Is your stomach flat after finishing?

[cmc]

I was just wondering whether people were relatively flat stomached after their cohen's experience? or
Do you have a stomach apron of skin or fat?
Sorry if that is a bit blunt but wasn't sure as to how to word it.?

Im just curious because when finishing I still had a apron of fat still and after looking and re-looking over some of the finished pictures of people some look very flat stomached. (Or maybe its the apron of skin hiding under your clothes?) Pictures can be deceiving
If you know what I mean.

Just wondering if anyone can shed some light on it for me? I know it;s probably a bit personal but hey if you don't ask you don't know.

Carla.

[Hayley23]

CMC,

It may be a little impossible for anyone to give you clear cut answer, as everyone's physique and fat distribution is different.

Some people tend to store fat around hips and thighs (pear shape) while others predominantly store it around the middle (apple shape).

I don't know if this is much help to you, but there is a lot of information around conducted from recent studies that suggests that weight stored around the middle is the most dangerous due to it surrounding our organs etc. Also weight stored centrally is often an indication of poorly functioning hormones (ie insulin) or insulin resistance.

Since Cohen's is deisgned to correct hormone imbalances in the body, I would think it would probably be the BEST program for reducing tummy fat and giving you the nice flat belly you desire.

Hope thats a little help?

Hayley.

[cmc]

Hayley,

Thanks for the response.
And yes I am definately aware that other people's bodies are different.

However at observing the before and after pictures of many on here I found that some there had sizeable stomach's and the after pic's look as though they have flat stomachs. (or perhaps the skin apron??? )
So I thought well I am struggling with my own why not ask.

I am often quite critical of my own body but thought perhaps some wouldn't mind shedding some light on the subject for me.

Carla.

[Tantravaya]

I have found that I lose some weight from around my midriff which then makes my tummy more obvious. Then the tummy fat will shrink. Then the midriff reduces even more. In this way I go through periods where my tummy does sit out a bit until it catches up with the overall weightloss from around the midriff. I was only thinking today that my pouch is a little more obvious today and that it is due for another drop. By the time I lose the last few kilos I feel sure that it will be nicely flat.

[ConnieK..]

Carla,

I had a large apron of loose skin (4kg of it in fact) mine was pretty bad and hung very low, and I got infections under the 'apron' all the time especially when I ran and sweated ( not nice ). I had no feeling in the bottom of my stomach for the last 20 years from my original emergency caesar, and while the rest of me shrunk back there had been no movement in the skin there for 6 months ( doctor had been measuring and monitoring the skin). I also had a genetic history of problem skin, stretch marks, no elasticity etc, in short I was doomed hehehe

In February I had a skin level apronectomy... the entire flap of skin was removed by a surgeon, my navel was moved and reattached and I have a large scar across my body which hides nicely inside my knickers. So whats the difference between that and a tummy tuck I hear you ask ???

Well now .. In a traditional Tummy tuck they cut and reattach your tummy muscles as well as removing skin. They also stitch any seperated muscles back together. This means you have basically similar to an all the way round caesarian LOL, you can't do anything for 6 weeks, it can take up to 12 months to get the muscles back to working well, you have to wear compression underwear for a long time to hold the muscles in while they heal etc etc. Mine was all above the muscles, my wound only went to the fat layer, not muscle, because I have been at the gym for so long and my stomach muscles are very good shaped and strong and had no seperation they didn't need to cut as deeply, and so my recovery time was shorter. and it was a shorter operation, and cheaper LOL and I was back running 5km three times a week in less than a month.

Hope that helps , PM me of you want more info

Connie

[Nance's big sister]

Hi Carla,

I finished the program at goal weight back in May and although my hipbones were prominent, and I was in a size 10 jeans, I still had a loose belly and lose skin where my big bum used to be.

I think if you were a 'bigger' person to start with on the diet it will not leave you with an entirely flat stomach. If you only had a small amount to lose (ie. less than 15kgs) then maybe it wasn't so long ago when you did have a flat stomach and that could be achieved again.

Hope that helps.
Tanya.

ps. clothing can certainly help you with a flat stomach

[cmc]

Thank you all for your responses..

