FlemingCol56, yes, I've been there! I am actually underweight and have been my entire life, but when I hit a certain age, I got the pregnancy belly bulge. I solved it by accident. Basically, my husband had a bunch of health problems (including fatty liver diseased caused by a medication he was on - the doctors said the it was permanent and incurable). So, we did a 10-day detox. I just did it to support my husband, but I ended up with a nice flat belly. A week after the detox, the belly was back. Hmmm? So, we started wondering how we could get more permanent results without having to live on a detox. I researched and found out all of the horrible things that are in food, so we started eating "clean". Different people define "clean" eating differently. Since I have no intention of giving up chocolate and my husband likes salty processed foods (chips), we settled for the following definition for our family, "If it's not food, don't put it in your mouth". So, basically, we don't eat MSGs, lecithanes, artificials, modifieds, pesticides/herbacides/fungacides, fillers, etc. Since we still wanted to eat (in moderation) junk food, we had to change where and how we shop. We thought it would be more expensive, but were surprised to find that our food is now more filling, so we eat less - price of our grocery bill did not change. We ended up healthier and the belly went away again and my husband dropped 20 lbs. or so without exercising or dieting - just by getting the chemicals out of our food. That motivated us to go more plant-based and start focusing on nutrient-dense foods. We eat 100% grass fed organic red meat about once a week, organic free range poultry about once a week (same with eggs), and wild-caught fish/seafood about once a week. I learned to cook from other cultures, and our meals are soooo flavorful now that we don't notice that we're eating less meat. Anyways, that's been our journey. We do a 10- day detox sometime in the summer (because it's cheaper that time of year) and usually one right after the winter holidays (because we eat at other people's houses and it leaves us feeling unhealthy). We still haven't given up our favorite foods, but we eat "clean" versions, which by the way, taste so much better. Anyways, I have a flat stomach. Well, except around Christmas. lol I also discovered that I have a gluten intolerance that causes inflammation, which was causing skin issues, joint pain, and some of the pregnancy belly. I couldn't give it up, but I reduced it a LOT. I use alternative flours in most of my baking, which often increases the protein, which has been great for supporting my body and the workouts that I put it through. When I have a slice of bread, it's a slice of geniune sourdough or something that's been allowed to rise on its own (not quickly) for hours, because the natural rising process makes it so that more of the gluten is broken down and doesn't cause me issues (if eaten in moderation). My guess is that it's something in your diet. So, I'd suggest trying a detox. If that helps, it's probably your diet or something in your diet that's sabotaging your efforts. Oh, and if you're drinking pop, try subbing kombucha. Also, you're probably aware that stress (especially as we get 'less young', because I refuse to admit I'm getting older
causes us to store fat in the belly. Before you burn out, say "no". We are not superwomen. We are not invincible. We can't be everywhere doing everything at once and multi-tasking is overrated. Our bosses will survive if we don't stay late, and if they don't, it's their own dang fault. Our husbands are capable of finding their own socks and underwear, and we don't have to answer every text/phone call that comes in. Take a bubble bath, do a yoga workout, read a trashy romance, or do whatever helps you de-stress.
