Week 6 of EMTWL--Belly Fat?

sugarplumj

So, it's week six! I feel great, I am getting the hang of this, etc. etc. But today in Core class I noticed belly fat--like, my stomach kind of giving me an egg like appearance. Even when I was 10 lbs heavier I never had a fat stomach. I don't feel that crazy full bloated feeling anymore--Does anyone know what I am talking about here?

stfriend

Maybe sodium? Sodium gives me a whole 'nother type of bloat.

jj3120

Replacing skimmed milk with whole milk and full fat yogurt, cottage cheese etc made a big difference for me. Dropped 2" from my navel measurement within 4 wks : ) Took a while to get used to the taste after so long on skimmed but fine with it now.

sugarplumj

Replacing skimmed milk with whole milk and full fat yogurt, cottage cheese etc made a big difference for me. Dropped 2" from my navel measurement within 4 wks : ) Took a while to get used to the taste after so long on skimmed but fine with it now.

so full fat helped? wow. that I can get behind!

i just realized it's also really hot here today, and even though i am in an air conditioned office, I spent the first 4 hours in the elements. The hot and steamy elements.

curiousheathy

Glad someone posted this. I am feeling like I am getting some belly fat too on week five of my reset. To the above posters, thanks for the suggestions.

sugarplumj

Glad someone posted this. I am feeling like I am getting some belly fat too on week five of my reset. To the above posters, thanks for the suggestions.

anyone else have any input? i have read the stickies a bajillion times. Is it possible to see a couple of stages of bloat? It's very interesting timing as just last night I was still 500 cals to daily goal and for the first time EVER i didn't know how i was going to do it. yeah, could be heat, but it could also be that I am sort of leveling off with this eating at tdee-15% thing? maybe?

HeidiHoMom

I keep going through stages where my belly looks fatter.

Are you lifting weights? I'm starting to think it is the weight redistributing itself as my body changes.

sugarplumj

I keep going through stages where my belly looks fatter.

Are you lifting weights? I'm starting to think it is the weight redistributing itself as my body changes.

so interesting! i think it started a bit since last week, which is when I started going to Core Fusion Barre classes--Small weight lifting section in the beginning, but the leg work in the class is really hardcore! After three classes I see a difference in my legs--something I thought was impossible.

the body is a mystery...

evansrabbitranch

Are you doing exercises that involve the abs? If not, then your body may be shifting the fat to the area least used. Try doing more ab involved work outs. Pilates and Tae Bo are good examples.

sugarplumj

Core Barre and my Tracy Anderson workouts do have a lot of ab exercises. Not to sound kooky or simplistic, but is it possible that with more workouts the fat is being pushed out, even just temporarily? Sometimes when doing a lot of legcentric workouts, I do feel that my legs feel stockier, or that the squishy part is more on the surface. Maybe maybe...

Sharonks

I wonder if the heat is making you sweat more and causing your body to try to retain water. Maybe up your water intake to account for the heat and exercise?

My body does strange stuff too. I still haven't lost any weight nor inches where I'm measuring but I'm getting skinnier. I wore these shorts 2 weeks ago and they fit. Now they are falling off and I had to put a belt on them.

sugarplumj

wait, what? you haven't lost weight or inches yet things fit differently? mysterious! but that's still great. maybe it's the places you are measuring. two strange side effects of losing a bit of weight for me are-a) my skirts and pants are longer b) some of my shoes are loose.

good call on the water. i have been trying to drink more in this heat, but it's tough sometimes, esp. as i work i an a/c'd office.

nannabannana

HMMMMMMM....That is very interesting. Will check bk for more answers.

sugarplumj

HMMMMMMM....That is very interesting. Will check bk for more answers.

Are you experiencing something similar?

terrigrace

I'm having a "fat" week myself, but not just in my belly. I've come across two possible answers. Kiki mentioned once (and now I can't find it) something about muscle building up under the fat layer. When you start your cut, you shed the fat and the muscle shows. So it would stand to reason that you feel/look larger while that is happening. I also read a bit about "whooshes" and "squishy fat" Here's the link:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

Hope that's what's happening to me! Although I'm relaxing, enjoying the reset process, I'll be glad when I cut and start to reveal that muscle under there. (I hope!!!)

sugarplumj

I'm having a "fat" week myself, but not just in my belly. I've come across two possible answers. Kiki mentioned once (and now I can't find it) something about muscle building up under the fat layer. When you start your cut, you shed the fat and the muscle shows. So it would stand to reason that you feel/look larger while that is happening. I also read a bit about "whooshes" and "squishy fat" Here's the link:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

Hope that's what's happening to me! Although I'm relaxing, enjoying the reset process, I'll be glad when I cut and start to reveal that muscle under there. (I hope!!!)

I love this in theory, and would definitely be thrilled if this happened to me, HOWEVER, I am already eating at my proposed cut. Current TDEE-15% is 2145. So should I cut to -20% in a few weeks? This is the issue. I never did a full reset because I was fairly stable for the first few weeks of EMTWL.

It does feel like this though--squishy, which is more frustrating cuz I have been working out so hard.

terrigrace

I think the working model is to go back UP in calories for a couple of weeks (back to TDEE) every 6 to 8 weeks, then drop back to your cut. Otherwise, your body gets too used to the low calorie level and resets as though the reduced calories was TDEE. The moderators would probably know better than i do though. LOL

sugarplumj

I think the working model is to go back UP in calories for a couple of weeks (back to TDEE) every 6 to 8 weeks, then drop back to your cut. Otherwise, your body gets too used to the low calorie level and resets as though the reduced calories was TDEE. The moderators would probably know better than i do though. LOL

that's very good to know! i never saw that exact info, really, because i have read so much about people who are just starting the process.

thank you!

KarenJanine

My tummy has been feeling a bit podgier this past week too. I've been doing quite a bit of ab-work so am wondering if it's the muscles retaining water/glycogen whilst they get used to the extra use. I'll be keeping an eye on it and see what happens over the next couple of weeks. I've lost an inch or so off my waist in the past couple of weeks so something's going right which is why I think it must just be bloat.

sugarplumj

My tummy has been feeling a bit podgier this past week too. I've been doing quite a bit of ab-work so am wondering if it's the muscles retaining water/glycogen whilst they get used to the extra use. I'll be keeping an eye on it and see what happens over the next couple of weeks. I've lost an inch or so off my waist in the past couple of weeks so something's going right which is why I think it must just be bloat.

I never thought of it this way, and certainly never factored in glycogen and water retention. I was taught the old skool "if you work the muscles they get harder" without any of the science of what can happen in the interim. Thanks for the insights!