Losing Belly Fat?

[TornadoTwist]

I wasnt sure if this is suited more for WYP but It isnt that big of a problem. Just something I want to achieve. Alright I'm a bit sick of this. My belly has gotten fatter a lot these months. Right now I can grab it and squish it like a stressball, when I bend down I can squish it all the way until you don't see it. It's just really squishy and I want to get rid of it. I also gained a lot of weight (gotta love my pear shaped body...)

Anyway does someone know some easy exersizes or way to get rid of the fat? I'm thinking of getting my Wii Fit board ready again. I also need to eat less. But I hate salads.

[ponygirl74]

Hi, I got bariatric surgery, almost a year ago, but what I learned from the lifestyle food change was several things, One is that you want foods that are filling, high in fiber.I personally need to be on a more animal protein diet, but lean animal protein, mo skin on chicken etc, fish has good fats so a 'fatty' fish like salmon is good for me, besides there are some vitamins that are absorbed better through fat (can't remember which ones off top of my head.) If you want/like carbohydrates complex carobs are better then simple ones (brown/wild rice then white rice whole grains, try to stay away from white bread etc.) Exercise as you mentioned, look for good exercises for the mid section of the body, but as long as you keep moving any will really help in the long run.

I decided that bariatric surgery  because I was in the morbid obese range and try as I might I lost very little weight on my own, the surgery helps the process but I have to follow the guidelines put in front of me or it won't go far. I've hit a snag as my legs are swollen (my right esp bad) so walking for me is hard. I have to go to my primary doctor in a few weeks to see what my test results are to see if I need a stronger water pill. But I'm happy I had it done, but that's for me because I got so bad it took me 20-30 min to get out of bed each morning to start the day, that's not a life to me it's a death sentence.
The food guidelines go for anyone looking to loose weight, not just with surgery, normal sized portends ( I know that America loves those big oversize plates but @ the same time wants thin people, never got this about my country mixed message much?) and healthier choices. It's not bad to treat yourself but in moderation. Hope this helps you with some ideas     

[Starfall]

Ensure your intake of calories is less than your output.  Simple.

[Thunderwing]

Ensure your intake of calories is less than your output.  Simple.

Obviously someone who hasn't struggled with their weight or a difficult body type. =/

Lessee.  Unfortunately, I don't have any useful tips. I've also got a lovely spare tire, but I totally lack the ambition to do anything about it. My solution was to just accept me as me and live with it. Though I imagine any good 'core' exercises will help, I don't really know what the best ones would be. *ponders*  The big health kick in this area right now is paddle boarding. And doing yoga and other exercises while on the paddle board. I imagine that would be good for using abdomen muscles, trying to maintain your balance. Kinda hard if you dont' live near water, though.

[Tap Dancer]

You have to do cardio exercise to burn off the fat. Crunches and other exercises are good for sculpting, which is important, but you won't see the muscle underneath until the fat is gone. Walking is excellent exercise. Also, doing 30 minutes of Pilates three times a week gave me flatter abs than anything else. I got in shape using exercise DVDs at home. Be consistent (5-6 days a week of exercise) and keep your daily calorie intake at around 1200, and you should see some results in a month or so.

[banditpony]

From what I've read, you can't spot reduce...

I've personally been losing weight (mostly in my tummy area) by walking (occasionally jogging), hula hooping, and a low carb diet after gaining too much after pregnancy.

[archidraca]

You can't spot reduce but emphasizing one spot is possible. Just walking helps but full body dancing is super great for your legs and midsection. I find tunes I can just jam to in my garage. My dog looks at me weird but hubby has noticed the re-tone that I've gotten in the last month or so. Intake vs outtake is fine for limiting weight but not killing the fat you already have. Having fun is the best way for me.

[Hervoyel]

As a couple of people have said, you can't spot reduce, but if you lose weight overall eventually you'll see the results in your problem areas.  The guidance I've heard (I used to support the ecommerce site for a group of personal trainers, so this comes from them) is to add a bit of extra endurance exercise (say 30 minutes of jogging/day) plus a bit of a reduction in calories (say 200 calories/day) over a couple of months is usually enough to start seeing results in 6 weeks.  The more you want to lose, the higher those numbers need to be (but as with anything, check with your GP to be sure that there isn't a medical reason that you were gaining weight, standard warnings apply, etc).

Ensure your intake of calories is less than your output.  Simple.

Obviously someone who hasn't struggled with their weight or a difficult body type. =/

Well, "simple" isn't the same as "easy", so they're not wrong in that sense. 

It's totally true that some people will need to diet more to see the same results, and others will be on medications that make it much more difficult, but the basic equation is true.  And that's not to dismiss how challenging it might be for people with those body types/on those medications, but if we're talking about someone who has just gained a bit of weight in recent months (which is what it sounds like), a bit of a diet with a bit of extra exercise probably is the right advice.  I agree that it's an oversimplification when it's presented as the single solution for everyone though.

[kaoskat]

When you find the secret, do let me know.

[Sprinklecupcake]

I love helping people with this stuff! You can take my word from all my help, im 118lbs and very fit! I have a hard tummy and I can share with you my tips!

I would first start with eating more healthy foods! Take in a TON of fruits, vegetables, and mushrooms. Stay away from so much sugars, breads, and too much rice. It wont cause you to loose weight, but prevent weight gain on your tummy area. You can get a great amount of plant-based proteins from hemp seeds, nuts, and soymilk- all super low in fat and which also contain mono and polysaturated fats (the goods fats!) and well as other omegas, fibers, and other great nutrients.

Next, excersise!!!! Not just to your tummy but EVERYTHING!!! I LOVE to jog. Jogging can not only help you tone your legs, but the cardio is great for loosing weight overall! Going out in a park is the easiest way for me to run a mile or so- especially on nature trails. I get so caught up looking at nature I dont even realize how far I have traveled! I also suggest swimming- you use your whole body to swim because well you dont wanna drown LOL its a great way to excersise everything! Jumping on trampolines is really fun and rewarding, and you can get a great workout just playing around on one.  I suggest crunches, pilates, ballet bar stretches, bridge stretching, anything that can work out your legs, arms, back,and tummy. Stretches feel really good! I love to lay on the ground on my back and twist my upper body so it stretches my tummy.

[melodys_angel]

Its not just cardio.

You need to make sure your intake doesn't exceed what you can burn off, but more importantly you need to focus on your core. 

That does NOT mean running or doing something tiring.  That means doing stretches and going on machienes that will work each section of your body.  The more your muscles work, the more claories will be burnt.

Also remember, fat weighs less then muscle.

Now, you probably don't have one over there but id recommend curves if youre able to swing it.  Before I got stupidly sick I was able to feel a lot better about myself (chemicals get released into your body when you work out and it gets to the point where you feel like crap if you don't) but also manage things like strength or toning.

I really wish I could go back since I don't have access to the things I need here but im not stable enough (read: I have GI issues and will crash/faint easy) to do a workout :/