Someone please help me lose this belly!!

I'm so happy they created this board!  I've lost 55 pounds since Feb '06 and you'd never know it by looking at me. I haven't even gone down in clothes sizes. My three "fat" areas are belly, hips and thighs. So nobody knows I lost weight because I have the same shape about me. I love my gym routine but I'm getting so discouraged! I do 30 minutes on the Elliptical, 30 minutes on the treadmill the do various weight stations for 15 -20 minutes. I know the walking and elliptical will help with my hips and thighs but does anyone have any specific exercises to do that will get rid of my belly fat? Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks. Meredith

My sister swears by pilates, have you ever tried it? She had a baby almost 5 months ago, and now weighs what she weighed before having the baby ( without breastfeeding ) she gained 50 pounds. It's not to hard once you get used it. I would try a beginers tape/dvd sometimes you can rent them at the library for free. Good luck......... Jen

Hi !!  I have a very big butt well I use to! One thing you can do at the gym is do the machines (weight) that are standing and you wrap the belt around your anckle an pull the weight across in front of you like scciors kind of. That exercise really works the outside hip and inside thigh . squats  leg press  also laying flat of your back  and using  a ball , place your feet on top and and blance your self  with your plevis off the the floor and hold making your body use all your lower muscles to hold yourself sraight on the ball really works . that works belly and hip and inner leg and thigh and but muscles. It also streanthins lower back.

If you can afford a couple of personal training sessions at your gym, the trainer can help you create a routine to target specific areas and help you to learn to do them correctly. Also, I was told by a trainer, that you want to have free weights in your routine as well as the machines.  She explained that free weights give you a full range of motion, so that when you work the muslce you work it more thoroughly.  When you use the weight machinse they are designed so that you work the muscle exactly the same way every time.  So no matter what you do, you are always working on the same part of the muscle.  As far as I can figure, getting rid of the belly involves mat excercises like Pilates or old fashioned abs of steel etc.  I just rented the Pilates for Dummies DVD from Netflix to try it out.  I've watched it once through already and the woman on the tape is very knowledgeable and explains everything in a very simple way, so you can get the moves.  They also give you modifications for every exercise to make it easier until you build your strenght.   Good luck, Maria

My picture is over a year old and I was heavier then but I have found that Pilates is the key to firming up the abs/core as much as is going to be possible.  I had my surgery in January of 2005 and lost 171 lbs by November and have maintained.  I started with Leslie Sandsone's Walk off the Weight and Winsor Pilates.  I might add that these two ladies are my heros!!  I have since start weight training.  Have been stalled since last november and can't quite get off the last stubborn "10".  The pers trainer that I have been seeing did not put any Pilates into my workouts and I could tell the difference in my abs so I have added them back in, not only does it seem to do wonders for the flab but also seems to help with the toning of the skin.   Take Care Becki