Need tips for taming the tummy **UPDATED W/ PIP**

scpalmtree06

Hi gals,

I'm not new to the Knot, but this is my first post on the GIS boards, so here I go.

Here's my situation: I'm 5'4", ~133-135lbs and in relatively good shape.  I'm not running marathons, but consider myself to be of average fitness.  I'm just finishing the academic year and summer living in Lyon, France, where I did a teaching exchange with my FI.  We walk, bike, and take public transportation around town.  We also live on the 7th floor of our apartment building, so I get a fair amount of stairwalking in as well.

My problem is the stomach that I've inherited from my mother's side of the family.  Although I feel that my ab muscles are pretty toned, I have one of those stomachs that slowly gains in size throughout the day in proportion to what I have eaten.  In the morning when I wake up before eating anything my stomach is fairly flat.  However, over the course of the day as I eat meals and drink liquids (which has been mostly water this year, although my alcohol consumption has also risen with being in France, hahaha), my stomach enlarges to the size of a 9-month pregnant person.  Literally.  When I suck my stomach in it goes back to being flat; however, if I just let it all hang out there, which is the more comfortable thing to do, I swear I look like I'm about to pop out a baby.

I guess this phenomenon makes sense, as clearly the food take up space and stretches my stomach out.  I'm just wondering if anyone has tips out there on what I can do to help tame it a bit.  Would upping my ab exercises to tone the muscles around my stomach help hold it in more?  Obviously diet and exercise play an important role, and I acknowledge that some of my stomach problems are due to fat accumulations (the women in my family are traditionally apples).  However, I assume the fat is what I see in the mornings before I eat...it's how to tame the post-meal belly that I'm curious about....

TIA.

ETA: I took some before and after pictures today...

Here's me (in my bikini) first this this morning before eating/drinking anything:


And here's me this evening, within an hour of finishing dinner, after a whole day of eating/drinking (not continuously, but an 1800 calorie day overall):


I also took pictures of me "sucking it in", which I am happy with aside from the discomfort of "sucking it in" all day long...

raynes

IMO, you'd have to eat a crap ton of food to make yourself look "9 months pregnant".  I'm going to go with a slight case of hyperbole there.

How's your posture?  Do you drink a lot of water?  Avoid excess sodium?  Poop regularly?

scpalmtree06

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_need-tips-taming-tummy?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:238Discussion:68291213-445b-4d65-9a17-b06b6f2d4424Post:7fd6327d-5f5b-4380-aad2-82a8add35c38">Re: Need tips for taming the tummy</a>:
[QUOTE]IMO, you'd have to eat a crap ton of food to make yourself look "9 months pregnant".  I'm going to go with a slight case of hyperbole there. How's your posture?  Do you drink a lot of water?  Avoid excess sodium?  Poop regularly?
Posted by raynes[/QUOTE]

Okay, maybe not 9, but definitely 7-8 months.  It's very obvious.

Posture could be better, so I give that some credit.  Lately I have been drinking tons of water because we don't have AC and the temps have been 85-90 everyday.  Sodium intake is average, and I have regular BMs, LOL. 

FWIW, as I said before I have an "apple" shape.  I wonder if some people have bellies that expand side-to-side when they eat, whereas my belly expands front-to-back (if that makes sense?)...

raynes

I still have a hard time thinking that it's just from food in your stomach.  Your actual stomach is up under your ribs, and typically food only stays in your stomach for a short time before passing into your intestines....

Your apple shape is probably a big part of it.  My suggestions/tips would be to work on your posture (something I struggle with myself), keep it sucked in (helps with the posture!) and avoid processed food as much as possible.

"They" always say that abs are made in the kitchen, and that as much as spot reducing fat isn't really possible, that belly fat is best battled with a "clean" eating lifestyle.

Do you notice that certain foods make the pregnant effect better/worse?  Maybe you've got a food intollerance that's causing extra bloat?

Sloane99

A friend of mine had this problem, turns out that she was actually sensitive to certain food groups. She eliminated ones from her diet for a few days at a time, not like a starvation thing, just tried cutting out wheat, then sugars, then processed foods, etc, turns out it was dairy for her. She's not lactose intolerant and she has no food allergies but for whatever reason any time she had dairy her stomach sort of blew up. I'm assuming that this is what you mean and it's not just a function of a small pouch or less than flat abs by nature. Which is my problem, lol

crnota

This is exactly what happens to  me, and I didn't realize not everyone is like this until I read your post! I wouldn't even say 7-8 months pregnant...maybe 3-4, ha. But my stomach DEFINITELY increases in size over the course of the day.

I can particularly notice this when I go to the gym in the morning vs. the evening. In the morning, when all I've had is an energy bar, my stomach looks totally flat in my tight workout top. At the end of the day, I have a stomach pooch. This happens no matter what I eat...as long as it's meals, though.

 Maybe it's bloating? I don't particularly feel bloated every day, but I don't know what else it would be, since obviously I am not getting fatter as the day goes on.

