Oh! this great fat belly.

It seems to me that the vast majority of women over a certain age, worldwide, have rounded tummies, especially those of us who have produced babies. Just a fact of life like greying hair. If someone wants to spend time, energy and money in an (often fruitless) effort to eradicate or disguise this perfectly natural shape change then good luck to them. Personally, I would prefer that more women (and the fashion industry) would simply accept this and adopt comfortable, wearable clothing which flares gently from the neck or under the bust - think Pride & Prejudice or the lovely Maternity Clothing we used to wear before it became fashionable to flaunt, even emphasis your bump.

PS Bella I have a Scottish husband whose ideal women are curvy with wobbly bits, bless him.

Exercising on your bed.?? Trouble is, I will either nod off or decide to pick my book and read instead.

I think there is a difference between a firm protruding stomach and a flabby fat one. Although the former could be caused by visceral fat. Not good.

The stomach is the worst place to store fat. Sod whether your DH still loves you fat belly or not. Do it for yourself.

Bell, but that is so true, we love you, whatever shape you are.

My Italian husband says, "encouragingly" , ah you're no longer 21 Bella, why worry? I love you as you are. Not helpful though !

My belly is definitely due to middle age spread and Lurpak!
Luckygirl my partner (part time) thinks it's great too! ?

I put my mind to losing weight when first on steroids - and I did, but somewhere along the line my will power evaporated!

Anno I was recommended to the low carb high fat eating plan on GN as I am on steroids too, only for a few weeks so far. The weight is just coming off pound by pound and I am not hungry at all. May be worth a look. I still have a few carbs and alcohol

Best of luck becoming steroid free I am at the beginning of the long journey.

I blame my spare tyre on 5 years of steroids, albeit the dose is now very low. I hope to be off the tablets by Christmas and then I may have nothing to blame but my appetite.

It may not help Chicken but a lady I know has lost weight. She was quite 'lumpy' but now has a good figure and a flat tummy. It was caused by having a very bad back and now she goes to yoga and pilate lessons. She told me that for the first time in her life she has abs.

I have a bigger belly than I used to have - a certain person who shares my home thinks it's great, so who am I to argue!

I've got a rounded tummy these days, but I put it down to inactivity. I've had knee trouble since February, and have been unable to go for my daily walk. Fortunately it is slowly getting better, so walking will be back on my agenda shortly. I'm also going to start the 5:2 diet again!!

I saw on YouTube a series of tummy exercises you do standing up. I found them, watched some of them but never actually tried them!

T shirts always seem to emphasise my 'round' bit! I try to wear non t shirt material, skimming tops. Tum still there, but less visible.

x

You might be wasting your time doing the wrong exercises. It's estimated that 1 in 3 mothers have a condition called Diastasis Recti (aka abdominal separation), which is where certain abdominal muscles don't heal properly after pregnancy. More often than not, the only sign is a rounded tummy.

Doing regular abdominal exercises can make it worse. There's a simple test you can do yourself (look on YouTube), but your GP should be able do it. New mothers are aware of the problem these days, but years ago it was really only diagnosed if it caused a hernia.

If Diastasis is the problem, then there are exercises that can help, but sit-ups, etc. won't work.

...and well done on your weight loss.

....ah, if only! Oh, maybe not then?

I've got a belly too, for the first time ever. I've always put weight on my legs first, but, since having dd....

I'm wondering if women are somehow predisposed to putting weight on the belly as they age.

I've been doing Pilates and weight training, both of which develop the core. The belly is still there, but at least I can suck the bugger in a bit better now. Posture's better too, which minimises the belly effect.

Oh Bell. if only you could see me, you would never have suggested that.

Yes my problem too Nina ! I need the waist size for trousers but they are then big on the hips. I can't wear dresses as I'm too small on top. In the grand scheme of things I suppose it's not a huge problem.

All my excess weight is around my middle
I can't wear a dress because my top half is two sizes smaller than the bottom, all due to my tum.
I'm watching replies with interest.

Or you are perhaps a tad narcissistic G&T ??

Shop windows, I have just replaced our wardrobe doors with mirrored ones, on my side of he bed, not a pretty sight to wake up to.

I think this is a problem for a lot of women and not necessarily something you can completely eliminate. I've never had a flat stomach - well maybe as a child and have been various weights throughout my life. Even when I was only 7.5 stone and going to the gym every day it never went away and now I've put some weight back on it's back again bigger and wobblier which is really annoying. Short of having a tummy tuck I'm resigned to just wearing clothes that hopefully disguise it a bit more!