Any tips on getting rid of belly fat + love handles?

[Guest RockmtalQueen]

Looking to buy some clothing and I really want to try and avoid getting a masculine six-pack (which would complicate serious attempts at passing in public). Any tips would be appreciated

/hugs

Lexi ^^

[Guest]

When you find it let me know, I am plump in the truck. I wish I could drink a miracle concoction that would immediately drop it all down and out back! Yo baby!

When I started HRT I didn't want a six pack at all. My bod was too male bulked, angular and muscular. Now that I am curvy with slender muscles, I would love a six pack (with a nice rack. Giggle.) I could be the granny bombshell. Well at least I could wear a two piece swim suit and crop tops without looking like a troll. Giggle.

Fashions do hide a lot of flaws. That's why I have so much fun trying on things at thrift stores. Interesting combinations helped define my style and hide my flaws. Keep us posted on your adventures. Hug. JodyAnn

[Guest Amber Lynn]

This previous topic had a really helpful video link of some exercises that focus on getting rid of belly fat and making the body curvier, basically made for MTF crossdressers and transsexuals: Here's the link.

Hope that helps!

Gina

[Guest RockmtalQueen]

This previous topic had a really helpful video link of some exercises that focus on getting rid of belly fat and making the body curvier, basically made for MTF crossdressers and transsexuals: Here's the link.

Hope that helps!

Gina

Tyvm for the link Gina, I will definitely give those a shot

/hugs

Lexi ^^

[Cyndee]

Those exercises in that vid are good stuff and really work, you have to be dedicated to get results.

In addition to those consider a hula hoop. The belly pump is one of the best core exercises out there, and it's really fun.

C Rae -

[Guest Amber Lynn]

No problem, Lexi!

And thanks again for the video, Cynthia. I had forgotten about your mention of using a hula hoop...is "belly pump" the name for hula hoop-training?

Hugs,

Gina

[Guest ericaraine7]

I've been doing a lot of cardio, and some work with the abroller. I just don't add weights and do extra reps. So far I've lost 4 inches in my waist.:-) my cardio of choice is zumba. I love dancing.

[Guest mistygirl7]

Sadly the last thing to go is belly fat. Cardios and an exercise alone is not going to make it go away. 80% of your lifestyle change is due to food portions and control. Everything you eat plays a role. Zumba is a nice source of cardio but not enough to hit the major problem we all want to get rid of. I suggest lifeing weight or find something introverted exercise. It's going to work a lot better. And NO, you will not bulk up. Iv lifted weight all the time and I'm not even bulk. Plus 3 yr Hrt. Anyways adjust your intake and you will start seeing results in 3 weeks.

[Guest Valerie]

Flutter kicks, leg lifts, situps and crunches will also help. They really target your abs.

/Love

Valerie

[Guest ~Emmie~]

We used to do things called "gut-busters" during swim and track season; basically, it involves going into a "push-up" position, supporting yourself with your arms and legs, tightening your core, and lifting limbs one at a time (right arm, left arm, right leg, left leg), holding each for a duration starting at about ten seconds each, then pausing in-between for ten secs. Combined with what Valerie said above, it will tightening your sides.

Really, you're probably not going to get a "six-pack" unless you SERIOUSLY started pushing those core muscle groups; lifting weights DO build muscle in your arms, but only after prolonged use over a series of weeks/months. Intake is huge; if you don't eat breakfast every morning, START, it kick-starts your metabolism for the day. Don't eat after 10pm, and don't eat junk. Go easy with beer and wine, if you're a drinker. Avoid fried crap, chips, processed snacks. Water, fruits and veggies, and maybe a special-k bar/shake between meals, which should have substance to them, not just noodles from a cup! (I <3 ramen, but it's devoid of any nutritional worth, save perhaps a weeks' worth of sodium.)

And for god's sake, exercise for yourself. It's obvious advice, but for years, I felt like I was exercising to meet someone else's standards, how I should look, not how I wanted to look. After I realized I'm trans, and am working towards expressing that in my body, not just in my mind, it just makes sense to treat my body right. It's the only one I got.

-Em

[Charlize]

The very best exercise is the push away. It is done by placing the hands on the edge of the table and pushing out when standing up. It is one of the hardest exercise to master but is by far the most affective. If one practices 3 times a day it get easier but is always like any exercise something that needs commitment and time. Now can i have my carrot?

Hugs,

Charlie

[Guest Mia J]

More push a ways and less elbow to mouth. Will help.

Mia

[Guest Kontessa]

I know that exercise alone will not get rid of that belly, it will only firm it up - and not lose all of the weight you want to. In addition, you need to use that dreaded four letter word - DIET! You cannot 'eat like a man' and expect to have a womanly figure. You should eat as a normal, healthy woman does - cut back on the red meats, cutout all enriched flour products (only whole grain), drink water to hydrate (cutout all pop including diet), no junk food, no fast food, and load up on veggies, fruits and lean meats and you will lose the weight. Thru this common sense approach on diet I have lost over so far 96 pounds in the past 18 months. Yes it takes awhile but you get used that healthy lifestyle and end up loving your body for it - thinking about the neat things you can now wear.

GOOD LUCK!!! Many hugs and best wishes to you!

Kontessa

[Guest Amber Lynn]

Kontessa's definitely right, I've also taken this "common sense" approach, lost a significant amount of weight, and have felt much better about myself ever since.

