I started at my heavest at 295 in December 2008 wearing 22, and still squeezing into some 20's. Now I am down to 218, some 20's are big, some just right, some 18 just right, some still too tight by a good couple inches. I know sizes differ, but I thought I would be in solid 18's going on 16's by now.

So my question is, my boobs are shrinking, my legs, my feet, my face, but not my stomach. The 18's that don't fit are baggy on my legs, but can't button. And these are pants I used to wear!

My question to those fitness people, do I need more stomach exercises? I care more about the clothes getting bigger than the scale getting smaller. Advice please!

We can't really say for sure whether you need to do more ab exercises without knowing what you are doing now. But one thing you can do to make your workout more effective if you are not already doing it, is to make sure you keep your ab muscles tight as possible during your entire workout routine whether you are working your abs, legs, arm or doing cardio. It is hard to remember to keep up but it is effective. It helps to tighten your abs and improve posture.

I actually had the opposite problem, my scale wouldn't budge but I was noticing my clothes getting looser. But the same problem as far as losing last in the stomach. It has always been the first area to show weight gain and it has been the last area to shrink and it is mainly genetics. My decision to continue to lose weight past my goal is because I still carry a little bit of a gut but I have been persistent and it is slowly going away.

als74- i wish i had something great and inspiring to tell you to try. but i dont. i am in the same boat as you. i can not believe i have lost the weight i have and am unable to buy smaller pants! my pants all look funny because they are loose on my legs and butt, but i have to wear the same size because of my stomach! i hate it! i have come to the conclusion that my only "fix" will be to have a tummy tuck when i get to goal.

sorry i couldnt help you, but at least you know you are not alone.

and! if you find some great thing that works for you--please please, share it!

Unfortunately, you can't pick where the weight comes off at. My stomach, too, is out of proportion to the rest of me right now. Yes, I've lost plenty in my hips but maybe not the samce percentage as in other areas. I figure it will even out sooner or later. Patience is a tough virtue because you want results your way rather than the random way it happens to work out. You will get there if you just keep working on losing and toning.