grrr, face getting too thin, but still have belly fat
hamlet1222
Posts: 459 Member
Getting more and more people commenting on my thinness, and I've always had quite a narrow face so I guess I'm looking a bit gaunt (my photo was from three months ago, when I was around 3 kilos heavier). The thing is I can still pinch an inch on my belly, and although not noticeble when I'm dressed (unless wearing a tight t-shirt - which I don't do), it still bothers me and I want to get it flat. My BMI is 23.2 and body fat 19%. I'll probably continue my calorie deficit until I get down to 15% bf, and just ignore 'concerned' comments and questions about my health - it's still annoying though. I guess for people with narrow faces, the only option to have a six-pack AND a full face is lipo on the belly - and I'm not going to go there.
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I'm the same but would not have lipo either, no idea what my bf is. At 4'11'' and small frame/features I got down to 97lb and my body looked ok, was pleased with the results, but my face - well, haggard is one word my partner used to describe it; he kept mentioning it so I put some lbs back on to shut him up as the comments were getting to me. Now I'm back here with a flabby belly at 107lb trying to lose again and this time will go with whether I'm happy with it. He's at least 15lb overweight himself, doesn't see it or want to do anything about it, but I daren't mention it or he gets annoyed. He has lost about 20lb which is great and brought his cholesterol down to a safe level but he thinks that's enough, can do what he likes now, but it'll most probably go back up again if he's not careful.0
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lipo isn't the only option.... you could get fat injections in your face
http://www.smartbeautyguide.com/procedures/injectables/fat-transfer
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nordlead2005 wrote: »lipo isn't the only option.... you could get fat injections in your face
http://www.smartbeautyguide.com/procedures/injectables/fat-transfer
not likely 0 -
instead of trying to lose weight why not try doing some resistance training.
That helps with the "fat" look you are both talking about.
scale weight isn't the end all to be all. Neither is BF% or BMI
you need to take all factors into consideration including health.0 -
instead of trying to lose weight why not try doing some resistance training.
That helps with the "fat" look you are both talking about.
scale weight isn't the end all to be all. Neither is BF% or BMI
you need to take all factors into consideration including health.
yeah, I'm doing weight training, but there aren't that many muscles on the face you can build
Hoping to get bigger shoulders and trapezius though. 0 -
hamlet1222 wrote: »instead of trying to lose weight why not try doing some resistance training.
That helps with the "fat" look you are both talking about.
scale weight isn't the end all to be all. Neither is BF% or BMI
you need to take all factors into consideration including health.
yeah, I'm doing weight training, but there aren't that many muscles on the face you can build Hoping to get bigger shoulders and trapezius though.
but your talking about fat on your belly...not your face.
to lose fat it's about diet but the resistance training helps maintain muscle while losing fat.
Often times people aren't used to seeing you "thin faced" and it's not their normal...as long as you aren't starving yourself and getting in an unhealthy frame of mind (wanting to be too thin) they will get used to it.0 -
I have the same problem. People at work are constantly commenting on how much weight I've lost because they're primarily looking at my face, which always gets very thin. If they could see what the lower half of me looks like they would shut up quick! If I were to keep losing weight until my butt/legs are thinned out I swear my head would just be a skull.
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I got to the same point. I was starting to look gaunt but still have quite a high BF%, I've realised that I just don't currently have the muscle to keep dropping weight. I may get down to 15% BF, but I think the other 85% will mostly be my skeleton and organs.
I have decided to just stick at where I am for a bit, go in to maintenance and really work on my strength training. Going to give it at least 6 months of maintenance and progressive lifting and then see where I am at the end of that.0 -
But are you lifting heavy?0
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If you really have an localized area of fat there are non-surgical options (still expensive and still some pain involved) to reduce fat under the skin. Google Coll Sculpting (and there is a sonic version too). This is rather dramatic though and I suspect that you will get used to your new face.0
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My face always swells when I eat salt lol if you do, just don't have too much cause it's not good for your kidneys.0
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hamlet1222 wrote: »nordlead2005 wrote: »lipo isn't the only option.... you could get fat injections in your face
http://www.smartbeautyguide.com/procedures/injectables/fat-transfer
not likely
lol..good answer...I have the same issue, which is made worse by the paleness of my face......best bet is to just keep working your midsection, and all the areas connected to it...and to lift heavy often....the more you lift, the more fat will be torched, and the muscle underneath will be more visible.....you may have some extra skin which seems like fat, and that might not go away....some things we won't be able to change...in that case, unless you are into sticking needles in yourself which you seem smarter than, the only real option is to be honest with yourself, and to love yourself. There is a very good chance it will all even out/balance out with time as well. Good luck xo0 -
I have also gone with the grow a beard option.
