Another diet question: skinny people with big bellies

[Sharon77]

I've read every post on the other thread about the 12yo daughter who is trying to lose weight. It was fascinating to read about everyone's experiences and opinions, so I thought I'd ask about my issue since I am getting older and ready to do something about it :)

 

I've always been tall and slim, except for my belly. When I have a full stomach, I can look pregnant!

 

I'm 5'8" and weigh 125lbs. I wear size 0-2 clothes but my waist measures 32". I've read literature on belly fat before and I know it is dangerous for my health. I've tried low carb before and it definitly helped my waist to get smaller, but it caused my hair to fall out and constipation. 

 

Can anyone share their experience with something like this and what they did for the long haul?

 

I love hearing from anyone and everyone!

 

Thanks!

[Rosie_0801]

It can be a muscle tone issue. It can be a gut health issue.

[Snickerdoodle]

Is it belly fat or bloat?  

[Sharon77]

Is it belly fat or bloat?  

belly fat, definitely

My mom has it and her mom too, so it is hereditary 

[Laura Corin]

What exercise do you do? I have belly fat but it's much less prominent now I exercise more. The underlying muscle has become taughter and I have lost inches.

Edited June 3, 2016 by Laura Corin

[kiana]

This is something again where I really think a hormone check may help. If you tend to have excess male hormones, you tend to put on fat like a man, which means that you have skinny arms and legs and a potbelly.

 

I do not think you should try to lose weight. As a matter of fact, I really think you should actively avoid it.

 

I do think that exercise may help if you are not doing it already. Whole-body exercise, it doesn't have to be high intensity, you could do yoga, or a bodyweight strength program if you don't like classes, but I think whole body is important and not just running/walking. This is also a great thing to do for your overall health as you get older.

 

And, quite honestly, you may just be built like that and need to resign yourself to not having a waistline as slim as others. It is unfortunate but it is what it is. Some people have naturally thick waistlines and 32 inches is not at all bad for your height. But I'd try hormone check and adding exercise before resigning myself.

[Insertcreativenamehere]

Diastasis recti?

 

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[hornblower]

well, yes, I'd rule out diastasis recti and probably do a hormone check but some people are just built like this & that's where they carry fat. 

My mom is like this. In her 40s if she didn't watch her diet/exercise it was just in her belly. Skinny long legs and arms. She could easily disguise it with a slightly looser top.

Then past menopause it hit her arms and upper body too. Where you put fat on is largely genetic. 

You can also go see a physio and have some body fat caliper measurement testing done just to assess how much of your body is fat. Weights and resistance training can help to change things a bit. 

I'm firmly in the weigh your food and calorie count camp but whatever you do, it's going to be forever. There are no quick fixes and no easy solutions and ime, every year you let it go, it gets worse & harder to fix/control. 

[J-rap]

Long, fast walks help me with that issue!

[Supertechmom]

I always think Celiac or Cushing's  when I hear skinny arms/legs and big belly.   I'd get a through physical and hormone workup to rule these out just in case.

[Laurie4b]

There are two types of "belly" fat: subcutaneous (the kind you can pinch an inch of) and visceral (which is the kind wrapped around your internal organs.) VIsceral is the one with health implications. 

 

Exercise is key to getting off and keeping off visceral fat. There may or may not be an accompanying weight loss or even change in looks. You can google the STRRIDE study (two R's is correct) done around 2005. Their results continue to be replicated. Here's one meta-analysis: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0056415 . I had linked some other studies, but lost the post. You can look up "reduce visceral fat" and look at the scholarly research. 

 

The kind of aerobic exercise needed (moderate, vigorous or HIIT) seems to not matter that much in terms of visceral fat. It does appear to matter in terms of preserved brain functioning and there longer aerobic beats out HIIT---at least in mice.   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/02/160208083606.htm

 

Visceral fat is affected by cortizol levels, which are affected by chronic stress and/or poor sleep. 

 

Your measurements probably put you in a safe level. I think the latest "rule of thumb" is a waist should be half the length of the person's height. The only question is where the waist is. Some say waist is the smallest point between lowest rib and top of hip joint: others say measure at the belly button. There can be a significant difference between the two measurements. 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2016 by Laurie4b

[nd293]

I've noticed a definite reduction in belly fat lately, and I'm putting it down to cutting carbs way down (when I do this I don't substantially up protein, except maybe eggs, but I do up fruit and veg intake) and physical activity, mostly interval training of the 30 sec walk, 30 sec run variety. I was doing a twice weekly exercise class but I think it was the interval training that has made the difference rather than specific muscle-focused exercises. I'm still really unfit but I'm up to 12 intervals and rather proud of myself!

[Soror]

Three thoughts:

1) We all carry weight differently 

2) Diastasis- check Katy Bowman and Mutu Mamas- very common and makes you look pregnant long past having the baby

3)Food issues- for some people certain foods are bloating- it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye out to see if your belly size changes after certain foods

 

 

If you have diastasis doing the right exercises can reduce the belly inches without any other intervention. Assuming you don't have diastasis I'd look at traditional ab work to strengthen the abs as most moms have weak abs- which isn't good for your body anyway. Also, things like weightlifting and cardio work can change the shape of your body without changing your weight.

[Guest2]

Hormone levels and liver health can cause this. You can have normal liver enzymes but your liver can be really enlarged.

[need2read]

I am the same way. It doesn't matter what I do or how skinny I am, I always have a belly. I know it is genetic because my dad's sisters are all shaped like me. I lift weights and work physically hard and eat well so I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with my lifestyle.

 

 

 

 

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[MistyMountain]

I am that way too. I am still skinny but I have a belly. My mom and sister gain weight like that too. I do not like it.

[jjeepa]

I tend to carry my weight around the middle and the only thing that helps me (other than maintaining my Hashimoto's and hypoglycemia, which both have negative effect on my weight and where I carry fat) is yoga and pilates.  I walk almost every day too, but when I'm not doing yoga and pilates my waist stays soft.  No fun.  Haven't worn a belt in years!  I have no idea if it's generic as I was adopted  :001_smile:

[trulycrabby]

I doubt this is your issue, but mine was ascites due to an ovarian cyst. I carried around two liters of fluid in my peritoneal cavity for two years before I could convince the doc to do tests and surgery.