Looser fat?

gwd

gwd

Cathlete
Okay, this may sound like a strange question but here goes. Over the past few weeks the little layer of fat that still insists on hiding parts of my abs has gotten looser feeling and has congregated around my belly button. Is this a good sign or a bad one? When I was heavier the fat rolls around my entire midsection felt firmer and a little smoother. Now that I've lost those extra 35 lbs (still have about 5 to go) I have this little layer of jelly. When I'm standing you don't notice it but when I do anything plank or push up-like it just kind of hangs down loosely...not pretty. Am I on the right track or am I losing ground? Is this just the natural progression of fat loss? I do eat very clean and I know that, at this point, it's going to be my diet that makes or breaks my efforts to lose the remaining weight. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

TIA,
Wendi
 
Hi Wendi! My name is Wendy too!:+

I have the same little pouch of fat that you are referring to! LOL I think the fat simply repositions itself (or something) as there is less of it. When doing a plank it makes sense that it "falls" to the center around the bellybutton just due to the positioning of your body. I wouldn't worry that this is a bad thing at all!

HTH!:)

Edited to Add: Also, think about it...when there is more fat in your body it will take up more space so the skin on top of it will be tighter. When you loose the fat, if the skin does not go back 100% then the skin will be looser. It's the skin I think that is loose, not the fat. Does that make any sense?
 
I think it means that you're heading in the right direction. I would assume that the stuff underneath is tightening up and there is less fat than before! Keep going!

Do you have kids? I have that little pouch too, and if you watch Cathe carefully in some older workouts (Intensity Series, I think), she has it too. I think it's just because that skin doesn't ever return to it's pre-pregnancy elasticity (well, unless you're down to some ridiculously low amount of body fat;)).
 
Actually, Cathe has it in the new series, too. It's pretty noticeable in a couple of the workouts and just makes me love her more for being human. :)

I'm pretty sure what you mean is skin - this is my problem, too, and one of the reasons I sometimes feel more comfortable at a higher weight! I don't think there's much to do about it beyond surgical solutions, except to love the skin you're in. :)

BTW, nice job on the weight loss!

Marie
 
Thanks for the encouragement guys! I can't blame it on having kids...just 20 years of eating as much s#!t as I could stuff in my mouth x( . Maybe it is just skin but, now that I can feel and sometimes see a six pack under there, oh boy do I want it gone! I've noticed it on Cathe sometimes, too, and you're right, it does make her seem more human...well, almost ;-). It's strange that I find that so encouraging...maybe it's because it makes me think that if she can get as lean as she has in some of the series maybe, just maybe, there's a little hope for me...

Take care,
Wendi
 
"Is this a good sign or a bad one?"

A good one. Your fat cells are releasing their contents, making them deflate like tiny balloons. Your body is using that released fat for energy. Thus, the cells are still there, but they get looser and more like room temperature jello rather than like hard-set, cold jello. Soon, they will be like "melted" jello...then all that is left is to tighten up the skin if you can! Lotion, exfoliate, lots of fluids should help.

Congratulations!

Julie
 
Wendy, after losing a significant amount of weight like you have, it's common to have a bit of loose skin. Give it some time and you may see it tighten up some. How much it snaps back however is up to genetics and age. After losing 50 # myself a few years back, I was seeing improvements in my skin for nearly a year afterwards.

BTW, congrats on the weight loss! Great job!
 
It is loose skin. When you had more body fat, the fat filled it out more. As you lose more body fat, the skin will become pretty flimsy. I have this from the weight gain of 2 pregnancies. It is kind of frustrating but better than the alternative!!

CONGRATULATIONS on your health and weight loss achievements!
 
I with you!!! I have lost 70lbs and have that loose skin that hangs when I do push up and planks. It's frustrating to see, but I am also happy to see it because I know that it's because of all my hard work that it's there!!!
 
I had tons of loose skin after I lost 150 lbs. I did have a good bit of it surgically removed. Maybe 10lbs worth. I still have some from that as well as giving birth. The body is such a joy at times, eh? A lot of us are with you ;)


Debbie


My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She's ninety-seven now, and we don't know where the hell she is.
--Ellen Degeneres
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top