Tummy looks great standing and sitting but.......

G

gymguru

Member
gymguru

I have worked hard to get a flat tummy and it is for the most part. I have the oblique lines and it's not rolling over me trousers! LOL It feels tight but ok this is a little weird but when I'm doing push-ups and it's actually hanging there it looks like i have some extra skin. I have one child who is now a teen and have been working out and eating well for years but this thing bugs me.

I don't wish to have surgery to remove it as I'm not having to walk around on my hands and tips of my feet LOL so I can deal with it...just wanted to see if anyone else has this "thing" happening to them. I notice the gals in the videos and their tummies are all nice and not hangin' anywhere.

It's not like it's diet related either. I'm actually working on my dietetics degree and know that some foods can add to the middle but a good balance is required from all food groups.

If you have any input that may put my mind at ease here would be greatly appreciated! Even if its to make fun of me embarrassing faux pas belly!! LOL
 
Gymguru:
If your belly looks good sitting, then you are in a great position (no pun intended). Mine look good from the front, when I stand, but not quite as good sitting. And, yes, it does hang somewhat when I do push-ups. (But it then somehow resembles the belly of some of my favorite folks: my cats!)

Look at this realistically, when are you going to be doing push-ups in front of other people?

I'd be very pleased to have my belly look tight when I'm sitting! And from the side!

ONe thought that just popped into my head: the "hang" from the push-up position could be in part due to some internal organs that aren't being held in my the transverse abdominals (the ab muscles responsible for acting like a corset to hold in the innards!). They are hard to hit, but are most active when doing planks and moves where you are keeping your abdominals stable while adding the resistance of arms and legs (like when doing "dead bugs"), and when doing many pilates moves.
 
Hi Gymguru, since you are a dietetics major could you give a sample of what you eat in a day? I'm always interested in what the "pros" are eating. Can you recommend any books that teach one to eat healthy especially like you said "a good balance from all food groups"? I love exercise but I grew up with terrible eating habits and just don't know what I'm doing.
Thanks so much.
Lisa
 
Thanks for the replies.

I can't think of any certain books right off Lisa. What we have been taught as far as nutrition goes, is that all food is good in moderation. We all have heard that huh? Well if only it were so easy to balance what I want to eat everyday with the knowing of what I should eat everyday! It's not easy.

It too depends on what your goal is. Is it to be a great body builder and your competing? Is it to just be healthy? Are you trying to lose weight? This will determine what proportion of food is for you. Although getting foods that give you what your body needs is important.

For what I eat in a day?? hmmm: I like egg beaters with Molly McButter spuds on them..put on ww toast and if I've over indulged on my "free" day I will do the low carb ww bread to sort of off-set that. I also like to do the WW pancakes made with applesauce, egg beaters and soy milk (lactose free as I'm lactose intolerant) and I will use strawberries and fat free whipped cream with no syrup.
Oatmeal (not instant) is good but for me but I hold the water in my system all day so I won't eat it and expect to go running soon after.

Lunch: Gee, sometimes it's left-over piece of grilled chicken and green beans, sometimes it's soynut butter (low carb again) on ww bread topped with fresh strawberries, if it's an in between lunch say 10'ish I'll do a protein shake and have lunch later. A salad with dark greens, tomatoes and tuna on top drizzled with balsamic vinegar or a low calorie vinigarette is good. If I'm out I will eat a salad without fatty dressings ask for oil and vinegar or eat a burger without the bun and no mayo or cheese but add lots of lettuce and tomatoes!! I chop it up like a salad usually. I will take apples, my own popped popcorn with me or almonds to munch on if I get hungry.

Now I'm not always good! I goof up even knowing what I should eat..don't we all? It's ok. Just get back to it as soon as you can and move on. I think that's where the biggest balance comes from..you know? I'd never say I never eat this or that cause sometimes you just have to indulge! What's life without a little fun?