For what it's worth, I have ALWAYS had this problem. Now as a 5'7, 149 pounds fairly toned person, as a previously 15-pound heavier person, and even as a skinny 100 pound 5'7 teenager. Even when I had NO fat on me, this happened. So it's a mystery!

miguelhilary2010

I have a similar problem.  I agree with sloane that it could be a food allergy or sensitivity.  Try eating a "clean" diet for a few days (just veggies, fruits, protein... no condiments, sodas, carbs, etc) and see if you notice a difference.  When I pay attention to what I eat, my stomach is much flatter than when I eat what I want.  most of the reason for it distending like that is bloat which could be triggered by a few different things.

Also work on your core muscles so they hold your belly in a little more.  Not just crunches, but also obliques, lower abs and back exercises.

lifeizbeachy

I had the same issue and it was my diet when I started eating clean it lessened greatly 

As for an exercise to help try this

Reverse Crunch Lie on your back with your feet off the floor, knees bent, and ankles together. Bring the tops of your quads inward and onto your stomach so that you don't swing your legs to gain momentum during the movement. (This also helps you isolate your lower abs during the crunch instead of engaging the hip flexors.) Relax your head, neck, and shoulders, resting them on the floor. Rest your arms at your sides, palms facedown on the floor.Lift your pelvis off the floor, and curl it toward your rib cage. Make sure to exhale fully while you're crunching in order to maximize the contraction.

scpalmtree06

Thanks for the feedback, y'all.  I'll have to experiment with omitting certain things from my diet.  It's hard because FI is the chief cook around here, so I'm not entirely in control of how things are prepared.  However, we're returning to the states in 3 weeks and I'll have at least a week by myself while FI visits his parents that will make things easier...

campbellsj

CUT OUT GRAINS, cut dairy, drink lots of water.

Consider the Paleolithic Diet...

Eat lean meats, fish and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and NO sugar. Keep intakes levels that will support exercise but not body fat.

raynes

Based on the pics I've seen of pregnant people on my club board, you're only looking, 3-4 mo pg.  

But yeah, wow, that's a huge difference.

I think paleo might be a touch extreme, but an elimination diet would be worth a shot.

Have you mentioned it to a doc before? 

scpalmtree06

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_need-tips-taming-tummy?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:238Discussion:68291213-445b-4d65-9a17-b06b6f2d4424Post:d009ab20-a15d-4079-b09b-00f2acb711fe">Re: Need tips for taming the tummy **UPDATED W/ PIP**</a>:
[QUOTE]Have you mentioned it to a doc before? 
Posted by raynes[/QUOTE]

I haven't, but I plan to bring it up with my gyno when I have my annual female exam this fall.

PeonyPrincesskdd

You are almost the same as me I am 5'1 and 132 lbs and I think the whole stomach thing (cuz I have that too a little) is def due to diet. 

Maybe you need to do mydailyplate and see how much sodium and sugar you are getting a day bc that can bloat the belly. 

Drinking lots of water is best too.  I would cut out all sugar, alcohol, and anything white.

Alcohol is a major killer for me so I don't drink at all anymore.  It is so bad for me, meaning that my body cannot handle it.. it ruins everything lol.  I can go out drinking wine and champagne and the next day be 5 lbs heavier.  I blame all the weight gain from my recent honeymoon on all the sugary rum punches I drank throughout the trip.  Sugar and Alcohol are not good at all for the belly.

Also anything white you want to cut out:  All white bread/rolls/bagels - eat wheat or whole grain only- be very strict with this!

no white based cereals.. just whole grains - I eat Kashi Cinnamon Harvest

Eat lots of protein such as yogurt and lean beef or chicken or turkey or fsh etc and go easy on all condiments except things like oil vinegar,

Overall, there is no secret work out to target zone your mid section. its diet diet and diet. and water water water lol

Cardio like running etc is best to get the excess fat from the belly and this will help with the overall appearance of your mid section and how your body looks after you eat food.  The running and cardio is good for toning the entire body

Julz629

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_need-tips-taming-tummy?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:238Discussion:68291213-445b-4d65-9a17-b06b6f2d4424Post:7613916b-3755-4393-923f-9c5848c8b53f">Re: Need tips for taming the tummy **UPDATED W/ PIP**</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Need tips for taming the tummy **UPDATED W/ PIP** : I haven't, but I plan to bring it up with my gyno when I have my annual female exam this fall.
Posted by scpalmtree06[/QUOTE]

IMO, this is probably something to address with your PCP who will refer you to a specialist if needed.  Your gyno doesn't reallty specialize in this area.

Karen's MOH

I agree that this looks like a food sensitivity. I am the same way and it's actually good to see evidence that it's not just me! I discovered that I have an intolerance or sensivity to lactose, so if I make sure to really limit it and take a Lactaid if I have dairy, I'm much better. I know I should try an elimination diet but it's so hard.

Do you have other stomach issues? I have IBS as well, so my stomach is always messed up about something

jennabob

I have the same problem...I love my belly in the am but by the pm I feel disgusting.  I also have some not so regular bowel habits so I think that is mostly my problem.  I am going to try to eliminate certain things to see if that helps though and increase my water intake.....glad to see I'm not alone here !