My gut sticks out even though I am not fat.

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KingstonU

Golden Member
Dec 26, 2006
1,405
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I have been working out for a couple months now (including 500 sit-ups per day) with the goal of getting rid of the gut and get some ab definition. Well I got rid of the the fat and have some good definition of the abs appearing, but my stomach still sticks out, I can`t wear fitted shirts because it makes me look much fatter than I am even though I have practically no fat on my belly. How can I get rid of the gut so that it doesn`t stick out? If I just keep working out with my stomach eventually flatten out? How long will this take?

Thanks
 
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Whisper

Diamond Member
Feb 25, 2000
5,394
2
81
A picture would probably be helpful here; it's possible that the "bulge" is simply due to your posture and/or the curvature of your lower back, I'd imagine.

Knowing bodyfat % numbers could also be helpful.
 
C

clemsyn

Senior member
Aug 21, 2005
533
198
116
I agree, it might just be the posture. Other reasons I can think of might be an enlarged liver or worms (ascaris) in the belly.
 
Deeko

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
30,213
12
81
FYI - "working out with your stomach" and doing a lot of situps isn't going to give you abs. Losing fat does.
 
SlitheryDee

SlitheryDee

Lifer
Feb 2, 2005
17,252
19
81
I have the same problem. I can clearly see my ab muscles, but it seems like the muscle itself sticks out way farther than it should. Each ab muscle is really "tall" so to speak. I think it just has to do with the way my abs are made. I've seen bodybuilders who seem to have the same condition and used to assume that the extreme hypertrophy (due to working out) in their ab muscles was the culprit, but now I think some people are just like that. I'm still happy with how I look though. In fact, I'm happier to be like this than to be one of those guys with "shallow" abs who have to get to extremely low bodyfat % to see them. This way I have better looking abs than a lot of guys who are somewhat leaner than.
 
kalrith

kalrith

Diamond Member
Aug 22, 2005
6,628
7
81
It's a common misconception that doing ab work will make your stomach look smaller. On the contrary, it can actually make it look bigger. If you think about it, your ab muscles have absolutely nothing to do with how much fat is on your stomach. If you have 2" of fat with 1" of muscle underneath compared to 2" of fat with 4" of muscle underneath, which do you think will make your stomach stick out more? And since the fat is on top, you probably can't see the ab muscles anyways. Even if you could, with clothing on top, it's going to look like you have a fat belly instead of a well-muscled belly.

In other words, like darkxshade said, the 500 situps/day aren't doing jack for your "gut," and you'd be much better served with some higher-intensity exercising that involves many more muscle groups (i.e. more calories burned in same amount of time). Either some compound lifts or some aerobic or HIIT would be best IMO. Aerobic exercising might actually hinder muscle growth, so if that's one of your goals, I'd stick with the compound lifts and HIIT.
 
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spamsk8r

Golden Member
Jul 11, 2001
1,787
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A lot of it is genetic. Chuck Liddell has the same thing, he's lean but his belly sticks out. I doubt there's much you can do, other than get a bigger chest to kind of even it out, and even then I'm not sure how that would look.
 
SociallyChallenged

SociallyChallenged

Elite
Mar 22, 2002
10,483
32
81
spamsk8r said:
A lot of it is genetic. Chuck Liddell has the same thing, he's lean but his belly sticks out. I doubt there's much you can do, other than get a bigger chest to kind of even it out, and even then I'm not sure how that would look.
Click to expand...

My belly sticks out a little bit when I'm relaxed as well. I'm probably ~10% body fat right now and have clear definition while relaxed... still, it pokes out. It's not really a problem aesthetically, IMO.
 
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Eric62

Senior member
Apr 17, 2008
528
0
0
If your abs are thick they will stick out. If you have visceral bodyfat and/or enlarged organs under thick abs, they'll really stick out.
My rule is as long as my pecs stick out further than my abs - then I'm good to go...
 
SociallyChallenged

SociallyChallenged

Elite
Mar 22, 2002
10,483
32
81
darkxshade said:
All this talk about bellies/abs sticking out despite being lean reminds me of Kimbo Slice. That dude looks sorta fat with a shirt on but once it's off dang you can see the 6 pack on his gut.

http://www.parcbench.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/kimbo_slice_elite_xc1.jpg

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/articlefiles/5044-Kimbo3_TomCasino.jpg
Click to expand...

There's also the term "roid gut" that comes with some high level bodybuilders. Example:

http://img.xcitefun.net/users/2009/03/38278,xcitefun-6.jpg (likely NSFW unless your job allows you viewing men in tiny show-briefs)
 
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mizzou

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2008
9,734
54
91
i have a big tummy, it's genetic and it will never go away,a lthough I can if I work hard get it to be pretty hard. 6 pack would require massive weight loss which would look wierd.

I think women like nice big shoulders just as much as a 6 pack anyway
 
MJinZ

MJinZ

Diamond Member
Nov 4, 2009
8,192
0
0
If your abdomen sticks out, you probably have a big... stomach (literally). Do you eat or drink a lot?
 
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HomerX

Member
Mar 2, 2010
184
0
0
post pics an measure your bf.

And get rid of the 500 Sit ups a day... A few HARD Ab exercises every second day is more than enough.

FYI - "working out with your stomach" and doing a lot of situps isn't going to give you abs. Losing fat does.
Click to expand...

that isn't correct.
Working out your abs, gives you bigger/stronger/defined abs... reducing your fat simply makes them visible.
There is no magic difference to your other muscles.
 
SociallyChallenged

SociallyChallenged

Elite
Mar 22, 2002
10,483
32
81
HomerX said:
post pics an measure your bf.

And get rid of the 500 Sit ups a day... A few HARD Ab exercises every second day is more than enough.



that isn't correct.
Working out your abs, gives you bigger/stronger/defined abs... reducing your fat simply makes them visible.
There is no magic difference to your other muscles.
Click to expand...

Working out your abs with 500 sit ups does none of that. If you do lower rep, higher load stuff, then yes your abs will get bigger and stronger. They will not, however, get more "defined." That's the job of losing weight.
 
Z

ZOOYUKA

Platinum Member
Jan 24, 2005
2,460
0
0
I have a feeling that you have more fat than you think you do. Especially since it sounds like you believe you can spot reduce fat.
 
Koing

Koing

Elite Member <br> Super Moderator<br> Health and F
Oct 11, 2000
16,843
2
0
If your lean but without 'defined' abs then you need to work those abs to make them bigger. e.g. 5000m runners are lean, some will have abs but a lot will have flat stomachs but not the 'rippling' abs of say a 100m sprinter will. Why? The abs of a sprinter stick out, coupled with a low bf&#37; creates a bigger illusion of ripped abs.

You need abs that bulged out and a lean bf% of at least 12% you can get away with visible abs. Drop to a 'real' 10% and your talking mate.

Koing
 
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