A sudden tummy

gettingfitmom

gettingfitmom

Cathlete
Cathe, I'm a 45 yr old mother of 3 (16,15, and 12 yrs.) I've been exercising for 2 1/2 yrs. I run 3x/wk and do one of your tapes 3x/wk. I'd say at first I lost around 8-10 lbs. and have been holding steady at 134lbs. (I'm 5'5") I eat in moderation not really counting calories, but watch what I eat. Here's my ?, around the first of the year, I noticed my stomach beginning to "show" (like I was around 4mths. pregnant, which I'm NOT) I went to my family Dr. and he chalked it up to gas, was told to take tums and a gas pill w/ every meal and give 1-2 weeks. Nothing, I called my OB/GYN and went in to get tested for Ovarian cancer. Luckily my overies are fine, they did spot 2 cysts on my uterus (benign). My stomach is still there, Any ideas as to what is causing this? I've increased my ab work-out to 6x/wk. I have no discomfort. My stomach was like this before I started working out, that is what made get started. I hope it's not "middle age" spread. Any ideas would be appreciated. Gettingfitmom:)
 
I can definitely relate. I used to have the teeniest waste and always had the best abs. But over the past 6-12 months I've seen the same problem!!! It is very frustrating and I wish that it would get more attention. There are plenty of us 40 something gals who take our bodies and our fitness VERY seriously!!!
I hope Cathe answers you personally.
K
 
thank you for your reply. What do you find that works? if it's meant to be, so be it...but I would like "it" to go away:) Gettingfitmom
 
I'm not Cathy, but I had the same problem and was telling my massage therapist about it and he wondered if it was my muscles knotting up which would make bulges where there should'nt be. He worked on my stomach and I kid you not I saw a HUGE difference. I had to ask my dh to make sure because I thought it might just be my VERY wishfull thinking. I'm sure thats not the reason for everyones "poochy" belly but you might want to look into it. Especially if you are working out like you are. If you do, check with a massage therapist that specials more in sports related massage not just foofy (is that a word :p??) massages.

I actually had an appt for tumnescent lipo this week to get rid of it and I am DEFINATELY not going that route now.

Carolyn
www.ldsspidermom.blogspot.com
 
Hi,

I'm not Cathe either, but I'm voting for middle age spread as the cause. I'm 47 and once I got to the early to mid 40s there was a definite difference in my mid section. For me I didn't necessarily have fat on the outside of my muscles, I think that I had gained some internal fat, as gross as that may sound. I recently did p90x and although I did not follow the diet, I did increase my protien intake ( which was low) and decrease my carb intake. That along with the rotation has really tightened and slimmed my core. I really think that I lost the abdonimal fat that I had been carrying for some time. It is not easy and took the full 90 days to do. I'm working really hard on incorporating exercises that engage the core almost on a daily basis in addition to specific core workouts.

Tracy
 
Hi,

I am new to this forum but couldn't help but respond here to this post. Are you by any chance on medication or specifically antidepressants? My situation is similar (although I am 37) and no matter how much I worked out and how little I ate, I seemed to have gained weight in the midsection. I visited the Dr. and my Psychiatrist and both said it wasn't the medication. I quit taking the antidepressants recently and noticed a difference in a very short time. This has happened to me before with other meds. Its just a thought but may account for what seems to be a sudden weight gain........

Good Luck. I know how frustrating it is to work out so much and go backwards.....

x(

Pam in the Northwest Territories, Canada
 
Hi,

P90x is a comprehensive muscle building fitness program that consists of I think 12 workouts. It focuses on building muscles, general overall fitness, and core. It's a little light on cardio, but that did not impact the results that I got. Do a search for it. There is tons of info on it.

There was an article on MSN just yesterday about menopause and middle age spread, so it's not something that women fabricate, but something real that we have to counter. There's also that idea that after 30 or something every year you loose a pound of muscle and trade it for fat. Not exactly sure about those numbers, but it seems reasonable because I'd have no muscle if I didn't weight train and cardio does not help with muscle.

I would look very closely at the amount of cardio that you are doing vs the amount of weight training. I've scaled my cardio back to 4 times per week (1 intense 60 minute, 1 HITT shorter, 1 plyo, 1 moderate intensity) and pick up the weights about 5 times per week. Change is also good and you should incorporate it periodically in order to keep getting results.

Tracy
 
Tracy, Thnak-you, I'll give it a try. I appreciate the response:) I try to make changes. I live in SE PA and with the cold, haven't been able to run like I would, so I have been diong more weights. I'll keep plugging along. Gettingfitmom:D
 
Pam, I'm on no medication. I was taking a multi-vitamin that my Dr. thought could be the culprit. I haven't taken it for about 3 weeks, and haven't seen much difference. Guess I better crunch more;-) Gettingfitmom
 
Gettingfitmom,

After years of working out, I find that crunches are the least effective for my core. I'd explore other options for core work. Something else you might try, along with diet is a complete shock to your systems via exercise. So for example, for a month, vary your workouts as much as possible from what you have been doing. Some ideas would be of course more weights less cardio,increasing the weights, changing the order, adding in a circuit, intervals or the like. Also, make sure that you are really pushing yourself when necessary and not on autopilot. Autopilot translates to maintenance.

Tracy
 
I'm in the same boat (age 41 & 2 c-sections) - its so unfair! I'm trying to up my cardio & do more total core work as opposed to just ab floorwork...but its hard...

What about trying Pilates? I've never done it on a consistent basis, but I've heard amazing things about Pilates if you do it regularly in conjunction w/cardio & weights - total core training that's supposed to lean & tighten.

rose2boys

Keep smiling & sweating!
 
I'm in the same boat (age 41 & 2 c-sections) - its so unfair! I'm trying to up my cardio & do more total core work as opposed to just ab floorwork...but its hard...

What about trying Pilates? I've never done it on a consistent basis, but I've heard amazing things about Pilates if you do it regularly in conjunction w/cardio & weights - total core training that's supposed to lean & tighten.

rose2boys

Keep smiling & sweating!
 
Rose2boys, I've been giving Pilates and yoga some thought. I'll let you know what I decide. Thanks for the advice, it's nice to hear I'm not alone... Gettingfitmom:)
 
Rose2boys, I've been giving Pilates and yoga some thought. I'll let you know what I decide. Thanks for the advice, it's nice to hear I'm not alone... Gettingfitmom:)
 
I have had the same problem as well, and it seems to be the same time I am under a lot of stress. It seems to die down when I am less stressed.

I try to stay relaxed so that I don't have this issue, but being a tax accountant and it being tax season right now, good luck to me!!

I am not sure if this might be your problem, and if you stay focused on it you will be stressed about it so it will stay, that is if stress is causing your issue, like it does for me.

Hope my input helped.
 
I have had the same problem as well, and it seems to be the same time I am under a lot of stress. It seems to die down when I am less stressed.

I try to stay relaxed so that I don't have this issue, but being a tax accountant and it being tax season right now, good luck to me!!

I am not sure if this might be your problem, and if you stay focused on it you will be stressed about it so it will stay, that is if stress is causing your issue, like it does for me.

Hope my input helped.
 
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