I'm losing weight but my belly is getting huge!

2

Replies

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    BILLBRYTAN wrote: »
    You could be experiencing the same as starving children in third world countries whose bellies are bloated. When your stomach is empty and your mind wants to eat, it causes the stomach to secrete acid in expectation of food to digest. The acid produces gas which bloats the belly. This is why those who suffer from acid reflux sometimes get attacks of gas. I thought the option might at least be worth considering. The obsession with losing weight can do a lot of physiological and psychological harm.

    ....wat? Seems like OP is not under eating.
  • megatron1129
    megatron1129 Posts: 9 Member
    IvanOcampo wrote: »
    Yeah, everything in moderation, but moderation is very subjective.
    my dad is obese and moderation to him is eating according to his body weight.

    you can vent and keep your ideals, and i support you for it .. (if it's what you're looking for).. but just because things become lighter it simply implies that your body is accustomed to lifting the weight, not that your muscles are growing.
    if you want to lose weight, then eat less calories than you spend.
    if you don't know how many calories you eat, you'll never know what 'moderation' means in accordance to your personal body needs.

    I have a general idea of how many calories I eat, some days I'm under my 1400 goal, and some days I'm above. Trying to track everything I do gets me frustrated and discouraged and usually backfires completely. I'm sure if I ate a lot of pre-packaged crap and could scan the barcodes it would be super easy to log everything, but I don't eat that way and as the youtube video says; Aint nobody got time for that.

    And maybe my terminology was wrong - I don't care about building muscle as much as I do about getting stronger, which seem to be 2 different things.
  • megatron1129
    megatron1129 Posts: 9 Member
    keelyjrs wrote: »
    Can I ask, are ahem things moving? Sometimes constipation can be a real factor and I kid you not, a good bowel movement can lose you 2lb or drop a dress size
    Don't worry, I poop like a rock star. This Ivan guy commenting probably needs to drop a few tho. (I'd insert a funny hashtag here if this was anything other than MFP)
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    holly55555 wrote: »
    I thought my belly wasn't changing at all - even after a 10 lb weight loss. I took measurements - I lost 2 inches! Looks can be deceiving :)

    Very true. My bust appears to be growing because every time I go down a band size I go UP a cup size. On the other hand, I have lost 10" in my actual bust measurement.
  • boarderline1
    boarderline1 Posts: 5 Member
    I am having the same problem. I'm 44. Went off birth control in march thinking i was prego. Dozens of urine tests, an ultrasound and ct scan later and no sign of anything. No tumors, no cysts, not even any sign of water build up. Yet weight still coming off while stomach and boobs grow. I eat healthy (fish, vegies, etc..) so don't need a dietician. I've lost almost 60 lb over the past 2 years. I do have DB type 2. Endocrinologist is stumped. OB can't figure it out. Doc thinks the DB is having some kind of funky reaction to the weight loss. Whatever the case, I am frustrated, discouraged and depressed. It's been 5 months and no one can give me any answers. Anyone? Please?
  • Codilee87
    Codilee87 Posts: 509 Member
    When I start losing weight my body does this thing where all the fat on my body seems to get more "loose" and stays that way for days or weeks then suddenly everything tightens up and shrinks down. That weird, flobbery stage is really annoying and discouraging but DON'T GIVE UP!
  • boarderline1
    boarderline1 Posts: 5 Member
    I have that lower ab flab too. But its the upper ab that's got me out of whack. From just below the belly button and up it's semi hard and seriously distended. Doc gave me pipe cleaner and I did a prune juice super cleanse. I'm now on water pills. Still growing
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    well, btwn time and obesity, your body fat distribution can change. i didn't have belly podge until i gained and aged. stress or lack of sleep could also be a factor (higher cortisol can lead to that fat distribution).
  • boarderline1
    boarderline1 Posts: 5 Member
    Seriously the best explanation I've heard in 5 months.
  • BlackPup
    BlackPup Posts: 242 Member
    I would say make an appointment with your gynecologist. As a healthcare professional I've seen this quite a bit. Women are losing weight but their stomach still stays the same or gets bigger. What we end up finding via ultrasound is that they have a very large ovarian cyst or that they have fibroids. Better safe than sorry!

    This^^^^
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    edited August 2015
    "It's a tumor"!

    :astonished:

    Seriously, I think you're probably just imagining it. Perceptions can be all over the place. Hence the importance of measurements and tracking.
  • boarderline1
    boarderline1 Posts: 5 Member
    I would really like to know if megatron1129 resolved her issue. And, if so, how??
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Orphia wrote: »
    "It's a tumor"!

    :astonished:

    Seriously, I think you're probably just imagining it. Perceptions can be all over the place. Hence the importance of measurements and tracking.

    I get the tumor joke, but all kidding aside, my belly is getting bigger and I think I have a new fibroid so will have to get another MRI to see what's going on (the extant big fibroid is too large to get a clear view on ultrasound.)