But I wanted to add that I personally refuse to call it "dieting" because a diet implies an eventual end, not to mention absolute restrictions. To me, it's not a diet, but a lifestyle change. I tell people (and myself) that none of my favorite foods are restricted from me forever, I just have trained myself to replace them with the kind of healthy alternatives Kontessa mentioned, and on VERY special occasions, I'm allowed to partake. I say "very" because you'll quickly notice that whenever you're with other people, somehow "special occasions" will come up every week, often multiple times, no joke. So you have to discipline yourself to eat right while everyone around you is eating junk (And of course, trying as hard as they can to get you to eat junk as well. This happens pretty much constantly.). But eventually it does become easy, and feels natural to maintain your healthier lifestyle on an everyday basis.

And by the way, congrats Kontessa, that's quite an accomplishment!

Gina

[Guest Syamantaka]

What about swimming?

[Guest Angelica Alice]

Nice to hear that Zumba makes you lose body fat. My mom has actually told me to use Zumba! She has used it and the results are great!

I was like NOOOOOO, since I thought only girls used it, and doing it will kinda give a message out that I'm trans! But my mom actually told me. I guess she thinks it's for boys too since there are men in the video.

I think I'll use it in private

[Guest DianeATL]

Sadly the last thing to go is belly fat. Cardios and an exercise alone is not going to make it go away. 80% of your lifestyle change is due to food portions and control. Everything you eat plays a role. Zumba is a nice source of cardio but not enough to hit the major problem we all want to get rid of. I suggest lifeing weight or find something introverted exercise. It's going to work a lot better. And NO, you will not bulk up. Iv lifted weight all the time and I'm not even bulk. Plus 3 yr Hrt. Anyways adjust your intake and you will start seeing results in 3 weeks.

True - you can't spot reduce. If you are familiar with accounting there is the principle of LIFO - Last in First Out. The same applies to body fat. It will come off in the reverse order that it was put on and for men, the midsection is the first place on and the last place off.

Cardio is a good thing but really a combination of diet, cardio, and resistance training is best. A good tool that helped me lose 50 pounds and virtually all of my love handles, is myfitnesspal.com. It is free and can be done on line or downloaded to a iphone or android. It helps you set goals, track intake and track output. I liked that because if I went out and burned 3-500 calories running or swimming, it basically added those calories to my daily available calories to eat. So I was motivated to run just to be able to eat more.

There is no magic. It is calories in versus calories out and you have to maintain the calories in above 1000. If you diet too severely then your body goes into preservation mode and will do everything it can to keep fat for survival including dropping your metabolism. I still have about 10 pounds to go to get a six pack but my body fat is down to 15% which is well below target for my age.

[Guest Victoria71]

I changed my diat last year and go to the gym 3 times a week, I still have 5 Kg that I want rid of, the usual love handles and stomach, but am happy so far.

I just Keep getting annoyed with the "hey man, you Need more weight on that to build up muscle" you allways get, I do Body pump 2x week, 2x circuit Training and go running 2x week. Tones well and doesn`t build to much. and I know for a fact that I am fiiter than the idiots pumping iron.

But diat is the most important

Emma Louise Bowen and Louise Rogers are most definatly the max that I would ever want, but even looking half a hot as them would make me a happy women

[Guest DianeATL]

I changed my diat last year and go to the gym 3 times a week, I still have 5 Kg that I want rid of, the usual love handles and stomach, but am happy so far.

I just Keep getting annoyed with the "hey man, you Need more weight on that to build up muscle" you allways get, I do Body pump 2x week, 2x circuit Training and go running 2x week. Tones well and doesn`t build to much. and I know for a fact that I am fiiter than the idiots pumping iron.

But diat is the most important

Emma Louise Bowen and Louise Rogers are most definatly the max that I would ever want, but even looking half a hot as them would make me a happy women

Taking advice on training from random people in the gym is like getting golf swing analysis from a high handicapper. Say thank you and ignore them. If you want results, work with a really good certified trainer who addresses all three phases, resistance, Cardio, and Diet. No one is more important than the others and if you don't do all three, the results won't be there. A good trainer can create work outs that meet your goal (not the goals of Hans and Frans working out near you).

[Guest Stray Cat Gypsy]

U can maybe replace a meal with a smoothie. Making smoothies is always fun. U can incorporate your fav fruits and veggies(Always have at least one green), nuts, even a piece of dark choc for sweetness from time to time.

Incorporating your fav exercise routines whether it be strength training, walking, dance(I love bellydance and zumba), Tae bo, etc will help when you achieve the body u want along side a good diet.

Hope this helps

Note- I hula hoop which is fun and great exercise. U can try getting a weighted hula hoop that specifically targets those areas. I have a 5 lbs one.

[Guest AmyJean]

For losing body fat I found that a "Paleo" diet plus low intensity cardio seems to work best. No matter what you do you just have to understand that your phenotype is what it is. I will probably be starting HRT in the next few months, so I'm hoping to blast off the rest of my accumulated male bodyfat before then. Also, burpees are a great ful body workout that you can do pretty much anywhere; I have a love-hate relationship with them myself.

-Amy

[Guest]

More push a ways and less elbow to mouth. Will help.

Mia

Ah Ha! There's my problem! Giggle. Jody