Sticky-out stomach - please help

ash2008

Hi everyone,

Just looking for a little advice.
Im female and my stomach is a major problem area for me when it comes to weight loss. It sticks out, but yet it doesnt feel flabby like extra fat should, it feels hard. (Atleast when standing it feels hard - when i sit or lean forward its flabby, cos i have a bit of fat around the rest of my waist, which rolls in when im not standing ).

So ive been reading into it, and maybe its bloating - although i dont get the other symptoms that google says i should with bloating -like stomach pain, full feeling, gas etc.. So im not sure. Plus its always there, not just after i eat.

I do core exercises to try strenghten the muscles, and if i breathe in i can sometimes see the muscles...so i dont think its due to weak abdominal muscles.

I cut down on starchy carbs like breads, pasta and rice last year...and while i feel better and have def lost a good bit of weight, my stomach isnt flat. I read on a personal trainers blog that dairy foods can cause bloating because pastuerisation kills the bacteria needed to help digest it - is this true?? I eat a lot of dairy to get protein as i dont eat meat (just fish). Surely probiotic yoghurts would be okay as they still have bacteria (id find it hard to live without my yoghurt )

Anyway any advice on trying to get my stomach flatter would really be appreciated. Just to note, i'm 5ft 2 and 8.5 stone, so im not grossly overweight or anything. Just want to "tone up" as they say.:pac:

EileenG

What's the rest of you like? Do you have definition on your arm and thigh muscles?

I'm a little inclined to suspect that you are making more of a problem than is really there. If you can suck in and see your stomach muscles, then you are in good shape. But very few people have the classical shape you see in fitness models, any more than most people have the same length of leg or neck that they do. It's possible that what you have is what is normal for you, and is only an issue if you make it one.

If you suspect a medical problem, then get it checked out. If you suspect a food issue, then cut out dairy for a couple of weeks and see if there is a difference.

Scanlas The 2nd

Check to see if you have a tilted pelvis. This can cause slim people to look like they have a bit of a pot belly. A strong arch in you lower back is usually a sign of a tilted pelvis.

metamorphosis

Yeah, like above, many people get that from lordisis - lot of people do not have great postural alignment that leads to rounding of the shoulders, arching of the back and ergo - sticky out stomach. It will still be more in your head though

mars411

I have a stomach problem too. I have a pot belly all the time. I look like im a few months pregnant (even though im not of course). I joined SW 6 weeks ago and ive lost 7lbs. Im now 10st and a height of 5ft 6". I cant see where ive lost the weight in my stomach at all because I still have a hard stomach that sticks out. I also do alot of ab excerises to try and tone it up but it just doesnt seem to be working! Especially when I eat weetabix, rice, pasta and so on my belly swells up even more, it looks horrible and its annoying too. Like when I go out for a meal for example i might wear jeans, before the meal they are comfy and then after main course they are so tight and uncomfortable it ruins the rest of the night and I feel conscious of my stomach sticking way out!! Could I be alergic to these starchy foods?

EileenG

A lot of people find that those foods make them bloated. Try cutting them out for a week and see if anything is different. It will be tough because wheat is in so many foods.

hrpuffinstuff

HI,

I am only 5'2" and weigh 7.13 to 8.2lbs, its various between these from day to day so my weight is ok and my bmi is perfect. Yet my tummy sticks out, granted its not huge but because I dont have a big check sometimes at side view my tummy is out further than my chest - definetly not the way its meant to be! Ive had all the allergy tests, tried gluten free breads, gave up dairy etc but its still there, oh and Ive been doing sit ups for the past few weeks as well as walking 5 miles 5 times a week (in 50 mins) so Im gettin fed up now tryin stuff to sort this.
My tummy was flat and I could eat anything until a couple of years ago.
Is it my age -over 40 - or am i missing something very obvious.
At this stage its taking over my life because at present I dont eat white bread potatoes or chips or sauces packet soups and read ingredients in almost everything, and am now starting to make my own spelt bread.
Has anyone of the same weight and height got the same problem, Im fed up been asked when im shopping if I am pregnant, depends on what I wear which is now a drama, so I never go out anyone, couldnt be bothered with all the hassle!

Any advice would be brilliant!

I hate to be complaining at all really cos I know Im so lucky to be in good health at all.

RobAMerc

I agree with metamorphosis, I think it is lordisis.
Do you have shoulders rounded forward and a very pert backside ?

I suffer from this too, it means your hips are rolled slightly forward due to tight hip flexors, weak hip extensors, and weak abdominals.

Do you sit at a desk most of the day ? Thats probably the cause of it.

there are videos on youtube on how to fix it particularly good is the one from transform who post here regularly and is very helpful and knowledgeable.