I am in the process of getting back into shape. Last year I was nice and thin with a flat stomach and flat chest. I then got really sick and got laid up so I ended up gaining all this nasty fat on my former nice stomach. If I lost all the weight I gained and worked out would it ever go totally flat again or will there always be a pudge. I look aweful with my shirt off, I want to be able to go to the beach again. I used to be 5-8 170lbs now i am 5-8 205lbs at 23 years old. Please look at this pic for a visual
http://img118.imageshack.us/my.php?image=18zo.jpg

Thank You for your help

AverageTeen

Never say never...you can certainly do something about your newfound pudge, it just might take a little longer than you'd like it to.

For starters, I would cut your calorie intake by 250-500 calories and up your cardio by 1/2 hour per day. Don't worry about doing sit-ups at this point, because you will not be able to see the underlying ab muscles, and building them up may result in a stomach that looks even bigger than before you started. So I would weight until you drop a sufficient amount of weight (10-20 lbs) before toning your abs. Also, try to stay away from carbonated drinks (even diet sodas bc they cause bloating) and definitely avoid alcohol (which tends to add fat to the midsection more than anywhere else...the perverbial beer belly is a symptom of this phenomenon). Other than that, just be patient, try to have fun with your daily workouts and find low-cal foods that you enjoy and that taste good!

I'm in the same boat as you.. right now i am eating a healthy diet of food like veggies and fruits and portein, and doing about an hour a day of cardio/weights. Not sure if my plan is good, but it's better then being lazy like i was before!