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I have the same issue. I got down to a weight that was 'healthy'. Losing more weight would likely not cause my stomach to stop being flabby yet would certainly make my face and neck look positively gaunt. I stopped losing and started lifting - my tummy is thanking me for it! 0
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Grow a beard! I'm about 30 lbs in on my weight loss, and most people don't notice, because my face looks pretty much the same (bearded).0
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The lifting heavy will also help you get a bigger neck. Now, of course, a neck can be too big. But, my husband had this same issue. Before he started lifting heavy, he just lost weight primarily through running -- he was down to 200 lbs or so on a 6'5" frame (from 225 or so) and was quite unhappy with how gaunt his cheeks were - -he too has a narrow face.
Over 2 years or so, he put on more muscle and reduced his body fat -- he's now 235 or so and his neck is definitely much bigger as he had to get all new dress shirts. But, it's not too big. He's finally just not a tall skinny guy -- he probably put on the most bulk in his back and legs, but still noticeably bigger in his neck, shoulders, chest, arms, etc. And getting the extra girth on his neck, traps, shoulders, etc. also somewhat translated to his face -- he doesn't look nearly as gaunt anymore even though is body fat is actually lower than it was at 200 lbs.0 -
lindsey1979 wrote: »The lifting heavy will also help you get a bigger neck. Now, of course, a neck can be too big. But, my husband had this same issue. Before he started lifting heavy, he just lost weight primarily through running -- he was down to 200 lbs or so on a 6'5" frame (from 225 or so) and was quite unhappy with how gaunt his cheeks were - -he too has a narrow face.
Over 2 years or so, he put on more muscle and reduced his body fat -- he's now 235 or so and his neck is definitely much bigger as he had to get all new dress shirts. But, it's not too big. He's finally just not a tall skinny guy -- he probably put on the most bulk in his back and legs, but still noticeably bigger in his neck, shoulders, chest, arms, etc. And getting the extra girth on his neck, traps, shoulders, etc. also somewhat translated to his face -- he doesn't look nearly as gaunt anymore even though is body fat is actually lower than it was at 200 lbs.
Really? My neck as gotten smaller as I lose weight even with lifting heavy. Luckily it didn't get bigger; it would have looked really odd if everything else was shrinking but my neck was increasing!0 -
Wow, that sounds awfully inelegant. You mean that you can't totally control the shape of your own body?
Lift heavier.0 -
I wish this were my problem. My face and chin seem to be the last place fat wants to go away from. I use to have a very skinny face but, after gaining weight and kidney disease I fear my face will always look plumper than I am.0
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which particular exercise is best for building the neck? I do a modified StrongLifts 5x5 programme, with incline press and chin-ups added. I've done shoulder-shrugs to try and build my traps in the past, but it's always been a slow/no growth area for me.0
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lindsey1979 wrote: »The lifting heavy will also help you get a bigger neck. Now, of course, a neck can be too big. But, my husband had this same issue. Before he started lifting heavy, he just lost weight primarily through running -- he was down to 200 lbs or so on a 6'5" frame (from 225 or so) and was quite unhappy with how gaunt his cheeks were - -he too has a narrow face.
Over 2 years or so, he put on more muscle and reduced his body fat -- he's now 235 or so and his neck is definitely much bigger as he had to get all new dress shirts. But, it's not too big. He's finally just not a tall skinny guy -- he probably put on the most bulk in his back and legs, but still noticeably bigger in his neck, shoulders, chest, arms, etc. And getting the extra girth on his neck, traps, shoulders, etc. also somewhat translated to his face -- he doesn't look nearly as gaunt anymore even though is body fat is actually lower than it was at 200 lbs.
Really? My neck as gotten smaller as I lose weight even with lifting heavy. Luckily it didn't get bigger; it would have looked really odd if everything else was shrinking but my neck was increasing!
I think it depends on your starting point. I was talking about someone that was already a healthy weight but a thin face (like the OP), not someone that was really overweight as a starting point.
Yes, if you're significantly overweight, I'm sure you carry some of that extra fat in your neck, so your neck will overall get smaller as you lose that weight. But if you're already a healthy weight and not that muscular and start lifting heavy, your neck will get bigger from all the trap/upper back work from the increased muscle mass. I think the traps and lower back (from deadlifts/squats) were the most obvious biggest increasers at first for my husband. His slowest to grow/bulk have been his lats, but that's probably also because his initial routine didn't stress lats as much as other back muscles.
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hamlet1222 wrote: »which particular exercise is best for building the neck? I do a modified StrongLifts 5x5 programme, with incline press and chin-ups added. I've done shoulder-shrugs to try and build my traps in the past, but it's always been a slow/no growth area for me.
For major lifts, probably deadlifts as they're major stabilizers for that lift. You're pulling 300+lbs, you'll have some decent traps. My husband's increased a lot just from the full body lifting programs --- he started on Starting Strength (and Stronglifts is pretty much a rip off of SS) and then switched later to 5-3-1. But, he saw plenty of trap increase on the basic SS program before he started adding in much accessory lifts.
For accessory lifts, shrugs (barbell/dumbell), farmer walk and rows (barbell in particular).
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lindsey1979 wrote: »hamlet1222 wrote: »which particular exercise is best for building the neck? I do a modified StrongLifts 5x5 programme, with incline press and chin-ups added. I've done shoulder-shrugs to try and build my traps in the past, but it's always been a slow/no growth area for me.
