Large belly

[Quiksilver]

Originally posted by speed dawg
I have this problem also. I have a slight curvature in my lower spine. My dad has it also, we walk the exact same way. My belly is always poking out. It's just one of those things in life you have to deal with.

Why would you deal with it if you didn't have to? Go see a chiropractor, see if he can do anything.

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Aight, just posting an update. It's been 3 weeks and I've narrowed down the possible causes of the 'beer gut'.

1. I could very well be lactose intolerant, and an expanded stomach/digestive tract could be the side affect. I've scheduled an allergy test for afew days from now, so that should clear this up. Also, on monday i'll start a program which involves no dairy for 8 weeks, so these effectively take care of the possibility of lactose intolerance.

2. It could, although unlikely, be bad posture. I'm going to get a chairopractic exam done, to cross this possibility off.

3. I'll follow EFFORTs advice and do the morning cardio as well as crack down on my diet, again starting on monday. I somehow doubt that this is the case, but its certainly a possibility, I just have hard time believing it. Again it couldn't hurt to clean up my already clean diet. Shedding afew more % of external fat couldn't hurt, atleast not yet.

4. It could be the intra-abdominal fat thing, in which case the only solution is...*drum roll*....more dieting! If it's this one, I'm going to be uber-mad, because this is only common in old women. My mom works at a hospital so I'm going to ask for a CT scan, which is the only way to test for intra-abdominal fat. This will take acouple weeks to get hold of, but it'll conclude this possibility as well.

5. another thought I have is just that I might be a hardline endomorph.
If this is the case, then I guess there's nothing much I can do, except mabye surgery.

6. Perhaps it is just slack abdominal muscles and has nothing to do with digestion or bodyfat. If it's this, I believe there's a surgical procedure to fix it, but I won't consider anything for the time being.

From the quote:
1. I haven't had milk in 3 weeks. Although it isn't the cause of the belly in general, it did contribute to overall bloating. Not too noticeable, I just get things like tiny *****-tits and feeling generally bloated. For myself, I probably won't be drinking much milk from now on, since my body doesn't seem to like it too much. It's not a major problem so I'm not going to be anal about it though. The lactose-intolerance is ruled out, although it does lead to minor bloating.

2. I went to the chiropractor last week, and he gave me the once-over. He says I have great posture, but... but apparently I have a slight pelvic tilt, which might be a major player in the battle of the bulge. I have another appointment this thursday where he'll do a real exam. By the way, sleeping on your stomach is terrible I discovered. sleeping that way tilts your pelvis forward, making the belly more prominent. sleep on your back. This one is still in play.

3. Cardio is still happening, tweaked my diet abit, and sticking to it. I did binge drink this weekend, but that's the last time until June, and I'll stick to that. I did abit of mirror gazing and realized that I still have a substantial amount of visceral(thats what they call it apparently) fat to burn off, so that certaintly could be the entire thing right there. I'm going to work my body fat down to 7-9% by the end of this year, so that should clear this up. This is still a very likely cause of the beer belly, despite a faint outline of a four pack.

4. The intra-abdominal fat thing is still possible. Still working on that CT scan, probably within the next few weeks, although haven't booked it. Still in play, although because of the amount of fat I noticed I still had, I think this is less likely, also considering its usually found in old people(50+).

5. I still don't really know how much of an endomorph I am. I could just be an overweight mesomorph. I'll let you guys decide this in my next progress pics(next weekend).

6. I've been really cracking down on the ab muscle thing this month. Been working them twice a week, hitting from all sides, weighted, etc.. pretty intense. I've noticed a strength gain and the natural urge of my belly to push out has decreased a little. Underdeveloped ab muscles could still be a factor. I suppose another few months of good ab work will decide this. My chiropractor also commented on weak abdominal muscles, so we'll see how this goes. This one is still a major player.

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So far so good. Fell off the rails this weekend, but fvck it was st.patties day and i'm part irish. Back on the dusty trail this monday, so I'm expecting some good results in the next few months.

peace

 

[Fred Da Head]

Visceral fat is only common in old women? Are you on crack?

When you relax your belly and it "hangs like you're pregnant", is your belly hard? Beyond what would be expected by having little fat on top of your abs?

If so, it's visceral fat, and will go away fairly quickly with further dieting and proper exercise.

All in all, I'd err on the side of bloating for some dietary reason (sub-par whey protein?).

 

[Rock_Solid]

I have that same thing, i even said to myself i look like I'm two months pregnant haha. I've just been working out my abs like crazy, but I'm going to try doing some of the things mentioned in this thread.

