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This is my first topic on the forums, I’ve been lurking for a bit. I’m a long time reader of Mr. Stone so I know the ropes. This is a part griping post and a part seeking advice post about my belly. I am a 33 year old mom of 2 boys (3 and 6). almost 2 years ago I got it in my head that I was going to go on a low carb diet and whip myself into shape in 6 weeks or so. I weighed about 155 pounds (at 5’6″) and about a size 8. I ran some for fun/exercise. I had not exercised seriously since before the birth of my first child, before that I did some bodybuilding stuff and some running, nothing serious. Looking back in pictures I was quite thin but had a belly from having been pregnant twice (the second being only 18 months old at the time). My expectations of myself were high because just in the months before I got pregnant a second time I lost a lot of weight, seemingly spontaneously, and was a size 4 or 6.
So, after a few weeks on the diet I crashed (even though my calorie counts were not that low, maybe it was the breastfeeding I was still doing in addition to the low carb that screwed me). I started reading Matt Stone, and started eating. I did eat a lot the first couple of months and gained some weight, but the eating tapered off and I just kept gaining weight. By summer I was was in the 170s and fat. My husband and I took up powerlifting/weightlifting and I got hooked. I started to build a lot of muscle and along with it my weight started climbing again, but I think I looked better. Now a year later I weight between 187 and 190 (size 12-16) muscular but still a bit fat, especially my belly (and upper arms). I want the belly to go away. I’ve sworn off dieting, eat pancakes in the morning and have lately been craving lighter foods in the evening which I take as a good sign. My temps are generally good and I am healthy and happy. I can live with a big butt and all that, but if anyone has tips for losing the belly or stories of your struggles I would appreciate it, even if it is just commiserating.
I am having a weight loss issue too, but different circumstances. Sorry – I don’t know how to start a new topic. I transitioned off the GAPS diet in April to get back my energy. I am 5’3 and used to weight around 120lbs. After following Matt’s advice, but with real food (eating lots of potatoes a good amount of fat, drinking milk, eating ice cream, sourdough bread, oatmeal, brown rice, maple syrup, basically listening to my cravings and eating all the food I restricted before) – the only factor that changed was eating a lot more carbohydrates. The problem is I gained a lot of weight as a result and very quickly. At the most I think I weighed about 150, hovering around 145 for a while. I am now about 140-141, but that is a lot to weigh for my frame. My boobs were already huge to begin with (DD before, but now definitely bigger, not sure how much exactly). I also have a bigger belly. I have slimmed down a bit because some of my pants fit better. After beginning to exercise again – walking, lifting weights, interval training, various forms of exercise, I have toned up and gained muscle. Unfortunately, it has been difficult to see the scale budge. I refuse to diet ever again and I want to lose weight the healthy way. My boobs are way too big. I was not even satisfied with their big size before, let alone now. How can I work on trimming my belly and breast fat down the healthy way?
I hope you read this Matt and are able to help. Sometimes it feels like I am getting nowhere. My family noticed how much weight I gained in previous months and were very concerned. They are constantly asking me if I exercised and that in itself is stressful.
Hi prancie and days, I too have the big belly. I sympathize with you & right now I have no answers. I have always been on the big size my whole life. When I did my last diet ever, I went from size 10-12 to size 4. Not intentionally, it just happened the way I was eating. It was a terrible diet & I will never do that again. But I have gained all the weight back while eating wap style. Been doing eat for heat for 7 months. I feel better and have more energy but still wake up at night.
Anyway, I guess my point is my body went back to what it was before. I always had a flabby belly. I could never lose weight even with exercise. I don’t think my body wants to be that thin. I’m not going to fight this but not giving up either. I still have hope that my belly will lose some flab at some point. Real Amy has good advice & I am listening to her. I am 5’5″ & in the 150’s now. I have been depressed all summer & that didn’t get me anywhere. I’ve decided to try to get over it and do some things that make me happy & feel good. I know it’s been mentioned before but for some of us it takes a long, long time to heal. It is not fun being heavy but I hope we all get where we want to be.Prancie,
Have you considered that you may have diastasis recti which is a separation of the abdominal muscles that let your insides push out and create more of a belly (it happens to many pregnant/post pregnant women). To see if you have separation you can lay down and see how many fingers you can insert in the middle of your abs – look at youtube for videos to show you how. There are exercises that are supposed to help correct them. I haven’t signed up for a program, etc.. that is supposed to show you how to do the exercises but have seen a few on youtube and have tried some but apparently I haven’t done enough or I do them incorrectly because I still have a large separation – though there are many testimonials that say they work. I also have been wearing a belly waist wrap/binder (I bought a sqeem) for the past 3 months in hopes would help decrease the gap or at least offer support and prevent a larger gap when I do lifting exercises but it hasn’t made my belly permanently smaller (in does in the short term, but i left it off for a few days and my belly went back to it’s original size). I am coming to the conclusion that for some women, being pregnant full term will permanently change their bodies and there just isn’t much to be done about it. I haven’t give up on o reducing my belly but i am not going to be surprised if my efforts don’t help.
Yes, I do have a diastasis recti, a small one that used to be a lot bigger. Weightlifting (squats, dead lifts, cleans…) seem to have improved it a great deal over the last year. I suppose I should go on and try to do the exercises to get rid of the last of it though. I did buy a book on it after all.
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