Can you really not lose fat in a specific area?

SoulOfRusalka

Sorry, I know people ask this all the time.
But I see people with flat stomachs but no thigh gap quite frequently, and even when I weighed less than 90 pounds mine still didn't look like that. I know people have different body types, but like even when there was a hand's width of space between my thighs with knees together how could I *still* not look like that?
Does doing sit-ups or something help? I know you can't change your basic body type, but can you alter it at all?
Blah. Frustrating. But at least for now I can just focus on losing any weight!

Liftng4Lis

Lift weights.

HeySwoleSister

LadyAbsynthe wrote: »

Sorry, I know people ask this all the time.
But I see people with flat stomachs but no thigh gap quite frequently, and even when I weighed less than 90 pounds mine still didn't look like that. I know people have different body types, but like even when there was a hand's width of space between my thighs with knees together how could I *still* not look like that?
Does doing sit-ups or something help? I know you can't change your basic body type, but can you alter it at all?
Blah. Frustrating. But at least for now I can just focus on losing any weight!

Thigh gap is more from your skeletal structure, unless you are truly emaciated. I have a few apple-shaped women in my life who have sizeable potbellies and wee skinny little legs. We all carry our weight differently.

I know you mentioned before that you are in recovery from an ED, take care and try not to obsess too much over what your body looks like...think about the great things you can make your body DO. Lifting weights is a good idea, as Liftng4Lis says, not only for your body, but for your mind...it will help you to focus your goals on functional achievements rather than numbers on a scale or being a certain size.

SergeantSausage

Really.

No -- REALLY.

P.S. "thigh gap" is irrelevant.

Aviva92

Is this actually a serious question????

I had thigh gap when I was close to overweight and also had fat thighs. I just have a wide frame around my hips that's wider than I was fat. thigh gap is completely irrelevant to whether or not your stomach is flat.

Christine_72

I hate this thigh gap fad, IMO it's ridiculous. At my lowest weight (very skinny) I never had a thigh gap

Aviva92

oh, looking at your stats and you're 18, 5'3.5" and 91.7 pounds and like to purge. dude, gain some weight. you do not need to lose any weight.

also, whenever someone says they are 18 on here and says things like that I assume they are probably more like 15 and lying about their age. If so, you do not belong here.

SoulOfRusalka

Sorry, I should have been clearer! I was just using the thigh gap thing to point out that my legs were quite thin but there was still fat on my stomach.
I have gained quite a lot of weight since I last updated my profile, so you don't need to worry about that! I'm not underweight at all, and in fact heavier than my natural weight (I think.)
Also, I am 18, so there's no need to make assumptions.

Aviva92

LadyAbsynthe wrote: »

Sorry, I should have been clearer! I was just using the thigh gap thing to point out that my legs were quite thin but there was still fat on my stomach.
I have gained quite a lot of weight since I last updated my profile, so you don't need to worry about that! I'm not underweight at all, and in fact heavier than my natural weight (I think.)
Also, I am 18, so there's no need to make assumptions.

well, people gain weight in different areas based primarily on genetics. thin legs does not always equate to no stomach fat, just as no stomach fat doesn't always equate to thin legs. I have thick thighs at a low weight.

SoulOfRusalka

Also this wasn't trying to be attention-seeking "ooooooh look how skinny but I think I'm fat " it's "can I do any exercises or anything because my stomach carries a disproportionate amount of weight and it looks weird".
I know it looks obnoxious in retrospect.

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HeySwoleSister

It's not that...it's just that as someone who is trying to overcome an ED, you really shouldn't be picking at your body...MFP can be snarky, but it's really generally looking for real facts about being healthy. The real seasoned fit folks around here (I'm not one, I'm just a mom of many teen girls who fusses) don't want to see unhealthy stuff get perpetuated.

Again, just look at what your body can DO. Set goals based on that, not on appearance, size, or weight. Be strong. Run far. Feel awesome. Because YOU ARE.

Aviva92

LadyAbsynthe wrote: »

Also this wasn't trying to be attention-seeking "ooooooh look how skinny but I think I'm fat " it's "can I do any exercises or anything because my stomach carries a disproportionate amount of weight and it looks weird".
I know it looks obnoxious in retrospect.

nah, I didn't take it as attention-seeking. In fact, I don't really mind people being attention-seeking on the internet in general. I just looked at the stats on your profile and your description and it sounds like you have an eating disorder, so obsessing about your stomach is counter productive towards getting healthy.

cheshirecatastrophe

Bodies do weird things during and after the acute phase of an ED.

Give your body and mind some time to heal before you start worrying about individual parts being possibly out of whack. Generally things shake out after a few years of stable, real recovery, both physically and mentally speaking.

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SLLRunner

MrM27 wrote: »

Speak to your therapist if you are seeing one.

This.