 

[Quiksilver]

Update:

I've cleaned up my diet almost completely now. There's nothing in there that isn't there on purpose, and at all the right times. I haven't found my fat loss "sweet spot" yet, and don't intend to. I'm still trying to put on muscle/loss fat simultaneously so I don't want to go too far below my calorie intake.

I've noticed a tidbit of fat loss recently, especially from on the chest and upper abdomen. More seperation in the upper 4 abs, so everything along those lines is peachy. Weights in the gym are still going up, so I must be doing everything right.

One demon remains though! *drum roll* .... the belly! I'm 90% certain now that the belly I have is NOT from visceral fat, but from within. I've been working abs twice a week for a month now and have noticed slight tightening in the muscles, meaning a reduce in size of the belly. I've also been working hip flexors, at the order of the chiropractor I see now, but haven't noticed any reduction from that. I sleep on my back now and make a point to keep it that way, so im sure posture is improving abit.

I haven't pressed the right button yet for it( the pot belly) to magically disappear, but its only a matter of time if there is one. I've cut out milk 100%, haven't even sniffed a dairy product in the last 4 weeks(does cheese on pizza count?) so I'm doing my own diagnosis and saying that it isn't because of a milk allergy. I think I cleared that up in my last update, but whatever.

The last things to tackle now are my digestive system. I notice a big improvement in belly size when I take ATLEAST one nice long dump each day. That I believe is a major player, so I've been working on staying "very regular", which means sitting on the can twice a day instead of once a day or once every two days like I used to.

Tomorrow I'm tackling the other end of the digestive tract. I'm starting to take digestive enzyme supplements and Metamucil fibre. I'm also considering some sort of digestive cleansing thing, but that's on the back burner for now.

Last but not least is the ultrasound that I'm going to be getting for my abdomen to see if there is any/much intra-abdominal fat. I sort of doubt it now, but it couldn't hurt. I've talked to my mom about it(she's does ultrasounds daily in the hospital so it shouldnt be hard) and that is waiting in the wings now. There is also the potential that I have some endomorphic qualities, in that I could just have large/oversized internal organs for my frame. I still can't decide if I'm primarily endo, ecto, or meso. I sort of look meso but that could just be from all the exercise and I'm willing to bet that ANYONE could look roughly mesomorphic with 13% body fat. Being an endo and having oversized organs would explain my veracious appetite as a kid..but then my lack of good eating habits were what made it an issue. Having oversized intestine, etc would be the worstcase scenario because there isn't much I could or would do about that. But for now, I'm doing all I can, and should be to the bottom of this mess by summer.

recap:

1. Lactose-intolerance - This is X'ed off the list. i've been off milk entirely for awhile, and off dairy 99% of the time, and the belly remains. However I do notice abit more bloating when I drink milk. I think I'll stay off of it. Off the list.

2. Posture - Been working on posture alot, pretty good now. I do notice that my belly appears smaller with better posture, but the slack belly remains. This was a minor player, and helped abit, but wasn't a cause, just a contributor. Obviously gonna keep focusing on good posture for awhile, but..This one is off the list.

3. Diet/Cardio & bf% - Again, this has been progressing well. Still getting a solid 3 miles of cardio in 5 days a week, timing at 33 minutes. This one is still on the list and will be until I get rock solid abs with seperation on all six. I'm going for a six-pack this summer for the sole reason that later in life I could say that at one point, I "had" a six-pack. Most people never see theirs. I suppose I'm narcissistic(sp) that way. Still on the list.

4. intra-abdominal fat - I'm starting to doubt it's role, since its only really apparent in morbidly obese people and middleaged women post-birth. lol. However, still a possibility, still on the list.

5. Endomorphic qualities - An ultrasound will get to the bottom of this. Definitely still on the list until I get results.

6. Ab muscles - Been doing abs for weeks now, noticed tightening. Again, I believe this is a contributor, but not the root cause. Going to keep doing abs twice a week obviously. Still on the list.

7. Digestive system - My opinion from personal feel is that this is at the heart of the problem. I'm going to focus on this starting tomorrow, and see where I get in a months time. This one has the potential to not only stay on the list, but to BE the list. Still a major player.

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Next update will be in a month or so.

edit: To all those people who say I'm obsessing about being fat when in reality I'm average-skinny, it isn't about that. This is a major insecurity to me because I have to consciously hold my stomach in when I have my shirt off or look like a porker. My upper and lower arms are vascular(veins popping, clearly visible) and I've been told I'm jacked. My legs are pretty ripped(veins here and there) and would probably be more apparent but for the amount of fur I have. When I tighten my abs, I have a 4pack(granted a padded 4pack) and the merest outline of a six-pack now, so body fat is NOT the problem. It's still on the list because I still have some to lose in my quest for a six-pack, and using this cause as motivation to keep on track couldn't hurt in the least. As part of self-improvement, one part is to focus on mental, which I'm doing religiously in the form of reading and writing, the other part is physical. I groom myself as best I can, I've lost quite abit of body fat(roughly 19% down to ~12% now), and have gone from comments of "fatty" to comments of "jacked/ripped". This is one of the few physical things that I still have to put conscious effort into now, besides my diet(even that is becoming habit along with working out).

