Help with lower abs?

[MJJRules]

I posted this in the general nutrition forum, but I'd like to get a more female perspective of this. Most of them suggested I diet, but I don't want to lose anymore weight unless it's the belly fat.

I'm a 26yo female 5'8/135-138lbs. A year ago I was 250lbs.

Until last week I ran for an hr 3 x week (aprox 6.25mi) I was told by my trainers to cut it back, so now I'm doing 30 mins 4 x week (aprox 3.5mi).
On my running days I eat 2100 cals, I do weight training 2 x week, and kick boxing once a week, on those days and my 1 off day I eat 1800 cals.
I am now very toned everywhere and where I want to be, except for my lower abs, they are so flabby and fat, I can't seem to get rid of it, I'm starting to get slight definition in my upper abs. I do situps, leg lifts and some other random things with my trainer, I also do P90X Ab Ripper 2 x week, but nothing is helping.

I eat clean, I'm a vegetarian so I get most of my protein from soy and dairy, I don't eat a lot of fat, and most of my carbs come from whole grains. I'm a maid of honor in a wedding in the Caribbean in 2 months and I don't want my big belly showing.

Any suggestions on how I can improve my lower abs? I attached some photos

[kimm4]

I posted this in the general nutrition forum, but I'd like to get a more female perspective of this. Most of them suggested I diet, but I don't want to lose anymore weight unless it's the belly fat.

I'm a 26yo female 5'8/135-138lbs. A year ago I was 250lbs.

Until last week I ran for an hr 3 x week (aprox 6.25mi) I was told by my trainers to cut it back, so now I'm doing 30 mins 4 x week (aprox 3.5mi).
On my running days I eat 2100 cals, I do weight training 2 x week, and kick boxing once a week, on those days and my 1 off day I eat 1800 cals.
I am now very toned everywhere and where I want to be, except for my lower abs, they are so flabby and fat, I can't seem to get rid of it, I'm starting to get slight definition in my upper abs. I do situps, leg lifts and some other random things with my trainer, I also do P90X Ab Ripper 2 x week, but nothing is helping.

I eat clean, I'm a vegetarian so I get most of my protein from soy and dairy, I don't eat a lot of fat, and most of my carbs come from whole grains. I'm a maid of honor in a wedding in the Caribbean in 2 months and I don't want my big belly showing.

Any suggestions on how I can improve my lower abs? I attached some photos

I think the calories are a little too high based on your stats...even with the days of 30 min running. I have you around 1650 for dropping bodyfat. Also, too many carbs and not enough protein (off balance) this is why your not getting rid of lower belly fat.

I would throw in another day of weight training...you'll get better from weights not from the cardio.

[bambifox]

Wow...TBH..I do find it strange...considering your bf seems to be quite low in every other place accept your abs. Perhaps in addition to dropping your calories a bit, it may be time to seek some supplemental help. You appear to have a genetic predisposition to storing fat in your abs, the same way I have in my thighs and butt! I used Lean Xtreme a few months ago and it drastically helped reduce my lower ab belly fat (2 kids here)...where nothing else I was doing seemed to do the trick. As a matter of fact, I just bought another 2 bottles as I hear the company that manufactures them are going out of biz (Designer Supplements). Its a bit pricy (about $40), but if you can afford it, I think it's definately worth a try.

BTW, Congrats on your weight loss...that was a HUGE change you made...you should be very proud as I'm sure many others are of yourself!

[Vadim Beliaev]

looks like a lot of loose skin there, not fat.

Probably nothing that you can do about it, apart from surgery.

Your posture isnt helping either.

[bebeklein]

I agree with Kim. I would add another strength training day and even work up 2 5 days of lifting.

You've basically lost 10 lbs a month for the last year and that's remarkable!

