Tummy fat

[mama's_gone_raw]

As 55 yr. old woman who has had 2 children, I have "middle age spread". I'm fairly thin elsewhere, but just can't get rid of the belly fat. Has anyone here had experience getting rid of the belly fat on raw??

[sport]

I am 58 and I do the 5 Tibetian Rites and it keeps it in check. I am totally flat in the morning but I can expand a little if I stuff myself.
http://www.lifeevents.org/5-tibetans-energy-rejuvenation-exercises.htm

[mama's_gone_raw]

thanks, sport.

Do you think the raw lifestyle alone can help to rid me of my tummy fat? I do walk almost everyday, and tend my garden, but I have not done any special exercises to target that area. I am interested in the 5 Tibetan's though.... Other than a flat stomach, what other benefits have you gotten?

[margoss]

I feel it's helped my fat all over. Not where I use to /want to be but better than where I was. I feel pilates helps too.

[cara4art]

You're already ahead of game for mature women and tummy fat, by going raw because one has ditched the usual culprits that pack it on at this time of life. That said, Pilates, and hooping can have a big effect on this, far more than traditional abdominal exercises that target only the top layer of abs. The real corset action comes from the core muscles, the prime mover of which is the transverse abdominis which cinches everything in. Keep eating really clean, and at a level that's not overdoing the amount of denser foods, because the fat does respond to both diet and exercise. Over on another fitness board, the folks say it's 80% diet, which might be true to a certain extent, but the right kind of exercise is crucial too. Pilates classes, whether the more accessible/affordable mat version, works specifically on this. A huge benefit of this discipline is that one's back issues will stabilize, and balance improve, all crucial at this time of life to avoid falls and injury. Hooping can be surprisingly cardiovascular in nature, and whittles the waist. Same core muscles come into play, plus it's a blast. I can personally attest to the above, as I just completed a 5-week series of hoop dancing classes, and started up an ongoing Pilates 2x a week at my gym(I do other stuff there too, for the last 4 years)about 8 weeks ago. Anyhow, I've noticed the tummy cinching in a bit, things are looking tighter, and pants are fitting a little looser. During this time, I made no further changes in my diet. I didn't expect this to happen this quickly but it has and I'm excited to see how things will look by fall at this rate! Traditional crunches, etc. never really did anything for me, and too much cardio didn't either. Looking back on years past, I was at my strongest and leanest in the mid-section when I was dancing. Hoop dance is a gateway back to that, and the Pilates work kicks everything up several notches. It's very challenging, and takes a number of weeks for one's body to start to get the hang of the exercises, but it is totally worth it. Do something like this along with being raw, and other activity, and you WILL see results in due time, depending on how much of that tummy fat one has to lose.