How normal is it (for women) to have a FLAT BELLY ? Let' s have an honest look...

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mera/Feather Story on March 25, 2012 at 5:08pm

What I think is most important is to let go of obsession about these things.  Feel comfortable in your skin and stop comparing yourself and other people's bodies.  What is important if you know you are doing the right thing or going in the right direction is to roll with it and focus on your journey and your progress.  At some point in your life, you're going to absolutely need to let go of the ideal of controlling your image.  Focus on your health instead. 

Personally I have a belly that gets quite pudgy after I eat and eventually becomes near flat as I digest.  I personally could care less.  I know I'm doing my best, which is a lot better than I've done at other times in my life and is a lot better than others around me...do people ask me if I'm pregnant because I stick my belly out rather than suck it in or wear clothes that create a different illusion...yes...do I care...absolutely not. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jolita Brilliant on March 25, 2012 at 5:17pm

sorry but I think your comparing with old paintings doesn't make sense.. people than ate cooked foods already. second part why Im disappointed with your post is not that you say if its healthy to have flat belly but you say FOR WOMEN, does women are meant to be unhealthy and store fat? is she going to get pregnant and wants to store extra fat? storing excess fat to any gender is not a health sign. Furthermore old paintings should not be a reference... sorry this made me laugh :D but dont be too obsessed, get regular exercise and youll be fine.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by DURIANRIDER on March 25, 2012 at 5:55pm

Flat belly upon rising, pregnant belly upon retiring. If you dont look like your about to give birth when you go to bed, you aint drank/ate enough that day. 

Go to bed like Budda, wake up like Ghandi.

Easy.

Yeah some people have really weak stomach muscles and poor posture, they need to work on those if they want to have good posture. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Adam on March 25, 2012 at 7:28pm

Go to bed like Budda, wake up like Ghandi.

Love it.

Take care

Adam x

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Glow on March 25, 2012 at 9:15pm

awesomeness!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by DURIANRIDER on March 25, 2012 at 6:00pm

Everyones definition of a flat/fat stomach is different too. I get plenty of emails from people saying 'Im fat! bloated!!' and then I request a picture and its like they have no idea lol!

Here is a shot from Freelee from today. Its after 2 meals. By night time she is pregnant. She squats on the toilet too vs sitting and is often drinking 1L of water before going to bed.

You should look like a mosquito after 3mins on your leg. Thats how you should look at night. Mike Arnstein looks like a bull frog that swallowed a rat. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Loane on March 26, 2012 at 5:30am

Do you think Freelee looks bloated on this picture? Because to me she doesn´t. I am way more bloated BEFORE eating. That´s what we are talking about. When we are bloated all the time. That´s not normal and that is an health issue.

That has nothing to do with accepting, loving ourselves, etc. It´s just that we FEEL awful and nobody can convince us that it is normal to look pregnant all the time. One can tell me anything. I know how I feel, and having AIR in the stomach, colon or small intestine, is not normal. ;-)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jolita Brilliant on March 25, 2012 at 6:34pm

like @durianrider said my belly too is double or even triple after a dinner! but if I have not eaten  it is flat. But I figured you're not asking about post meal belly, but overall permanent state of a belly covered with a layer of fat. 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dr Gosia O'Reilly on March 25, 2012 at 11:23pm

I like my belly just the way it is. Love your body. :)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by apple@li on March 25, 2012 at 11:58pm

This is soooo my kinda discussion! I wish we could choose if we wanted to have that tummy~pooch!!! My whole life I have had a tum~tum, no matter what I was eating. And I have eaten every single way possible.... So maybe it is just the way our bodies are built? Like some have broad/narrow shoulders... some have a larger chest than others, some are 'flat'....some have hips, and some boyish figures... some got a booty, others don't... And some have super~duper~awesome small waists, 'hourglass shapes' and some are like meeee :(

I dunno... I would love to cure my tummy woes!!!! I do think I have a weak back, and do not know how to engage my stomach muscles... oh and I hate sit~ups!!!!   Oh and I just had a colonoscopy (sorry tmi)  and the doc said I was super clean, healthy. bla bla bla. He couldn't believe it, guess he thought he was gonna find somethin' like an animal in there! lol Cuz I can push out my tummy soooo far! I look prego! Ok not sure why I am posting this! I'm gonna regret it right?  hahahaha

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chris Califano on March 26, 2012 at 12:09am

Flat belly is moot. What matters is being able to flex the abdominal muscles and be able to make it flat. Or concave, more likely. Women (and men) can easily maintain this ability for life, with just the most simple and easiest of all exercise- abdominal exercise. In fact, most of your abdominal strength is maintained while strength-training your main trunk muscles of the thighs, hips, and back, as the abdominals need to be tensed in order for proper form to be maintained in order to progressively challenge your squats, dead lifts, pushes or pulls and pull ups. 

Also, it depends on the phase that you are in. Some people eat more at certain cycles and less in others. If one is in the process of improving their body then they must usually do this. And if you are eating a lot of volume, then of course your belly will protrude (when relaxed) after eating. 

The problem arises (at least from an aesthetic standpoint) when a person's belly area is larger than their hips and thighs. If one's thighs are under-muscled, and thus, especially in women- lacking the full shapeliness in proportion to a smaller waist, then the proportions look bad. That is why just losing fat is not enough for those with more "tubular" body structures. They usually want to improve their proportions, since just losing weight results in just becoming a smaller version. That is why genetics are still king. If genetic structure is not the "best" (or what you can live with), then you have a lot of dedicated work and patience ahead. 

Oh and by the way: One CAN get a fat belly (not just temporary from eating 15 or more bananas, etc.) from years of eating too many calories from just fruit (and greens). I did it and I will be posting pics. I actually went from having abs like a skinned rabbit to getting a spare tire. No I am not looking for ten grand here lol! But trust me- you CAN get fat from eating too much fruit. It was not easy since I had to force feed for twelve months straight, and adjust my fitness program to conserve a little more energy. But I proved it to myself. Calories are calories when it comes to fuel to stored fat value. There are many "reactive symptoms" of getting fat from fruit too! What an eye opener to actually experience this. I will be writing more and posting it on my website soon.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by apple@li on March 26, 2012 at 12:25am

ALways love to hear what you gotta say too Chris...  I am still doing those squats you recommended a while back, and they seem to help a bit, yet my tummy is still there.

Oh and yes, I can totally suck in and flex my tummy in the morn, and it almost looks perfect, but second i let it out.... :( I just look frumpy. I really  dislike that!!! My body is slimmer now (legs, arms, bum) but I guess my tummy/middle and top are here to stay???  Don't mind my chest, but my tummy gets reallly discouraging!!! Even my lower back is wider than I'd like. My pants fall down cuz my 'middle' is bigger than my butt and hips!!!!! Only if I have 'liquid calories' for a few days, then my tummy go down...

What are these secret tummy~exercise solutions??? Can you give some more tips ??? hahaha

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• …
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• Next ›
• Page