I know that after I lost most my weight I was doing mostly cardio and very light weight training (24 Lift class at the gym which is a lot of reps). I was a little soft and then I switched gears & went heavy with the lifting. I took a look at people's journals on here who were my height/weight and realized I wasn't lifting as much as I should. That's when I got out of the classroom envrionment and hit the gym floor and my body transformed and I firmed up. I knew I didn't want to get any smaller, just add some definition and I think you're in that same zone. I still did cardio, but I switched to more lifting than cardio. My stomach was the last to go by the way.

[Mindi912]

Your posture isnt helping either.

no it's not try thinking you have a line running from the tip of your head all the way down and some invisible force is pulling you up by this. Head, Shoulders, Hips, Knees and Ankles need to be in line.

Shoulders you need to roll them back and relax.

Other than that Kim is right that sounds like a lot of cals and look at doing some strength training.

you can also try doing some good ab exercises.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=109102971

[MJJRules]

I thought maybe I was eating too little calories and was going to up it. My BMR is 1450 and when I run I burn 350-400, so wouldn't 1650 be too low? I don't want to lose more weight, just burn the fat. I know my carbs are a little high, I usually eat them to help me reach my daily cal intake, I'm gonna work on reducing it, but you think I need more protein? I'm already getting more then 1g per lb.

[EnigmaPower]

I thought maybe I was eating too little calories and was going to up it. My BMR is 1450 and when I run I burn 350-400, so wouldn't 1650 be too low? I don't want to lose more weight, just burn the fat. I know my carbs are a little high, I usually eat them to help me reach my daily cal intake, I'm gonna work on reducing it, but you think I need more protein? I'm already getting more then 1g per lb.

You can't target fat loss. The body will drop fat pretty much uniformly. Eat properly and lift weights and the fat will come off.

[freebirdmac]

I thought maybe I was eating too little calories and was going to up it. My BMR is 1450 and when I run I burn 350-400, so wouldn't 1650 be too low? I don't want to lose more weight, just burn the fat. I know my carbs are a little high, I usually eat them to help me reach my daily cal intake, I'm gonna work on reducing it, but you think I need more protein? I'm already getting more then 1g per lb.

The only way to lose body fat and not have the scales change is to add more muscle mass. Get in another day or two of weight lifting. Adjust your cals accordingly. The only way to get rid of that pooch is to lower body fat.

That said, there is a possibility that you are experiencing some bloating from all of the dairy and soy you are consuming. Many of us do. Just 1/2 scoop of soy once a day will eventually do it to me.

[Coco9]

I have the same problem as you do and don't want to lose more weight either - and we're the same height. I'm pretty lean as it is and the only body fat that I hold right now it's in my belly ... it's going down though. I started with a waist size of 29 and I'm down to 26.5 ... I think that when I reach my goal I will be a 26 so I'm almost there!

Having said that, I have tried everything out there! believe me! The anabolic diet, carb cycling, even eating over maintenance for bulking (then slimming down) but I hate how my belly bloats when I gain weight so I stopped ... My belly is the first place to grow!

So I decided to add muscle slowly without bulking but at least I don't look like a skinny pregnant woman lol! This is what I found that it works for ME:

*I'm eating at maintenance right now since I don't want to lose more weight: about 1860 calories a day

*I upped my protein intake to 1.5 BW (carbs bloat me). Eat lots of veggies and healthy fats

*Eliminated dairy (I use almond milk for my protein shakes)

* I'm lifting as HEAVY as I can to add muscle

* I don't do cardio since I want to preserve the muscle I have. Maybe I should do a little bit but I'm too lazy lol!

Since I started doing this, I've been seeing great improvements on my body composition. You may have to try different things to see what works for you but the first thing I recommend is to increase your lifting days.

[MJJRules]

I'm gonna lower my cals to 1700 everyday, try and up the protein/lower the carbs, and drop 1 of my cardios and replace it with weights and see if that helps.

Thanks for the advice.

[Caitlyn2006]

I also thought 1650 was kind of low for your height and weight..I am 5'1weigh 140 and to lose I'd need to eat 1650..I currently do 1550 but was wondering the same as you..