For those of you that have lost large amounts of weight and are at goal or close to goal, I was wondering how on earth do you get your stomachs so flat??

I have seen people post pics in their bikin's and I wonder how they get their belly's to look so nice?? I am about 15lbs away from goal and my stomach doesn't look nearly that good!! I dobut that another 15lbs is going to make me look like that either. I don't have hanging skin or anything, but I do have abdomial fat and wonder how ya'll got rid of it?? Does it just take time to go away or do I need to crunch more?

Kelly

Hey girl! Wish I knew. I would love to see the answers to this. The rest of my body is probably almost two sizes smaller than my middle is. Sigh. I am not nearly so close to goal but I see that part of me just is not losing nearly at the same rate. I am doing crunches- in the water, and hoping for the best! I have read that a larger belly compared to the rest of you is usually indicative of insulin /carb issues. Low carb really helps with this...I hope!!! xxxxxooooo

Belly fat sux! LOL. I am bigger in the middle than anywhere else, although now it is smaller than my boobs so I'm happy about that. I have read that the panni part is from yo yo dieting and losing a lot of weight fast. The only thing I can think of is crunches but you can only do so much of them lol.

Unfortunately, I think it is genetic. My middle has always been bigger than everything else at all sizes - even before childbirth and the sleeve. I know that my stomach will never be flat - it just won't happen. On the other hand, I am still ecstatic about the weight loss. It didn't change my "problem areas" it just made everything smaller.

As a point of reference, my pants size is about a 12 and my top is a 10/8. If I didn't have the belly, I could be in a size 8 pants because I have no butt anymore and my legs are very thin. I just don't think I am up to getting a tummy tuck after all this. I have had 4 abdominal surgeries in the last 6 years and I am over it. We'll see how I feel after I am on maintenance.

I'm just at the beginning stages of my weight loss but based upon my build, I definitely anticipate this being an issue for me as well. I don't know that I'd be able to deal with a tummy tuck, I just don't like surgery in general. I don't have any aspirations of parading around in a skimpy bikini - for me, I just want to be comfortable in my own skin. I'm sure I'll eventually keep the Spanx people in business!

Thanks for the replies. Maybe it will go away one day. I HOPE!!

It really is not skin, it is fat. I have seen people that have lost huge amounts of weight and they have just loose skin, mine is not like that, it is fat. I dont have a lot of it, but it is still there and I just wish it would go away!!

As a point of reference, I just bought size 8 pants today and I wear a M top. I weigh 180 as of this morning (YAY) and have about 15lbs more to go. Maybe it will flatten out within that time!! I will keep working on it.

HUGS!!

Kelly

My belly is going down... my bat wings are not! They sag inches and inches... Everyone is different. Time to get into pushup hell!

I have been at the Chiroprapactor every other day this week due to a fall, first time since my surgery and the receptionist keeps saying how amazed she is and how "cute" I look. Of course I smile and say thank you, yet the first thing my head goes to is my wrinkely stomach and saggy thighs that make me want to puke. If only that forever skinny 23 yo really knew the hell I have been to, through and am in! I would not trade my weight loss for anything in the world except her body, but I the reality is I still don't forgive or love me.

AWWW Myori, I am sorry you are feeling poorly. I hope the chiropractor helps. Please don't feel so down on yourself. You have done great!! LOOK AT THAT TICKER!!! You should love your acomplishments and if people tell you that you look fab, you probably do!! I hate it when people say that they don't like or love themselves. That makes me sad.

Don't get me wrong, I wish I looked better naked, but I look fantastic in my clothes!! AND am very happy with how far I have come!!

Please don't be so down on yourself! Love yourself for how far you have come and your acomplishments. Everyone has something about themselves they don't like, try to focus on the good things that you do like.

Hugs,

Kelly

I have been at the Chiroprapactor every other day this week due to a fall, first time since my surgery and the receptionist keeps saying how amazed she is and how "cute" I look. Of course I smile and say thank you, yet the first thing my head goes to is my wrinkely stomach and saggy thighs that make me want to puke. If only that forever skinny 23 yo really knew the hell I have been to, through and am in! I would not trade my weight loss for anything in the world except her body, but I the reality is I still don't forgive or love me.

I wish I knew the answer to this one. I have 8 lbs to go and my fat belly looks like it is here to stay. Yes it has shrunk dramatically but there is so much fat still in it, I so wish I just had the wrinkly skin there, I would be at my goal size without that stupid belly fat. Just the other night I was talking with a WLS friend, she has lost far more than me, she started out more and still weighs more than me, well her stomach is gone compared to mine, She had no idea mine was so bad until I pulled it up out of my pants (thankfully it hides well under jeans) and grabbed a handful to show her. She was shocked. I showed 2 non WLS overweight friends and their response was the same, they had no idea I had so much stinkin fat still there. Everyone thought that because I am only in my 20s that my skin, body, fat, would all just bounce back. HA!

My mom said its a sign of a thyroid issue, though my labs still look fine, I have so many of hte symptoms and so have all the other women in our family, we end up with the symptoms years before the labs show it. Who knows if this is the case or not.

I know for me, it hangs over my c-section scars so badly. It's flat out embarrassing to me and I spend way too much time trying to find clothes to hide it.

I've given up though and have a consult with a plastic surgeon the end of this month.

I've read that skin can take up to a year to tighten up properly. I put on skin firming lotion everyday (it probably doesn't work but it makes me feel better :/ ). I am also working on arm exercises with weights and crunches. I know when I stick with those it seems to work pretty good.

My belly fat is starting to bother me as wih my bad wings. I am hoping that I will eventually get a tummy tuck and lipo on my arms...

My belly is certainly a concern. I would love to get a TT and that would be the first pastics I'd have done if I had the money. For now I wear shapewear. I would probably be a good two sizes smaller if it weren't for my stomach. To make matters worse when I wear clothes without shapewear I look pregnant because of a fat roll that won't go away on top

I have a c-section scar too....maybe it is that surgery????that makes it worse for belly hang???.....but have an overhang prob too.....loosing everywhere else but not there. boo. How in the heck are you people fitting in size 8 jeans? I am 176 today....and telling you no way I am fitting into anything that small......SUCKS being short! I am 5'1". Oh well inching along....that is why I put a little inch worm on my chart....sometimes feels that way "inching along"

Comes down to age and genetics. Crunches don't really help as we lose fat all over with any form of excercise. It strengthens the muscles but you will not spot lose fat from around the waist. Just keep dieting and working out and give it time.

I have a c-section scar too....maybe it is that surgery????that makes it worse for belly hang???.....but have an overhang prob too.....loosing everywhere else but not there. boo. How in the heck are you people fitting in size 8 jeans? I am 176 today....and telling you no way I am fitting into anything that small......SUCKS being short! I am 5'1". Oh well inching along....that is why I put a little inch worm on my chart....sometimes feels that way "inching along"

From seeing the people at the WLS support group I go to, it seems that those with c-sections seem to be having the hardest time with their stomachs, I know it has caused mine to fold over. I was told by the surgeons before that sometimes those stomach muscles just seperate too much in pregnancy and don't always go back together. I have no idea how that works, but I would be shocked if my muscles were intact. I have back issues too which I was told has a lot to do with the muscle issues in my stomach, my back overcompensates for it. *sigh*

Those size 8s, I never thought they would come either, but they did, I just won't wear them because it gives me the dreaded muffin top even if I wear my "suck-it-ins" as I call them Stupid fat gut.

Just keep on working, you will be amazed at what your body will do over time