belly fat

So I'm a petite girl (5"2) and I recently lost some weight-- from 140 lbs down to around 123, although I did it in a kind of 'unhealthy' way-- I stopped working out, stopped going to the gym (because when I work out a lot, I eat a lot), and just started walking more and cutting calories.

It worked wonderfully... except now that I'm "skinny," I have a big ol' pot belly! (I was always proportionate before).

Any tips on types of exercise I can do to get rid of this?? I'm so clueless on this one.

Jogging? Working out longer... or harder? Will sit-ups just make it worse?
Thanks!

1. make sure you're getting plenty of water and calories
2. cardio will get rid of the fat (as long as you do 20+ mins straight in target heart range)
3. do sit ups to put on muscle (for every pound of muscle your metabolism burns 50 extra calories) how ever while doing this it may seem your stomach is getting bigger- but in the long run it's the best way to do it.

hope that helps
take care

well i am small too 5'4" and my problem area was my tummy...i have been doing cardio almost everyday for about 30-45 mins...then i have been rotating lower body and upper body workouts...and doing abs everyday. i do regular crunches, leg lifts, and i try to do bike kicks...but they kill me...and i have lost about 1 inch in my tummy so far... and i just started...well a few weeks ago. you have to keep up the cardio to loose the fat and do toning all over to help stay tight...trust me i wish there was a easy quick fix to tighten the tummy but it is just lots of hard work...

Heh- I wish I knew. I'm skinny and small (5'3) but I've still got a little bit of stomach fat.

I just recommend what everybody else says- some cardio. I personally recommend brisk walking while holding your abs tight/stomach in. Hope this helps!

Me too! I'm 5'2", and I've done basically the same thing, but with cardio added in. I lost the weight, and I looked good in most areas, but I did have a rather large belly. It was kinda gross, and disproportionate! I do think that lately it's been getting smaller. Yay for almost visible abs! I've been doing pilates lately, as well as watching what I ate digestion-wise. So, more fiber, more water, less sugar and sodium. It seems to have helped -- I don't look (or feel) as bloated as before. Good luck!

Im seeing a pattern here...
I myslef am 5'2 and my belly is big too.. With my first pregnancy I alread had some belly fat, then it went from there..lol..

It got really bad over the past few months Im thinking from stress (I heard that stress sends fat to the belly) and I developed REALLY bad eating habits so I know that had to do with it.. Being up @ 8, not eating until around 1pm and by that time I was SO hungry I would just eat alot of horrible stuff.. I would eat dinner, then an about 2 hours later eat a full meal AGAIN.. Then I would eat AGAIN at around 11pm, not as much as a full meal, it was less but just bad food in general...  :-o 

We should call ourselves the vertically 'n' abdominally challenged crew. :P

hahaha... sorry to break the pattern, but I'm 5'9, and I certainly have a belly!  It's the first place I started gaining weight, and I'm pretty sure it's going to hang on until the bitter end too. 

I did have it flat for a while, before I started gaining weight; this was when I ran about 45 mins a day, and did a 15 minute ab session every day (on the floor, go through a set of ab exercises (with no added weights, just crunches and twists and stuff, making sure to work ALL areas of your core: back, front, sides) for 30-60 sec each with NO BREAKS, repeating some if you need to in order to make your full 15 mins - you can start with 2 minutes and work your way up as you build the muscles!).  The cardio kept the fat down, and the 15 minutes of constant contracting and working my abs kept them well defined - I actually had a 4-pac you could see!

Now though... it's a belly, and not a flat one.  Oh, eating.

Yikes. Everyone says to do cardio. I have been dong cardio and I am losing my nice butt, my hips and others. I mean I lost about 1 inch on my stomach but it's still sitting there looking at me. I dont want ot lose any more weight any where but it's hard. Everyone says do cardio do cardio..

I'm 5'7" and weigh 134 and I'm 24.

I guess I have to do tons of abs workouts to help this. If anyone wants to join me for the nect 3 weeks in a steady tone workout I would be glad to pair up with someone.

I need to lose my stomach by August 18th. :)

I've lost my butt and hips too!! But I'm still abdominally challenged for sure.

I'm going to go ahead and give more cardio and abs working and lots and lots of water a try... thanks for all the tips you guys.

Hey, I'll be glad to join you in a tone workout! (though personally I have no idea what to do XP) I would like to by the 16th- the start of school. ^^;;

My ass is pure muscle. Wow, I never thought I'd be saying that. But honest to God, it's the consistency that gives you results. If you mess up once, who cares, don't dwell on it and keep toning! And cardio! Even if it's walking or HITT, or skipping rope!

not going to lie, you really need to get down on the floor and do abdominal exercises.  cardio alone will not get rid of that fat.  you need to activate the muscles in that region specifically.   try finding exercises that really work the lower abs.  I know a few that I do, but I'm not so good at describing them.  B/c I find that crunchs are really good for the upper ab area and ribs, not my tire around my middle. 

Cardio, cardio, cardio, at least 30 minutes but and hour would be good. I do mine first thing in the morning, before I eat. The theory is that you get optimum results first thing in the morning by raising your metabolism during for the rest of the day. Some would also say to bump up your protein (just don't be rediculous about it, stick with LEAN protein) a while knocking out some carbs (stick with the "good" high fiber carbs). The truth of the matter is that the last ten pounds are the hardest to loose and it's impossible to spot reduce through excercising one area. You might get a great set of abs, but it is covered by fat and the only way to get rid of the fat is through cardio....period.

One workout that I know works wonders is "John Basedows Six Pack Abs". I do this along with his "Better Body Basic" workout and it's done wonders in a very short amount of time. Six Pack Abs is a 15 minute, everyother day workout that rotates between three different workouts. The guy might look a little silly and he spends too much time looking at his own six pack, but it's a great video with simple excercises.

what is HITT?

GOOD NEWS!!! I learned in college that abdomenal fat is directly related to SUGAR.  Yes weightloss occurs all over and Yes you absolutely need CARDIO but try this - cut your sugar intake in half (or something like that) and see what happens. 

Heard of sugar diabetes? or type 2 diabetes? this is when your body requires and insane amount of insulin (from sugars) in order to operate itself while not absorbing enough energy from the sugars that you are eating - vicious cycle. 

People with very low waist to hip ratio (i.e. 36 inch hips, 36 inch waiste 1:1 = low) have extremely higher chance of developing type two diabetes - why?  SUGAR!! 

cut the suger, replace a few carby meals for some cottage cheesy or some eggy or some meaty meals.  not everything (not frickin adkins crazy) but just some.  Good luck.

oh and one other thing :  here is my WATER story

was losing weight steadily - thought i was drinking enough

went to the ER for an insane migraine and was given a liter of fluids along with dilottid. 

next day i weighed 2.5 lbs heavier - i didn't realize my body needed fluids that badly!!!!!

started drinking 10 8oz glasses a day - have lost more weight in the past 2 weeks than ever before.  feel fabulous!

i haven't been this thin since i was a growing teenager.