I recommend you all step outside yourself for a second and picture yourself as a 2nd party looking across a room at you. What would you notice stands out about your true self, what could use fixing or changing, and CHANGE IT. Appearance and marketing yourself is so important nowadays that while yes you should not be totally focused on what other people think of you, you still should put a mind into fixing what other people find unappealing, whether it be bodyfat, disproportionate muscles, acne, whatever...and FIX IT. That's what I'm doing with my unusually large belly now, and thats also why I'm doing it.

peace out

 

[BMX]

I just started hydroxycut today and have had this pregnant-looking gut since 3rd grade. I'm 6 feet tall and 212 lbs. I have the body of UFC fighter Frank Mir (have some thickness from lifting, but still have the beerbelly). My brother is going through training as a firefighter currently and just started Animal Cuts. He is 5'5" and 177ish lbs. and not that fat but muscular. I guess we'll find out which works better...though animal cuts seems to be more hardcore with it's ingredient lineup.

 

[John_Galt]

Basically guys, you just need to keep cutting your body fat.

Remember there's no such thing as fat spot reduction. Meaning, doing 200 situps a day won't have an effect on the fat around your stomach. Your body metabolizes fat, determined by genetics, and it's distributed from a central point(the heart).

 

[frozenno1]

If you got a 4pack instead of minimum 6 pack you were most likely working only on your upper abs I have 8 different exercisers 2x2=8 try doing some research on a rock hard abs *hint* karate, boxing, gymnastics, hip-hop you can find underground techniques that will give you an 8 pack, however I saw a guy once with 10abs ! can you imagine this

 

[Vulpine]

Whoa... I've got the same thing!

Warboss Alex dropped some useful knowledge - thanks. It is true, in the morning my belly is "smallest". I do eat a LOT of dairy... hmm.

In my situation, I looked at my father and decided my posture is pretty genetic. I've been down this road, but might go down it again now. See, my dad has a big belly and a "deep dip" in his back. After looking closer, I noticed he has HUGE back muscles. Well, my upper legs are HUGE compared to the rest of my body, and after being to the gym I found out I can deadlift 370 for a full 10 set. Uh... I'm 5'7, 165 and no kind of power lifter. There is definately a lack of balance between abs and back muscles, so it only stands to reason that the back muscles would have a stronger effect on the spine thus pulling the curve even deeper.

My belly sticks out like mad, but not past my quads. So, the "pelvic tilt" is likely also.

When I previously tried to troubleshoot the cause, diet was a concern, as was bloating. My aunt has wheat/grain allegies, and she pointed out her belly after a meal - sort of similar. I've been on the "Atkin's diet" for a few years now, and I bloat when I eat grains now - but that's temporary and due to the lack of enzymes. I get gassy when I eat bread.

Another thing, and someone mentioned "ethiopians", is actual stomach and 'guts' size. What happens with ethiopians is that since they don't eat enough, or frequently enough, their stomachs actually get larger to be able to accomodate more food when they finally DO eat. SOoo, my research on that whole subject led me to the idea that I should eat often.

HOWEVER, another aspect is stretching out the stomach. My friends and family are amazed at how much I can eat. I can sit down for dinner and eat four times what everyone else does. To relate it to terms you can relate to, I can sit down and ram 3 combo meals (or like 7 or 8 burgers) down my neck. Of course, when I stand up, my belly sticks out CRAZY. Now, that can't be good for my stomach size. So, although it sounds ridiculously obvious, I need to avoid "over eating" because it stretches out my stomach.

From what I've read, it's not so much what you are eating, but how often and how much. I need to eat less, but more often, and avoid eating HUGE meals like I have in the past (binging). Over time, and I mean a seemingly long time, my guts should shrink. A side effect is an increased metabolism from the frequent eating of small meals.

But, all the factors are contributing. SO, ab work, meal size, meal frequency, and diet are ALL to be worked on until it is just a lifestyle. With my lifestyle currently, the only thing left to work on is really the abs. I guess I should get on my horse! Oh, I still have a hard time not packing away good home cooked meals in large quantities... my family can cook. :/

 

[EFFORT]

TCD= Timed Carb Diet

I'm pretty damn certain a timed carb diet for 16weeks will do a lot for you. Send me a pm if you want me to get you setup and only if your going to listen and do what i say.