For major lifts, probably deadlifts as they're major stabilizers for that lift. You're pulling 300+lbs, you'll have some decent traps. My husband's increased a lot just from the full body lifting programs --- he started on Starting Strength (and Stronglifts is pretty much a rip off of SS) and then switched later to 5-3-1. But, he saw plenty of trap increase on the basic SS program before he started adding in much accessory lifts.
For accessory lifts, shrugs (barbell/dumbell), farmer walk and rows (barbell in particular).
Thanks Lindsay, sounds like your husband has his own personal trainer too, lucky guy0 -
hamlet1222 wrote: »lindsey1979 wrote: »hamlet1222 wrote: »which particular exercise is best for building the neck? I do a modified StrongLifts 5x5 programme, with incline press and chin-ups added. I've done shoulder-shrugs to try and build my traps in the past, but it's always been a slow/no growth area for me.
For major lifts, probably deadlifts as they're major stabilizers for that lift. You're pulling 300+lbs, you'll have some decent traps. My husband's increased a lot just from the full body lifting programs --- he started on Starting Strength (and Stronglifts is pretty much a rip off of SS) and then switched later to 5-3-1. But, he saw plenty of trap increase on the basic SS program before he started adding in much accessory lifts.
For accessory lifts, shrugs (barbell/dumbell), farmer walk and rows (barbell in particular).
Thanks Lindsay, sounds like your husband has his own personal trainer too, lucky guy
More like the other way around -- he's been the one more or less training me. I'm just passing along the info we've both learned along the way. I think reading Starting Strength was probably the best value of any of our investments (that and building our own home gym -- upfront cost, but the time savings and longterm costs are so worth it to us). Even if you don't follow the SS program, the detail on form is amazing.
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lindsey1979 wrote: »lindsey1979 wrote: »The lifting heavy will also help you get a bigger neck. Now, of course, a neck can be too big. But, my husband had this same issue. Before he started lifting heavy, he just lost weight primarily through running -- he was down to 200 lbs or so on a 6'5" frame (from 225 or so) and was quite unhappy with how gaunt his cheeks were - -he too has a narrow face.
Over 2 years or so, he put on more muscle and reduced his body fat -- he's now 235 or so and his neck is definitely much bigger as he had to get all new dress shirts. But, it's not too big. He's finally just not a tall skinny guy -- he probably put on the most bulk in his back and legs, but still noticeably bigger in his neck, shoulders, chest, arms, etc. And getting the extra girth on his neck, traps, shoulders, etc. also somewhat translated to his face -- he doesn't look nearly as gaunt anymore even though is body fat is actually lower than it was at 200 lbs.
Really? My neck as gotten smaller as I lose weight even with lifting heavy. Luckily it didn't get bigger; it would have looked really odd if everything else was shrinking but my neck was increasing!
I think it depends on your starting point. I was talking about someone that was already a healthy weight but a thin face (like the OP), not someone that was really overweight as a starting point.
Yes, if you're significantly overweight, I'm sure you carry some of that extra fat in your neck, so your neck will overall get smaller as you lose that weight. But if you're already a healthy weight and not that muscular and start lifting heavy, your neck will get bigger from all the trap/upper back work from the increased muscle mass. I think the traps and lower back (from deadlifts/squats) were the most obvious biggest increasers at first for my husband. His slowest to grow/bulk have been his lats, but that's probably also because his initial routine didn't stress lats as much as other back muscles.
Ah yes, you mean eating at a surplus while lifting to increase muscle mass. Yes, that makes more sense.0 -
azulvioleta6 wrote: »Wow, that sounds awfully inelegant. You mean that you can't totally control the shape of your own body?
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kshama2001 wrote: »azulvioleta6 wrote: »Wow, that sounds awfully inelegant. You mean that you can't totally control the shape of your own body? 0
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hamlet1222 wrote: »which particular exercise is best for building the neck? I do a modified StrongLifts 5x5 programme, with incline press and chin-ups added. I've done shoulder-shrugs to try and build my traps in the past, but it's always been a slow/no growth area for me.
Why have you modified stronglifts...are you an experienced lifter?
Are you eating adequate protein and progressing in your workouts ?
How are you measuring your BF? 19% is quite high for a male lifter...how much weight have you got left to lose?
You might not want to build your shoulders too much cos you might risk looking like a pinhead0 -
Thanks rabbit
>Why have you modified stronglifts...are you an experienced lifter?
Because I like doing chin ups and the incline bench press because I feel it hits the upper chest more than flat. I've been lifting on and off for 20 years
> Are you eating adequate protein and progressing in your workouts ?
150g/day, yes, gaining reps most workouts
How are you measuring your BF? 19% is quite high for a male lifter...how much weight have you got left to lose?
>digital scales, every morning, averaged over the week. Not sure how much weight to lose honestly, more focussed on bf%.
You might not want to build your shoulders too much cos you might risk looking like a pinhead0
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