It has given me insight, So from what I gather when your at you "Happy weight/Goal weight) then most likely you would not have a fat apron (as I ) but rather a bit of a tummy and or a skin apron.

I have started back on Cohens as of today. I originally stopped 5 kgs above my heaviest Cohen weight due to feeling it was time and being extremely hungry. Now over time I have been working out alot and with some self sabotaging I have gained and not where I want to be so... Back on Cohen's I go. this time however I will be sticking it out to get to my Cohen's weight range through hunger and high water....and I will be stopping only when I hit Cohen's happy weight range, and even hopefully the lower end of the scale.

So I am pretty convinced that when one is at their Cohen weight range. Happy equilibrium then they (or I ) can expect a relatively flat stomach.

And when I say flat stomach I more mean no "overhang." which is what I have had to live with for way to many years to mention and which is one of my many things I strive for.

Carla.

[tomorrowisnow]

Now that I am nearing the end, I could still pick my body to pieces if I really wanted to. I have bits of me that I would love to change but at this point after losing weight and finally becoming healthy in my body and mind I realise that the 'perfect' me that I pictured in my mind for so many years is really unattainable and probably very unhealthy. Even at my lowest weight of 48kgs (late teens/early 20's) I still had round thighs, arms & belly - I was never a stick thin type girl, this is just my shape. I don't have a body like Jennifer Hawkins or Miranda Kerr but I'm OK with that.

After being on Cohen's my belly now is still loose and not at all flat, but I fit into a size 10 and unless I was naked you wouldn't really tell under clothes. I think the more you have to lose the more it may be saggy but in my case I really think that it has more to do with my body shape and having 3 children on top of that.

There is a definate improvement since starting though and if I had to choose this belly or my old belly - this one wins hands down!!!

[Jenna]

I too, like Connie had an emergency c-section, and my lower abdomen is numb all around my scar and also creates this lovely "Shelf" effect with the fat/loose skin that's left. I still have another 12-14 kilos to go until I am around re-feed time, but it does not appear at this time that I will have a flat stomach. My daughter was over 9lbs when she was born and I had about twice as much amniotic fluid as the average pregnant woman, so my stomach got REALLY stretched. I may end up having the same surgery as Connie in the end, we will just have to see how it all goes - I am going to wait a year after I finish, and if it's still pretty yuck then I will consider surgery.

[JuJu82]

I have lost almost 42kg now but ever since i started Cohen's i have been using a special moisturiser by Palmers to firm up skin after losing weight or pregnancy. So that's been 8 months of using it now and i don't have any flab around the tummy, although i still have a small bump that i hope will go over the next 8kg. I used to have three promonent rolls of fat as my stomach so i'm pretty happy about that. I have developed slight lose skin around my inner thighs but i'm hoping that will eventually dissapear too.

The skin also depends a lot on your age whether it can tighten up again. I guess i'm pretty lucky i've lost the weight at 26, if i left it another 10 years or so it probably wouldn't have the same results.

[cmc]

Thanks for your responses ladies..

JuJu82 I feel your comment seems to answer my querie the best.
I too had the whole rolls thing and now the overhang thing but would be extremely happy with the bump you are referring too. (or of course the flat stomach. )

Cheers Carla.

[firefox]

Interesting to see people's responses, because you get so obsessed with your own body that you don't realise other people have these issues too. I have had my pouch of lower abdomen skin since I had my first child 13 years ago. With the Cohen's diet, the fat around the stomach has gone, but the pouch remains, and I don't think it will ever go away. The good thing is that it is really easy to hide it under clothes, unless I want to wear a bikini, which I have never had the guts to wear even when I was at my slimmest! I don't mean to depress anyone, but I have a feeling the pouch is there to stay. Oh I really hope I'm wrong about this!

[FlaMie]

I've been pretty lucky on this. Stomach has settled down quite nicely. The areas that I would want to pick on would be the arms/thighs. Gosh...they are stubborn. Guess it really has to do with your genes. I'm thankful to my parents for my small waist but have got to work a bit on my arms and thighs. I hope my yoga sessions would solve these problem areas soon!