fat but they say that you can only do cardio to lose fat and that everything will go away first then belly but i dont wnat to BE SUPER skinny and i dont want to feel my butt bone when i sit which is almost to the point i am at. I just wante a way to lose this belly. I am so frustrated. I look great except for that. I eat all protien and veggies I am a Zumba instructor so i DO my cardio every week PLUS take Extreme Fit classes and lift weights. The more sit ups i do it still doesnt work. Just frustrated. Dont want to be a twig just to lost some belly fat. sigh...its like whats the point of trying to lose weight when the fat parts you want gone dont go away 😞  sorry for the grammatical errors. was typing fast at work. 

[josephz2va]

You may want to check into what exercises you are missing that works on the core. You mention sit ups, but are you doing reverse crunches, low plank holds, oblique side plank knee lifts, reverse butterfly, and many more. There's a hundred exercises targeting the abs.

Jillian Michaels: 6 Week Six-Pack Abs Workout is one system to look into that does all these targets.

[WendyB]

Just keep doing what you are doing. I think the Belly is the last to let go. But it will eventually

[SunsetRunner]

Everyone is unique, our bodies decide where fat comes from most (all over our body) to use for energy or to store as energy (fat).

Be happy what you and your amazing body achieved together, know where you're heading, never give up. It can only become better.

[DominicJ]

Fat goes where your body decides, muscle goes where you work.

Squats and chest presses

[MRose]

The biggest thing for me was drinking. Not just alcohol, but also things with artificial sweeteners (which really sucks but they truly can make your body turn them to fat). Because abdominal fat is largely visceral and keeps our organs from playing bumper cars, it's one of the hardest to lose, especially in women. And since so much of it is hormonal or genetic, it is going to change from person to person. One of the larger keys is recognizing what your personal triggers are for "fast" weight gain and monitoring those. For most, alcohol and sugars/refined carbs are one of the largest culprits.

[PagoPinkDrink]

It might not be fat! Have you tried any kind of cleanser/detoxer? I take Plexus Bio Cleanse. It's gentle and doesn't tear up your stomach like laxatives and it doesn't make you have to run to the bathroom. Another thing it could be is Fungus overgrowth or also known as Candida. You can do what they call a spit test to find out if you have Candida. Get a CLEAR glass of water fist thing in the morning before you do anything else, even brush your teeth, spit in the glass (a generous amount) and after 15 minutes if it looks like any of these in the picture below you have Candida overgrowth. If it's still at the top and nice and clear, you're good. I take Plexus ProBio5 to help with my overgrowth. Bio Cleanse and ProBio5 work very well together. ProBio5 will break up all the overgrowth and Bio Cleanse will clean it out. I was a little bloated for about 2 weeks when I started, but I found out that it was because of all the overgrowth that was breaking up in my body. After that, I went from a size 16 to a size 12 in 2 months and I had only lost 20 lbs! It was all that crud in my body!

[SunsetRunner]

Didn't knew about that yet @PagoPinkDrink

@DominicJ

If only we could tell our wonderful body 'you may store more fat there, but less in the tummy'.. and when using fat as energy, take from the tummy first..

[erwright78]

You should try the weighted hula hoop.  It works wonders.  I've been doing it for a while and have a four pack.  Try it for ten minutes a day.  It will works.

[dancefoxtrot]

pickles

I know the feeling well. For me too the belly fat has reduced but at 143.7 and 5'7" the belly is bigger than I like. I'm aiming for 139 lbs but the belly fat is clinging harder than the breast fat that is for sure. Strong core helps to hold it in but not such a pretty sight. Most of us can't afford liposuction so we get to love ourselves with more padding than we like. 

I teach exercise dance for seniors 5 classes a week and we work up a sweat and dance in the fat burning and cardio ranges both. 

I have had a little belly fat at my thinnest in my 20's as I had my son at 20.  

I'm still aiming to lose but I don't think it is about to leave me now that I'm in my 70's. 

I wear long pretty tops and dance. I don't wear type over the belly clothes and just go on with life.

I think about how blessed I am to have good over all health, live in lovely area with flowers and birds.

No sense to obsess about the body's way of protecting itself from starvation. 

Basically you have company in the "why won't it go away" feeling. 

Yours for health,

Barbara 

[pickles7904]

I drink alot of tea but like it sweet so I use Splenda or Sweet N Low. I cant stand stuff that is bitter. I also use it in my coffe as well. So i guess i need to stop drinking that stuff all together. Just stinks.  Seems like you cant eat or drink anything except raw foods. You cant have boxed...you cant have artificial sweetner OR sugar...you cant drink. Just seems like to be healthy you have to really miss out on everything 😕 I eat very healthy but I hate that I cant splurge sometimes or eat my normal things I like anymore. I love my coffee and I dont put anything in it but some sweetner 😞 Thanks for the tip though. This is why i think ppl have such a hard time dieting. They cant eat anything that actually taste good lol There are ways to make it taste good but like with sugar, etc. I like drinks that taste sweet so i guess thats my downfall. I drink water all the time but put a half packet of tea or lemonade powder in it or i never get my daily intake of water needed becasue i cant drink just plain water. I will try this even though its going to be hard and see what happens 😞 Thanks again for the advice. 

[pickles7904]

I do tons of squats so I am good there. I heard the same. bench presses and butterfly presses. Thanks for confirming that!! I want to be healthy but not look anorexic skinny. I want to look HEALTHY but not lose all my curves. I think i will stop doing cardio and just work on toning so i dont lose anymore. I guess the belly will just always be there 😕 Thanks!!!!

[cylon]

I know this sounds crazy, but simply increasing my step goal and taking seperate walks has helped me a TON.  This on top of a lifting and running routine.  I've also added some sprinting which helps torch fat.  I've only been in this new routine for about 3 weeks, but so far so good.