    @megatron1129 is 30, which is the age I was when my fibroids were first detected, but they were teeny tiny then.
  • boarderline1
    boarderline1 Posts: 5 Member
    With me, they checked all that. At first with an ultrasound then 2 months later a ct scan. At first the doc thought maybe I was imagining things until I went back a few weeks later looking like a knocked up Hooters girl. THEN he started taking me seriously. At this point I almost wish they'd find a tumor. At least then I have something to work with. No baby, no fibroids, no cysts, tumors. Not even any fluid. Blood panels normal. Thyroid normal. Don't drink or take drugs. So I just continue to exercise and diet obsessively hoping that doc is right about the db2 and, hopefully, I don't pop out a baby next month.
  • Blankcanvas57
    Blankcanvas57 Posts: 1 Member
    I'm 57 years old, so no baby lol but I have the same issues! Since having a ventral hernia mesh repair (up just under boobs in center) my belly looks like I'm 8 months pregnant! Initially I thought my belly was just swollen from the air they inject you with during surgery... I eat pretty healthy and exercise at least 5 days a week, plus I have been gaining weight, not losing! I started taking a probiotic and don't have any constipation issues.... Gastro did a full Mri of abdominal area (cause I had tried doing gluten free for 3 months, no change at all, just 3 more lbs:( ACtually gained a total of 11 lbs sincd surgery...No masses or anything detected, small fibroids... I also have Hashimoto's thyroid, so I'm off to the endo on Tuesday. In reading on the internet, I'd like him to do a Cushings test, because according to the pictures, that's me! yikes....or perhaps my meds aren't working...so disheartening...I tell people it's frustrating that I work so hard and look like THIS!....
  • musicfan68
    musicfan68 Posts: 1,143 Member
    I would say make an appointment with your gynecologist. As a healthcare professional I've seen this quite a bit. Women are losing weight but their stomach still stays the same or gets bigger. What we end up finding via ultrasound is that they have a very large ovarian cyst or that they have fibroids. Better safe than sorry!

    I was just going to suggest going to the doctor also. I was one of those people with a huge ovarian cyst. I couldn't figure out how my stomach seemed to be growing but not my jeans size. I found out when I went into renal failure and was taken to the hospital. Go get it checked. I didn't even though I thought I should. I just figured I was eating too much and not exercising enough because I was so tired, plus I didn't know if the doctor would just tell me to exercise and eat less if I told him I felt like I was gaining weight. Now I know better.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    *psst*

    This thread is from last year. I'm guessing the OP isn't checking it at this point.
  • natalie3505
    natalie3505 Posts: 169 Member
    janetlojo wrote: »
    It could just be that you've lost weight elsewhere and in comparison it makes your belly look bigger. Don't worry, keep at it and soon you will see that belly shrinking too!

    I second this. I was thinking my stomach was growing, but I took my measurements again and i had lost in my hips and right under my boobs, but no change in my waist, so it made me look larger there. Unfortunately, we don't lose where we want to first. :)
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    I am having the same problem. I'm 44. Went off birth control in march thinking i was prego. Dozens of urine tests, an ultrasound and ct scan later and no sign of anything. No tumors, no cysts, not even any sign of water build up. Yet weight still coming off while stomach and boobs grow. I eat healthy (fish, vegies, etc..) so don't need a dietician. I've lost almost 60 lb over the past 2 years. I do have DB type 2. Endocrinologist is stumped. OB can't figure it out. Doc thinks the DB is having some kind of funky reaction to the weight loss. Whatever the case, I am frustrated, discouraged and depressed. It's been 5 months and no one can give me any answers. Anyone? Please?

    Hey are you perhaps early to the menopause? It is my understanding that fat wants to go to belly and boobs post menopause. Losing fat overall still seems like the answer, but maybe HRT (if safe for you) during the change, and while you are shrinking, would help?
  • Tsartele
    Tsartele Posts: 683 Member
    Pregnant ???
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    i'd bet that you are doing a lot of core exercises. are you doing lots and lots of crunches??
  • sjeanmichel
    sjeanmichel Posts: 1 Member
    @megatron1129 I don't believe you're pregnant. I have the same thing problem. I think you should tell your doctor about it. Someone in here mentioned ovarian cysts and if you see any irregularities in your period you should tell your doctor also because I also have that. I'm not trying to diagnose you or anything. Somebody brought it up and I thought it was strange because I have the same problem as you and I have ovarian cysts.
  • junodog1
    junodog1 Posts: 4,792 Member
    I would say make an appointment with your gynecologist. As a healthcare professional I've seen this quite a bit. Women are losing weight but their stomach still stays the same or gets bigger. What we end up finding via ultrasound is that they have a very large ovarian cyst or that they have fibroids. Better safe than sorry!

    ^^^^^ This
  • danigirl1011
    danigirl1011 Posts: 314 Member
    Yeah i am kind of having the same problem. I know i'm not preggo though! I lost 55 pounds 5 years ago, but gained it back and then some. I've lost almost 30 pounds and i feel like all the clothes i used to wear when i was this weight are tight in just the stomach! Super frustrating.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Is @megatron1129 still around?!
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    Is @megatron1129 still around?!

    Nope
  • HarlemNY17
    HarlemNY17 Posts: 135 Member
    IvanOcampo wrote: »
    hhm. okay. so you're working out 11 times a week, don't track macros, don't weigh yourself, and don't take measurements?

    gaining muscle doesn't happen from one week to another. to gain a pound of muscle on its own, is almost impossible. I am eating at a surplus of 1000 calories per day, and after 2 months I've gained about 3 kilos of muscle (and possibly around 2 kilos of fat).. and i lift heavy *kitten* weights ..
    i'd suggest you track what you eat .. a surplus of healthy food is the same as a surplus of non-healthy food.
    1000 calories isn't healthy for a grown man to be eating . Also eating healthy and non healthy makes a big difference . Nutrition labels are there for a reason . If we could lose weight and eat unhealthy we wouldn't have have diets and everyone would have reached they're goal . Unhealthy foods don't have fiber and high protein . Full of unhealthy fats and high sky sodium levels and carbs . It's not all about calories trust me
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