 

[Throttle]

and realize that effort isn't kidding when he says you'd have to do exactly as he says... IA has himself apparently given up on putting most of his trainees on TCDs because compliance is so low...

 

[EFFORT]

Haha thats for sure and IA is very patient with people. DC has given up on training the majority of people he has an intense process he goes through with a potential client to see if he'll train them or not.

 

[simon]

1/2 day TCD works great for me. For me, after a while of lower carbs I always crave meat/eggs instead of sugar. Though it's understandable that people who've been high carb all their lives are reluctant to make the change.

 

[Vulpine]

You know what I crave being on a low/no carb diet?

Crunchy.

I miss the texture of things that are crunchy. The closest thing to a crunch I can get is celery. Whoop-itty-doo. Sometimes I treat myself to a fistful of almonds, but it's not the same.

I just want a cracker, or a few chips, or a piece of toast... something, anything with some crunch!

 

[Raikojo17]

this could be due too weak muscles that are designed to hold ur gut in (forgot wat they're called, but they arent the same as abs exactly)

try this. stand straight up. breath in, then breath out slowly, releasing all ur air and tightening ur muscles and diaphram. hold it there for about 20 seconds, then release slowly. repeat several times.

when u get more experienced with this exercise, u cant do it anywhere, sitting at home watchin tv, at work, at school, when chillin wit ur girlfriend, anywhere. and for longer periods of time. you'll be strengthening ur core without even working out.

doing this will strengthen ur core muscles that hold in ur gut, and make them flatter, making ur belly not stick out as much. my gut used to stick out extremely far too, and after doing this a couple times, i noticed it was flatter.

and, ur stomach does look bigger after u eat, so that contributes as well

hope that helps. good luck

 

[wayword]

I doubt swayback/lordosis is causing it, although it may have a slight effect.

Although posture CAN be fixed, regardless of what you're "born as."

Nor would it be fat if you can see your abs...

My guess is that it is simply bloating/gas. This can be exacerbated by certain food allergies - like lactose, soy, wheat, etc intolerance. Or maybe not chewing all your food enough so that it ferments and produces gas in your colon. Also, there's theories about food combining and indigestion - I don't know how valid they are though.

 

[simon]

You know what I crave being on a low/no carb diet?

Crunchy.

I miss the texture of things that are crunchy. The closest thing to a crunch I can get is celery. Whoop-itty-doo. Sometimes I treat myself to a fistful of almonds, but it's not the same.

I just want a cracker, or a few chips, or a piece of toast... something, anything with some crunch!

Are you trying to stay in ketosis or?

 

[Quiksilver]

Right, well... I'm pretty sure I've figured it out. And reading back through the last page confirmed my theory.

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I'm 99% sure that the "large belly" syndrome is due to overeating and/or carbs.

It is NOT due to body fat. I almost have a six-pack. Though while it is still soft(layer of subcutaceous fat and/or fluid just under skin), it does have definition.

Since I hurt my hand, I haven't worked out since tuesday(3 missed sessions + 2 morning cardios), and have been eating downright dirty.

an example would be wednesday afternoon...I ate 3 microwave dinners, 2 bowls of bran cereal, a box of chocolates, a protein shake, and 2 noodle packets in one evening.

The following morning...presto... big-ass fvckin belly is back.

I tried taking a few dumps that day, and while i felt better, my gut still wanted to stick out.

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Which leads me to believe that your stomach/bowls/liver/etc expand to accomodate food, and might(in some people) stay stretched and fill with gases, giving me the bloated look.

I'm going to try eating 8-10 meals per day, and stricly enforcing carb intake(TCD almost). The 8-10 meals per day would be the same ~2400cals but divided into smaller portions.. Mabye if I give my body time to digest each small meal fully, I won't get the large belly.

Btw, EFFORT, if you have any more info on TCDs, it would be welcome.

 

[mrRuckus]

My stomach is like that. Even when i was a really low body fat and was 144 lbs my stomach stuck out a bit. And still only the top 4 abs were particularly visible. But I did have that V thing.

Still don't know what to do about it but haven't put much thought into it. I've heard to do stomach vacuums before but i've never tried them with any consistency.

 

[Throttle]

Btw, EFFORT, if you have any more info on TCDs, it would be welcome.

http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/

 

[Quagmire911]

Here's a question for the guys with more in depth knowledge on this:

Could it perhaps be a weak transverse abdominus? It seems unlikley to me, but I have read that this causes a distended stomach.

Just a thought...

http://www.criticalbench.com/strong_abs.htm ---Fourth Paragraph