Do You Hold Your Stomach In? All the time?

I'm wondering about the whole 'hold your stomach in' thingie. Do trim and fit people "have" to still do this? What's it look like to/for you if you don't? You don't wanna know what it looks like if *I* let it all hang out, buh-LEEVE-me! I do the sit ups. The crunches. The leg lifts. I just have WAY too much belly fat for anything to show up yet. 

Buff guys: (besides when someone else might possibly see you) do you hold your stomach in?
Buff gals: do you still "need" to do this?

I know we're told to keep it sucked in, helps with posture, blood and oxygen flow, etc., but I wonder if I can (or ever will be able to) just 'relax' without looking like Shrek.

Can we just be honest, here? I wanna look down and see a tight sinewy sixpack staring lovingly back up at me -- WITHOUT having to exhale and 'suck it in.' Is that so wrong? Is that so POSSIBLE?

 

 

I've been sucking my stomach in for about 5 years! It's sad actually, it's a habit for me now that I don't even think about.

 

But of course it's possible, it's just going to take some time to get rid of the extra fat on your stomach. No worries! :)

I've been sucking it in for 2-3 years now and I still do it even though I'm at a healthy weight. It'd just been a habit I guess but I still have a little belly so I don't know if I'll still be doing it once I lose more weight.

I've always been curious regarding the "consciousness" of it. I understand it's a habit (and a good one for posture) -- just whether or not trim folks "think" of it or it just happens.

I feel like I'll ALWAYS have this distended look (think little 5-yr olds in a pool) even at my goal weight.

I'm certain we can all "push out" (i.e., distend) our tummies. But if I do that intentionally to mine, my desk moves forward a few inches and the walls buckle slightly.

I sort of want to just know that, one day soon, when I'm at goal, I can 'relax' like this and not be mistaken for Buddah.

 

I am also one of those that are extremely used to sucking it in. One day I tried letting the muscles out more, and it felt so wrong like I was intentionally pushing it out.

No idea what, if anything, its helping with, but all I know is you do NOT want to look at me when I'm bending over. Such a pouch like one never did see.

I've been sucking my stomach in since the 6th grade. I remember the year because in gym a friend of mine that told me it was good for posture and made you look skinnier. So now, it's honestly just second nature to me. It feels weird to NOT be sucking it in, haha.

For about 5 years now! Although I'm not sure what you mean by "holding it in", I just sort of flex and hold it in like that. It makes me look better, and it's good for my posture. yay

Wow! I thought I was the only one who held her stomach in ALL THE TIME! I've been holding it in since 17, when I had to wear short skirts as prefect uniforms and felt that my tummy was bulging under the tight skirt, making me look extremely ugly. Then my tummy grew bigger, and I kept sucking in every time I'm out. Doesn't feel good, but my tummy doesn't seem to want to shrink. :/

i think the whole stomach-sticking-out thing has a lot to do with gas and what it is that you're eating. this summer i was in the middle east and ate a LOT of rice and a LOT of meat. and a lot of fried stuff... And I was sooooo bloated. when i let my stomach relax, it stuck out like, 10 inches from my body. and i'm 5'6 125. i really really looked pregnant. when i got back home, i just ate a lot of fiber cereal and yogurt (equalizers) and greens. tons of veggies and fruit and grains. it cleaned out my system and my stomach was flatter than it had been before going away. i suggest eating a lot of fiber and clearing your guts out. think about it. if your intestines are filled with air, what's your stomach gonna wanna do? be a balloon.

I can't believe all of you can actually remember when it started. I feel like I've been holding it in my entire life. I mean I don't "suck" it is but I kinda tense it without much effort. I don't have to think about it so its not really a burden or discomfort. I think its more the rule rather than the exception these days...lol