I also stopped drinking coffee as much and use green tea mixed with Chai tea..yep I put both bags in my mug as I don't like straight green tea..up to the person I suppose. I like Splenda too.

Understand this is what works for me. If I go overboard I make up for it or else my hips spread. We are suppose to limit trans fats and saturated fats so I use olive oil as it is better for us. I don't fry things at home and if it's a free day will only eat them once in awhile.

I guess the main thing I do is try to get most of my nutrients in in the morning and afternoon leaving the evening a bit lighter like grilled chicken, fish or salmon with vegetables. Have you ever taken fresh asparagus and added a little olive oil and salt and pepper then put it in the oven for about 15 minutes? Very good!!!

One of the big things is that the teach us to eat good nutrient dense food items and stay clear of the junk. I eat mainly according to the Bill Phillips program but some people will not find that it works for them as they binge on the free day but it works for me and my husband. I do supplement our diet with protein shakes as we do lots of weight training and work out all week outside of one day we do a fun activity like walking dog or low impact aerobics like tae bo. For me to really burn the fat I have to jog on the treadmill, jump rope or walk fast several miles as my body wants to hold onto it's fat!! Some people do just fine with 3-4 days of working out.

To end my chatting and I'm sure I've not mentioned all the good things as I could go on forever but I'm sure you want me to clam up now LOL! When I get a craving for something sweet, I will eat a dot..those chewy little candys you used to find at the theater? They seem to be something I can knaw on and kills the urge to want to eat chocolate!! Although some dark chocolate (small piece) with some almonds is a great thing too!!

Does this help Lisa? Have I ranted on enough? I'll stop! :0)
 
I, too, have that "tummy hang" and am glad to know others do, too, and I have often looked at the DVDs and wondered how Cathe and gang do it! Well, I'm just going to quit looking at myself when I do pushups and planks, etc. ! Leslie
 
Oh yeah, I have it too! People have even commented to me that my stomach is flat (definitely not like Cathe's or anything), so it's only doing push ups or planks. It does sort of look like my cat!
 
Oops! Sorry Lisa didn't get that message till after I posted! I apologize to all for posting it in the wrong discussion group.

This is just great to know I'm not the only one whose tummy does this. I guess it's just something that happens. I have no cat but by looking at my dog I see what you mean! This is just too funny!

Thanks for making me feel not so "weird"!
 
Hi Gym Guru! Thanks for the compliment but guess what, I am "a hanger" too. You didn't mention if you have children or not but my hanging skin developed after that. If you are lean in every other way, then the "v" pointed belly skin that you see when you are in a plank position is skin which has lost its elasticity. It hangs as a result of gravity not extra body fat. I actually have separated abdominals (as a result of my pregnancies) so when I am in a prone plank position, you will actually see a bump come through the non-elastic skin (unless I hold on with ALL MY MIGHT, which I do when we film, wink) which is my inner organs pushing through the separation.

In any case, I just wanted to let you know that I'm a "hanger" too :7

Edited to say that I just happened to re-read your post and you DO mention that you had a child. Oops, sorry about missing that!
 
Once again, these boards are awesome! I thought I was the only one with the tummy hang!! It's been driving me mad!! My DS is 15 months old and I was hoping it'd be gone by now, but nope. Thanks ladies for making me feel not alone!
--Jen :)
 
Thanks a million everyone! It feels so great to be a card-carrying member of the "hanger" club and to know that Cathe is a "hanger" too! This has been driving me nuts for years: I have 3 children but was a "hanger" before that because I was very heavy as a child and young adult and didn't get fit until my mid 20's, so I guess my skin got way too stretched out. My goal was always to have my abs look good even while sitting, but the plank/pushup position really bugged me. I always told myself that I'd be perfectly happy if I could get rid of that ugly hang. Now it's like I can give myself permission to just "let it go" as Cathe and the song say.

Wow! I feel so liberated:) Seriously though, I really do feel better. And, after all, my kids are worth it!;)

Thanks for the post, and thank you all for your replies.

Carol F
 
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