Strange belly fat

MeghanMcDonagh2015

Hi guys, I am a 23 year old female who fluctuates between about 54-58kg, and I am 5 foot 4.

No matter what weight I seem to be my belly always seems to be split into 3 visible sections, so I will constantly have 2 horizontal red lines, essentially rolls on my stomach. The only way I can describe it is that my stomach even when standing looks like a reverse 3..

I will have these faint red lines all the time, even when standing up, not just when I’ve been sitting down for a prolonged period.

I’ve never seen someone’s belly who looked similar, they have always had either an all rounded belly or more of a “pot belly”.

I am starting to worry that there is an issue with my muscle, and that even if I did train this wouldn’t go away and I will be unable to ever achieve a flat stomach.

Just wanted to know if anyone had the same issue, or had any ideas on how to solve it?

Thanks!

AnnPT77

Sounds like it might be the thing some describe (sigh**) as "B belly".

It's less likely to be about muscle, more likely to be about where fat deposits happen to accumulate in your individual case. You're not the only one who has it. It's normal, but not universal.

One thing you could consider is working on "recomposition", i.e., staying at the same weight, but gradually shifting body composition toward more muscle, while simultaneously losing a bit of residual body fat. That's quite a slow process, and may perversely seem slower to you at age 23 (than it does to me at age 64 - different percentage of lifespan, perhaps - even though it's faster typically for younger people vs. older).

There's more info about that here:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat

Also, I'm concerned that you may be comparing yourself to a world of carefully posed, well-lit, photoshopped or or even surgically-altered IG-ers, celebrities, and what-not. You might want to take a look at the thread below, to get an idea of the range of normal. It's been a while since I read it, but I think there's some discussion in it of B-belly as a normal thing.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10689837/does-this-uterus-make-my-stomach-look-fat/p1

** I really hate that there are special names for features about our bodies, seemingly just so we can name and dislike them. Ugh. A functioning (live, relatively pain-free) body is a wonderful thing, to be treasured. I don't know what I'd do without one.

Best wishes!

springlering62

AnnPT77 wrote: »

** I really hate that there are special names for features about our bodies, seemingly just so we can name and dislike them. Ugh. A functioning (live, relatively pain-free) body is a wonderful thing, to be treasured. I don't know what I'd do without one.

Amen, sister! Preach it!!!