Good Luck!

[Spartan_Dawg]

I hear ya.  It's such a pain, and I haven't figured it out yet either.  I'm a former competitive swimmer, but even as a swimmer I had a touch more belly fat than I wanted.  That said, swimmers tend to carry a little more than, say, runners.

In any event, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease as an infant, so I've eaten clean my whole life.  Two salads a day, chicken, fish, a handful of almonds, pretty much nothing but protein and veggies and fruit.  I stay away from glutinous carbs because I have to, and I stay away from gluten-free carbs because I'm used to not having them (and who needs that much sugar?).  I never drink soda or artificial sweeteners.

Despite being in the midst of a four month stretch of tracking everything I eat, weights three times a week, and 45 minutes of cardio four times a week (mixing in high intensity at least twice), I can't get rid of that lower belly fat.  I have the top four pack on lock, but it's very frustrating.  I'm 6'1'' and started at 185, which should be a good weight for my height, but I wasn't happy with the belly fat.  I'm down to 172, so that's great progress, but it's only noticable in my face and maybe a bit in the upper abs.  My goal is 165, but at 6'1'', I'm afraid to go lower than that.  Like you, I don't want to be a waif, I just want to destroy the rest of that lower belly fat.

It sounds like you're doing all the right things - maybe working a couple of HIIT workouts each week would help so you're not doing steady-state cardio every time (maybe you already do this).  I do think weights are often overlooked - not necessarily because people aren't doing them, but because they aren't increasing the weight over time.  Not saying you need to get jacked, but even just upping the resistance a little bit every couple of weeks could add some definition without hulking you out.

Anyway, sorry that was long.  Good luck - just know you're not alone!

[Gingerroc]

Sadly you can't spot train fat

It comes off when it's needed

There are a ton of ways to do it, but for overall health I suggest a normal weekly calorie deficit, combined with good macro nutrient eating and weight training. Muscle mass is important for many reasons.

Good luck

[art435]

Hill intervals has really been helping.   When I'm running and approach a hill, I pick up my pace and about 50 - 75 yards from the top - I sprint.

[art435]

Physical today - discussed "jigglies" with my dr.   He measured and said I have very little fat there and it just may stay, but be parient.

I'm not 20 anymore and never will be - actually I'm 65 and have lost 80 pounds since September (2014).   I feel better, I'm healthy, my wife says I look good and I'm doing things that I couldn't have done last year.   So, "don't worry, be happy"  Thank you Bob (Marley) 

So now I guess the weight loss and geting fitter was the first step  now step two, try to get rid of the "jigglies"  Actually they aren't that bad, but I'm so OCD

[Beno]

I SO hear you pickles7904!  I have been going to the gym for YEARS, jog about 20ks + each week, eat VERY healthy, no sugar, no processed etc, watch calories/protein/carbs etc etc etc.  I should be ripped and toned and awesome, however I have an insessantly annoying layer of belly fat that WILL not budge, no matter what I do.  I have just started (other than weights/cardio/hiit - which lets face it, we've been doing for years!)   Calorie cycling.  Don't know if you've heard of it or not, but the idea is to Eat Less, Excercise Less (ELEL) (yeah, I know, hard to get my head around cos I LOVE my excercise) for about 2 weeks, then Eat More, Excercise More (EMEM) for 2 weeks.  That's what they say anyways.  Going to go 1 week ELEL then 3 weeks EMEM.  When they say ELEL, I will drop my calories to about 1200, 2 x weights (at most), then a really slow jog 2 X week, then walk about 45 mins on other days. EMEM will up it to 1600 calories. (My body is used to a 1200 cal diet) with just your normal excercise routine (for me, 3 X jogs, 3 X weights and 3 X HIIT workout, all over 45 mins).  Oh, and I bought a body brush, as this is supposed to help with circulation.  Will wish you  luck.  We have to try something, as it is VERY frustrating to do exactly what all the experts say, and to not have any results. 

[SunsetRunner]

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@pickles7904 wrote:

I drink alot of tea but like it sweet so I use Splenda or Sweet N Low. I cant stand stuff that is bitter. I also use it in my coffe as well. So i guess i need to stop drinking that stuff all together. Just stinks.  Seems like you cant eat or drink anything except raw foods. You cant have boxed...you cant have artificial sweetner OR sugar...you cant drink. Just seems like to be healthy you have to really miss out on everything 😕 I eat very healthy but I hate that I cant splurge sometimes or eat my normal things I like anymore. I love my coffee and I dont put anything in it but some sweetner 😞 Thanks for the tip though. This is why i think ppl have such a hard time dieting. They cant eat anything that actually taste good lol There are ways to make it taste good but like with sugar, etc. I like drinks that taste sweet so i guess thats my downfall. I drink water all the time but put a half packet of tea or lemonade powder in it or i never get my daily intake of water needed becasue i cant drink just plain water. I will try this even though its going to be hard and see what happens 😞 Thanks again for the advice. 

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I know it seems like you're "missing out on all the good stuff" because that's what you're used to eating. I had that feeling the other day when I saw an advertisement for Oreos... I loved Oreos and I can't eat them anymore but at the same time I know it's not good for my body. The taste is great but what it does for my health is not. You just have to convince your mind to enjoy the things that are good for your body. It's okay to "cheat" sometimes. I had s'mores on th fourth of July. That's okay because I eat clean 99% of the time.

For water you should consider getting an infuser. I have a infuser water bottle and I cut up a lemon for a delicious bottle of lemon water. You could use any kind of fruit to sweeten it up... for no calories! 

[PaulSimon15]

Excellent advice. I have had candida and it really makes a difference when you can get rid of it.