Where does the body generally lose fat?

hardeepsingh7893

Hi,

I've just started trying to lose weight and it's been about 2 weeks. I drastically changed my lifestyle e.g. no fizzy drinks only water and no snacking between meals. I've lost a few pounds already and have noticed it as my current trousers are loose. I was just curious if the body picks areas at random to burn fat or if it's influenced by certain variables.

Currently i've noticed my chest and bum area to have lost fat.

Thanks in advance.

mymodernbabylon

Wherever it's genetically programmed to - each person is different.

dawn0293

Well, while this may not be very scientific but for me it seems to happen everywhere except the couple of trouble spots in which I really wanted to lose it. Those areas seem to be holding onto fat for dear life.

xcalygrl

It's based on genetics and is different for every person. For me, my thighs are the last to go no matter how hard I try.

sofaking6

I've heard that it comes off first in the places it goes on last, but I have no evidence really to back it up.

markiend

sofaking6 wrote: »

I've heard that it comes off first in the places it goes on last, but I have no evidence really to back it up.

thats what seems to happen to me and others.. yep

where you want to really lose it...is probably the last place it will move from

gbel1975

I do think it's individually different and is based also on where one carries weight, which is also different for everyone.

As I've slowly lost weight over the last couple years, it's been from my belly. Having had a round "beer" belly, it's now a lot less distended. This is due to the loss of the visceral fat that I tend to carry. The unfortunate things from a clothing standpoint is that I wear my pants just below my belly. As a result, I've worn 38" pants for the entire time from my high of 248 pounds (very slightly tight, maybe by 1") to my low of 205 pounds (very slightly loose, maybe by 1"). In other words, my waist only changed about 2" despite a big difference in my belly (measured around my navel).

One interesting note, when I did P90X with a lot of ab/core work, my weight got to 214, but I was on the verge of wearing 36" pants. When I got to 205 (without the ab/core work) I couldn't get into 36" pants. The one thing I learned from that is that (for me) change in weight doesn't equal a proportional change in pant size.

My goal for 2015 is to not only get the last of this belly (visceral) fat gone, but begin to lose some of the subcutaneous fat that covers up muscle tone. I'm not certain the latter is in my genetics, but I'm gonna try.

jasonmh630

It comes off wherever it pleases... Just depends on the person. Unfortunately, you can't spot reduce.

redheaddee

Wherever the hell it wants to.

vcphil

Of the 40 pounds I've lost, I also lost 4 cup sizes :-(

Becka4Real

I lose from my extremities inward. LOL The tummy is the last to go, usually!

Jennloella

you get it from your mama

cwolfman13

You lose fat from everywhere and wherever and that will largely be dependent on your genetics.

For many people (and men in particular), for example, belly fat is primary fat storage...as such, most people will lose from all over their bodies before they dip into primary fat stores.

liannexxx

No where :-( x

jgnatca

My experience is...everywhere. The liver is probably first, giving up it's glycogen stores. My fingers are even skinnier.

I WANT the belly to go first but it goes down with everything else.

CaitlinW19

Yup. We are all different. I lose weight in my face and stomach first I think. I'm sure there are factors...for example, I'm short waisted and any excess weight on a person such as myself tends to pile up in the middle...we don't have that far for it to go I guess. As far as I know this is pretty typical of those with my body type.

kmca1803

As a woman, naturally it goes from my boobs first! I always notice my bra band and cups getting looser. Like a few other posters, I also struggle to lose from my thighs.

Fat loss is an all over thing, even if we don't notice it much - this is why "spot reducing" doesn't work. I was once shown a kilogram of fat - a big lump of yellow adipose tissue - and it was an ugly thing about half the size of a loaf of bread. When you think about a kilo of fat being lost, then looked at the actual physical kilo of fat and imagined that spread very thinly all over your body, you can see why fat loss is sometimes hard to see and feels so slow!

2snakeswoman

In physiology, we were taught that fat generally comes off all over, but it's a lot more noticeable in some areas than others. I notice weight loss in my face, first.

hamminit

it does what it wants to lol

miriams76

It really depends. It's great that you've noticed your pants getting looser, for me it's one of the harder places to lose (although I have thank goodness). It depends what I eat too - if my diet is too carb heavy (eg rotis, rice etc) it will just stick to my tummy, even if the overall calorie count for the day is exactly the same as a low- carb day. Something about carbs and probably the associated sugar spike makes it much harder for my body to shed fat.

icrushit

It seems to come off where it bloody likes, and often where you would prefer it didn't until later, it seems! lol.

I imagine however it's how your genetics are wired, as for example just look at the diversity in body shapes amongst women. As a guy, my excess fat seems to be stored around the lower stomach and chest primarily, and does not make for a good look.

Also when I start to lose, where does it come off first ? The middle of my stomach, which is probably the least fat part of my upper body, lol. I've never been completely without excess fat, but it seems now as I'm getting close to the point where I don't, that my lower stomach shall be the last place it comes off. Still, by the fat only coming off last in the places you most want it to come off, it's a decent incentive to not regain it, if you know it's going to go where you least want it to first, lol

David_AUS

As a generality you will notice slower progression where you have the highest stores of fat. For men it is usually the waist area for women usually the derrière and thighs. It is not random and you cannot target an area to lose fat.

MoiAussi93

It's different for everyone. I think wherever you tend to carry the most is usually the last to go.

I'm female but carry most of my extra weight in the abdominal area. Unfortunately, I lost first in my legs and hips. However, now that I am getting closer to goal I have noticed that recently...the last 6 weeks or so...the majority of the weight is being lost from the waist.

KylaDenay

From wherever it wants too. I guess depending on your body type.

Lisajohnston

I find I lose first in my face/neck/chest area then my arms and around my ribcage, my natural waist then thighs and the belly I find is the slowest area for me to see any difference. It varies with exercise for me as well depending on what I do.

amcook4

Like the other posters said, it comes off however and wherever you are genetically inclined to have it come off. I've lost 65 pounds, my husband has lost 40, most of his weight dropped from hit butt and gut, me, not so much.

obscuremusicreference

I lost in my arms and legs first and have only recently (after 32 pounds) noticed a change in belly/butt. I'm also in need of new bras--my cups are no longer running over.

pander101

Really, where it wants to. Like others have said, it's more genetic where the fat 'decides' to come off. Unfortunately most of the time it's not where we want it to most.

Showcase_Brodown

A little bit from everywhere, but some places more than others. Where it takes the fat from is a genetic thing and there is nothing you can do to influence it. So the strategy is losing weight overall and being patient enough to see it come from the stubborn places.

sssgilber

The last two pounds have been from my feet! Never thought I had fat feet but I'm down half a shoe size.