Fat dispersion

Sp1tfire
Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
edited 6:54AM in Health and Weight Loss
I'm at a weight I currently like, but I wouldn't mind putting on a few lbs of muscle. My problem is that I have a pinchable area around my belly button going across a small portion of my stomach exactly in line with my belly button. I am technically underweight to my doctor (although not severely so; 115 lbs at 5'7"). I eat around 70/30 'clean' foods (even though I know this isn't technically necessary) and exercise 6-7 hours a week. Is this pinchable area around my belly button just part of the normal structure of the area around the belly button, or am I carrying some fat around it? I've never been able to find an answer using google so I've finally decided to ask here. If you have a low BF%, can you still pinch a small chunk of skin at the belly button?

Thanks for your help! I know this is an oddly specific question.

Replies

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    More than likely it is fat, as we tend to carry fat around our lower belly button area.

    It sounds like you would benefit from a few bulk/cut cycles or running a recomp.

    Do you know about what your current body fat% is?
  • Sp1tfire
    Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
    edited May 2017
    According to my doctor I am at 17-18%. Also, the area I'm pinching is right at the bellybutton, not below or above it. It's like, a crazy accurate 6 inch horizontal line where I can pinch. As I get closer to my sides it's just skin and very thin.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    katadx wrote: »
    According to my doctor I am at 17-18%.

    male or female?

    how did your dr determine body fat%?
  • Sp1tfire
    Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    katadx wrote: »
    According to my doctor I am at 17-18%.

    male or female?

    how did your dr determine body fat%?

    Female, and skin caliper. So I'm doubtful of the exact accuracy. If you pinch at your belly button can you hold onto anything?
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    katadx wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    katadx wrote: »
    According to my doctor I am at 17-18%.

    male or female?

    how did your dr determine body fat%?

    Female, and skin caliper. So I'm doubtful of the exact accuracy. If you pinch at your belly button can you hold onto anything?

    yes, I can and I run about 15% body fat and am male..

    no matter how low your body fat goes you are always going to collect fat in certain areas...

    even assuming that your body fat is off by three percent that would put you in the 18-21% range, which is an acceptable range for a female to run a bulk/cut cycle or recomp....
  • Sp1tfire
    Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
    I'll look into that! Thank you for your help!
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    "If it jiggles, it is fat".

    If you can pinch it and its not paper thin then its fat. If you don't want it then eat in a calorie deficit and lift weights.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Sounds like you may be overanalyzing especially since you are underweight. Females typically do not have very low fat levels unless they are in competition and even then it is a lot of work and not sustainable year round.

    If you are unhappy with your body composition you can recomp but I would probably bulk to build up some muscle.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories