A friend asked me was I pregnant....

Makkapakka01

and I am 100% not pregnant, but do have a belly-problem obviously. Her comment stung me (unintenionally) so I thought I'd ask for some advice.
First off, I am 35, have had 2 babies in the last 5 years. I am slim, weigh 8.5 stone and am about 5 foot 7. So my BMI is fine, I have never had weight issues. I think I eat healthily, while not being fascist about my diet.
My waist measures 31.5 inches and I just wish I could lose the tummy. From reading these boards, I see that bread is often mentioned as a culprit - here is what I would eat of a normal day.
Breakfast - either all bran/bran flakes with full fat milk. 2 slices brown bread toasted with real butter
Snacks - Fruit such as bananas/apples/blueberries or maybe some nuts
Lunch - Always either a salad or soup (no bread). Maybe some popcorn if still hungry
Dinner - Try to always cook from scratch but normal enough dinners - bolognese/lasagne/chicken curry/meat, veg, potatoes. I work & have 2 small kids and not wanting to make excuses but there isn't the time to make separate dinners so I do eat what they will eat - but I do watch portion size and ensure plenty of veg.
For exercise I try to get out twice a week to run 5K - sometimes that doesn't happen cos of kids etc, but it is a regular thing at least.
So all in all, I think my diet/exercise is ok, I really don't want to lose weight (apart from the tummy of course). Obviously I am going wrong somewhere, so am hoping someone can help. Are there specific stomach exercises I could try (at home btw, not a hope of getting out to a gym)? Or should I just shrug off her comment and realise there's more important things to worry about it.
Thanks so much in advance.

tempura

Im not going to give you diet of advice as im not an expert. Anyway, i would have suggested the gym and a bit of weight training to but as you've stated you don't have the time and this is completely understandable as you have little ones . Was in the same position myself some years ago, and yes, its a difficult time, you have your hands full.

What i really wanted to say was, pay no attention to what was said to you, it was a thoughless and hurtfull remark obviously said with no regard as to how it would make you feel. Try and shake it off. I will never understand why people feel to need to say such hurtfull things.

Also, if you want to get into some excerise you will have time as your kids get older, your diet seems ok and your doing your best.

Just ignore stupid remarks like that.

Degsy

Makkapakka01 wrote: »

and I am 100% not pregnant, but do have a belly-problem obviously. Her comment stung me (unintenionally) so I thought I'd ask for some advice.
First off, I am 35, have had 2 babies in the last 5 years. I am slim, weigh 8.5 stone and am about 5 foot 7. So my BMI is fine, I have never had weight issues. I think I eat healthily, while not being fascist about my diet.
My waist measures 31.5 inches and I just wish I could lose the tummy. From reading these boards, I see that bread is often mentioned as a culprit - here is what I would eat of a normal day.
Breakfast - either all bran/bran flakes with full fat milk. 2 slices brown bread toasted with real butter
Snacks - Fruit such as bananas/apples/blueberries or maybe some nuts
Lunch - Always either a salad or soup (no bread). Maybe some popcorn if still hungry
Dinner - Try to always cook from scratch but normal enough dinners - bolognese/lasagne/chicken curry/meat, veg, potatoes. I work & have 2 small kids and not wanting to make excuses but there isn't the time to make separate dinners so I do eat what they will eat - but I do watch portion size and ensure plenty of veg.
For exercise I try to get out twice a week to run 5K - sometimes that doesn't happen cos of kids etc, but it is a regular thing at least.
So all in all, I think my diet/exercise is ok, I really don't want to lose weight (apart from the tummy of course). Obviously I am going wrong somewhere, so am hoping someone can help. Are there specific stomach exercises I could try (at home btw, not a hope of getting out to a gym)? Or should I just shrug off her comment and realise there's more important things to worry about it.
Thanks so much in advance.

I think the three meals a day approach may be your(very slight) problem here..you may improve your metabolism by eating five smaller meals about three hours apart.

Give it a try for six weeks and see what happens or alternatively you could just tell your friend to sod off and mind her own business.

Hanley

Degsy wrote: »

I think the three meals a day approach may be your(very slight) problem here..you may improve your metabolism by eating five smaller meals about three hours apart.

Give it a try for six weeks and see what happens or alternatively you could just tell your friend to sod off and mind her own business.

You won't really, BUT you're more likely to eat less food because you don't get to be absolutely starving at any point so you don't binge on chocolate and other crap.

The multiple meals per day thing facilitates decreased kcals but doesn't cause any significant increase in metabolic rate

rubadub

Hanley wrote: »

BUT you're more likely to eat less food because you don't get to be absolutely starving at any point so you don't binge on chocolate and other crap.

+1, thats what I found. You also know your next meal is not far away so you can hold off easier even if you are hungry.

I have read your body is not meant to realise it is full/has eaten for ~20mins after eating. I find this true for me. If I have a starter I can be full quickly if the main meal does not arrive in time. If you are a fast eater you might put away loads before recognising/registering you have taken in enough energy.

Conversely someone posted a bodybuilder technique of eating loads quickly for people who find it hard to eat lots of food -so your body has no time to realise it has had loads of food.

Makkapakka01

Thanks very much for those replies.
Just to say my friend didn't mean to be nasty, she thought she was being all conspiratorial, as in the 1st to find out. She was mortified when I told her eh no its just a bit of a belly.
To be honest I eat small enough portions, was never a big eater. And I just don't know where exactly I am going wrong. I've started doing sit ups & might google some more stomach exercises to see if that can help.
Thanks again.

Doug Cartel

Stomach exercises won't help that much. No more than any other kind of exercise anyway.

Steven81

This is very a very hard one to call unless we see you in person, the truth is you do more exercise than most and eat healthy, weights and everything are grand but it may just depend on what you are wearing ie tighter clothes. I would just carry on, the 2 young ones and the runs are good work outs.

meijin

To narrow it down a bit... is it a bloating, or fat on top of your abs muscles? or both? Try to contract your abs and see how much fat is on top.

If it's bloating, then it may be something that you eat - try eliminating some foods for few weeks and see if that helps (suspects would be milk and gluten).

If your abs muscles are very loose, then exercising them could help.

Makkapakka01

Yes I think short of a sideways photo its hard to know what I am talking about.
I think its fat, not bloating to be honest. I never feel bloated as I don't eat too much or eat food that doesn't agree with me. I feels like a good pinch of fat, solid fat that is just concentrated in that area.
I will start with cutting down on gluten - I don't think I'll be able to cut it out, but just to see does it make any difference. Together with the exercises.
Thanks again for the advice.