Ok ,so so far we have had sweaty panda, now its flabby panda time I started my new regime about 4 weeks ago and it's all going well,and I have now lost 16lbs since February. I want to get rid of my belly now though! My upper stomach is good, and pretty strong, but it's just the lower bit that won't go and its doing my head in! It's not huge, but it's there! I find it hard to get exercises that work this bit. I'm thinking that as my body fat decreases so will this,but it seems like its the last thing that's going to go. Any suggestions? I'm going to ask my trainer at the gym next week,so will hopefully incorporate something there,but just wondering if you guys had any suggestions ? Lou
Patience, young grasshopper-- I mean, Panda. It's a myth that doing thousands of stomach crunches will guarantee a flat stomach. In the end, it does come down to body fat. If you're like me - an apple shape - you're going to store fat around your tummy, anyway. Which means that the best thing you can do is try and avoid storing excess fat. It sounds to me like you're already doing everything right. Though if you do want a few suggestions, I find I can feel those muscles working when I run, deadlift, squat, mop the floor, and engage in 2-person horizontal jogging.
The fat is good, it keeps you warm when you go on a bamboo rampage in the mountains But seriously, just conyinue with what you're doing it'll go eventually. I guess it's also standing more now since you've lost the fat fro the top of your abs. I've also heard that the last place fat goes form and piles on is the hip area, so just keep on working it.
Depending upon your current BF%, it might be your body trying to protect itself. Women need fat to function properly and having a layer of fat on your belly is natural- actually its the six pack wich is abnormal as far as your body is concerned (unless you are one of those lucky jerks who can obtain one without serious effort). So, yes, it will probably be the last bit to go away and, if you have ever looked around, lots of women have it even if they are perfectly fit.
A lot of people will say "Ohh I'll get m3g4 r1pp3d doing 100 sit ups a day!!!" Well, they're idiots. You can have the strongest ab muscles in the world, but that doesn't mean they'll show. Over your ab muscles, you have a layer of fat. Over the layer of fat, you have a layer of water. Over the layer if water, you have skin. To get strong ab muscles, the most important thing at first is light cardio work to burn the fat away. This is the only way flab, love handles, etc, is going to go away. Secondly, you have to get rid of the layer of water. A good way to do this is to trick your body. Drink about 2-3 litres of water a day. This will make your body think it has to get rid of more, and hence your body will lose mpre water through urination, sweat, etc. Therefore, you have essentially tricked your body into dehydrtating itself, by actually hydrtating yourself!! Call that ironic! Now, you should start doing some abdominal exercises. Not before! A lot of people wonder why they look tyo be getting fatterwhen they do ab exercises. This is because the ab muscles simply push the fat and water further out. The muscles get bigger, but they don't show. Good luck Emily
When you retain water in your tissues you are doing so at the cellular level. If you have enough third space water that you actually have extracellular fluids, well, I hate to break it to you- you are in end stages of renal or liver failure (well, one usually causes the other). While women can drop or gain a significant amount of weight in a small timespan, most people do not have to dehydrate themselves to any degree. Indeed, it is unhealthy and ought not be encouraged. Just get plenty of fluids and reduce sodium and your water weight ought to level itself out.
Hmmm interesting stuff.I wonder if it feels more flabby at the moment as I lost weight from the rest of my stomach ? I drink lots of water/green tea and sometimes feel really bloated but there is no way I can drink less as then start feeling rotten. Grrrrrrrr! This getting in shape and doing ma is bloomin hard work!! :woo:
But in the end, it'll be well worth your efforts On a side note Panda....my last fitness test showed a further decrease in my BF%, however it also shows me holding the most % in my gut......so there, see even I have to deal with having to continually work my lower gut
