# My poochy stomach? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 22, 2003, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poochy-stomach/170298 "2003-04-22T12:48:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poochy-stomach/170298/1 "2003-04-22T12:48:36Z")
Oddball question that probably isn’t TMI. My stomach sticks out. I am not super fat or anything, and I have been working on getting more excercise. I am 5’8 to 5’9 and weigh 160 lbs. but my stomach sticks out. I can, in fact, suck it in so far that one can almost see my spine. But my stomach sticks out. I was recently informed that I was more fat than I had though. I’m not too sure of the accuracy of the measurement. I haven’t see much of a change in myself at all in years, although I’ve bulked up since my Freshman year at college. How can I stop this? My STOMACH STICK OUT! AAAAUGGHHH! ---
**Author:** ![Nightsong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightsong/32/3083_2.png) [@Nightsong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightsong)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poochy-stomach/170298/2 "2003-04-22T14:51:25Z")
Trying to get rid of the poochy-ness in just one area doesn’t work too well, unless you do liposuction, from my experience. What types of excercise are you trying to do? If you do weightlifting, there’s a machine that will let you do sit-ups/crunches against weight: I found that to be much more effective than crunches, although problematic when I started reaching weights approaching my body weight. (No leg anchors to keep me from sliding around.) * * * \<\< My life is an endless battle against maturity. \>\> ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poochy-stomach/170298/3 "2003-04-22T15:10:55Z")
You need to do two things: burn fat, and tone the muscles. Crunches and sit-ups will tone the muscle, but you won’t see one iota of difference unless you also burn away the fat that is there. You mentioned being ‘fatter than you though you were’, does this refer strictly to your weight or to your fat/lean muscle ratio? You may actually gain weight as you shed fat because muscle weighs more. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poochy-stomach/170298/4 "2003-04-22T15:32:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by XJETGIRLX \* > \*\*You need to do two things: burn fat, and tone the muscles. > > Crunches and sit-ups will tone the muscle, but you won’t see one iota of difference unless you also burn away the fat that is there. \*\* I second that - you need to mix cardiovascular (CV) stuff (running, cycling, etc.) to keep you from getting lardy with toning stuff (crunches etc.) to give you buns of steel. if it helps any in working out what to do this is my programme: Monday - CV Tuesday - Weights etc. (including crunches) Wednesday - CV Thursday - Weights etc. (including crunches) Friday - Pub 😃 but then there are wiser minds than me out there who can advise you on exercise stuff. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poochy-stomach/170298/5 "2003-04-22T15:50:52Z")
I don’t want to be a party pooper, but … I’ve been working out for 5 years and I _still_ have a poochy stomach. My mom had one, too. I think a lot of it is heredity. Here’s my routine: Mon: Pilates & Low impact aerobics; lower body weight training Tues: Boxing Aerobics & Body Sculpting; upper body weights Wed: see Mon. Thur: see Tues. I don’t eat a lot of fatty stuff. I’m assuming that the “pooch” is THE fat magnet and that’s where any of it goes. Grrrrrrr. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poochy-stomach/170298/6 "2003-04-22T15:59:52Z")
> [@](#): > > your fat/lean muscle ratio? Yup. I’m right on the edge between normal and overfat. Sucks. ---
**Author:** ![garius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e19b73/32.png) [@garius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garius)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poochy-stomach/170298/7 "2003-04-22T16:04:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NinetyWt \* > \*\*I’m assuming that the “pooch” is THE fat magnet and that’s where any of it goes. Grrrrrrr. \*\* I wouldn’t worry - I’ve always found a slight pooch very attractive in women. Besides there are worse places on your body for the fat magnet to be! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-poochy-stomach/170298/8 "2003-04-22T18:26:48Z")
Well, I’ve been adding running in place to my routine. I will expand that to about 20-30 minutes. (Whee - I can watch cartoons AND excercise)