Lost 32lbs...but waist measurement has not changed!? Is tha

Heatherbelle_87

Gosh and golly, I am always amazed that Americans wait to be on their death beds before they see a doctor! How much can seeing one cost that you have to wait a year before doing so?

Depends on what needs to be done. I was having abdominal pains and got sent for an ultrasound and MRI. I don't remember how much the U/S was but the MRI was almost $2000. That's not including the doctor visit.

Your profile does not post where you are from so I'll answer this under a couple of assumptions: You are either from canada or europe where there is socialized medicine and your expenses to see a physician are minimal, though in some countries a decent wait for a visit. OR you are one of the fewer and fewer americans who has never been without health insurance and you do not work the insurance department of a medical facility so you have only ever payed your itty bitty co-pay (which you probably complain about) and have no clue how much ROUTINE medical care costs.

Here is reality for the USA for an uninsured american: "Routine Well Visit" = $80-150 (by region, not income based clinics) "Normal Blood Work (CBC & Chem panel, maybe a glucose)" = $250-600 "More extensive testing (low energy levels, abdominal problems)" = $400-1000 Average MRI cost = $2000-4000 Average Ultrasound cost = $1500-2500 (for a diagnostic ultrasound not the cutesy 4d baby things you see advertised)

So just a "basic check up" can cost upwards of $750. If you cant afford health insurance you sure as heck cant afford that! How do I know this? I work in the medical field, dealing with costs and insurance daily, and oh wait, Im one of those uninsured americans!

pikapuffie

32 lbs is a huge weight loss, i don't think its normal that you have lost nothing in your waist. i'm also apple shaped so my stomach is slower to shrink than other places but having said that it still has shrunk with my weight loss and i've only lost 19 lbs compared to your 32. i think you should def. go have that checked out if you can. 42 inches sounds really big in proportion to your current weight.

inlander

I'd also see a physician. But just to put you at ease, I have an apple-shaped body and the first places I lose weight are my hips and chest. I've been attempting to remedy this by weight training/circuit training - do you lift weights or just do cardio? Weights are the best way to remove inches from your frame.

rachpiper720

I have a really big problem losing inches around my waist, too. I finally nailed it down to a cortisol issue. Cortisol is a hormone in the body is produced that is supposed to be high in the mornings to get ya moving and then it tapers off in the day and is lowest at night so you can sleep. When you put excess stress on the body, it produces too much cortisol, and it can make you retain fat, specifically in the belly. It also causes sleep problems, a lethargic feeling all day, and second wind around 10 pm. If this sounds like you, you can have a cortisol test done at the doctor's. If you don't want to do that, then I suggest getting adequate sleep, forgo heavy cardio (puts excess stress on the body), cut out caffeine, and just in general de-stress your life. Good luck!

privatetime

Just for anyone who may also be having this issue, I thought I'd add my two cents.

I have lost over 25lbs to date, and haven't lost an inch. My current BMI is 24. I'm 5'4" or thereabouts. (161cm)

For this reason, I'm seeing a doctor next week. Typically, the first symptom listed for ovarian cancer is bloated belly. I have a few of the other symptoms, as well. Yikes! (I'm sure it won't be cancer. But better safe than sorry.)

I'm different from the OP, in that I have always been thin, thin, thin, with a flat, flat, flat (and I mean 1980s FLAT) belly! I gained a lot of weight over just a few years, with no explanation. I eat a very healthy diet and exercise almost daily. Indeed, cutting calories and exercising harder made me gain weight. So, this jiggly belly is new, and foreign, to me.

I eventually found a combination of factors that allowed me to lose weight. But the giant, 35-36" belly is still there. (My waist was 18" when I was 20, and maybe 24" when I was in my 30s.)

It's kind of comforting to read that other women have lost a substantial amount of weight, and not lost anything off their waists. Despite having lost over 25lbs, I'm still wearing the same size clothing.

In my case, it is not diet-related, as the foods that make up my diet have not changed significantly since my flat belly days. I think it may also be hormonal, as I approach the age of menopause, even though I have no signs of perimenopause, at this time.

I sure wish I LOOKED like I lost 25lbs. So far, only the scale is noticing.

blues4miles

A couple things...

If you are running, and you are apple shaped, your stomach will be one of the last places it goes from.
If you measure at different times of day / times of month / how much salt you had that week measurements can vary a LOT.

I measured at the start, then one month in, and then two months in. Despite the fact I can tell my pants are looser on me, two months in my measurements somehow bounced back up to the same as when I started. I'm not worried. I place that down to my error or just variation in time of day, sodium intake, etc.

Personally (as an apple) I don't find jogging to do much for my midsection. I was running for a while before starting MFP (and so therefore didn't lose any weight). I could tell physical differences in my legs and back, but my waist stayed the same. Might be more useful for you to get measured by a professional for your bodyfat, and pay attention to that.

When you say you use free weights, how heavy are you lifting? I'd try to lift heavier. There's lots of good guides all over the 'net (and on here) for good, heavy weight lifting and compound movements. Also probably wouldn't hurt to try something that WILL target your midsection (zumba, 30 day shred, etc) a lot of aerobics type activities that involve stability/moving around.

And lastly, given your medical history, PLEASE SEE A DOCTOR. Maybe give it two more weeks and measure again, and if no change, see a doctor. Could be a symptom of something else. Could be completely benign, but wouldn't you rather know?

David0081

A lot of people say we put on fat at the waist first and lose it last. I hope that's true, because I dropped from 198 to 171 lbs over a year and have so far lost nothing from my waist either. It is a bit frustrating!

maria0104

I wonder if this problem is indeed related to your hormones. Have you been tested for PCOS? You mention a previous ovarian cyst and women with PCOS are warned about difficulty with losing visceral fat.


Other than that to the poster replying about health insurance, there was no need to sound so rude. A lot of countries, the UK included do provide health care and even though we can pay for health insurance as an option here, which I do, it is of interest how much Americans pay for this.