IN TEARS ALL MORNING... I FEEL FAT!!

I have always been a slender person. 5'9 - 140 pounds. I have always been a fit female playing sports throughout high school and college.

Three months ago I started T25... followed the diet and workout plan and lost 11 pounds!! I did that for about 5 weeks. After those 5 weeks I fell off the bandwagon with a bad seperation and started drinking 6-10 beers a night and only eating fast food. I didn't notice much of a difference at first, as I would mainly eat two meals a day, but still drank A LOT! That was about 5 weeks ago. I continued that path for 3-4 weeks.

NOW... we have decided to get back together and work it out, which has gotten me back to my normal healthy eating and exercise. One week ago I started P90X and am following phase 1 of the diet.

MY PROBLEM... My stomach looks pregnant! I look 5 months pregnant ALL THE TIME. I have never had this issue ever in my life. Of course after I eat it would always stick out a little, but I would wake up in the morning and it was flat as a board. NOT ANY LONGER. I don't know what to do anymore. It's been like this for about two weeks now. i'm trying to figure out if it's because I have changed my diet so many times? Or the fast food and alcohol is finally catching up to me? Eating that crappy food at 2am? Still... I have never experienced anyhting like this in my life. It's making me very depressed and I haven't stopped crying for just about two days now!

Dpes anyone have any suggestions or have gone through this?? I don't know if it's fat, bloat, constipation, etc. HELP! Please!! Anything at this point would be fantastic. Something to get me to stop being so damn emotional!

THANKS:):):):)
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Replies

  • rhenry086
    rhenry086 Posts: 17 Member
    Alcohol does terrible things to your body and waistline. Just give it some time, keep on trucking along, you WILL see a difference! :happy:
  • 2013sk
    2013sk Posts: 1,318 Member
    Beer is very gassy and bloating!

    I would say knock the beer on the head, Drink lots of water, get back to your fitness program & eat healthy!!!!!

    Your be back to 140 in no time - I wouldn't weigh for a weigh, until your belly feels flatter or looks flatter.

    Try and eat some good protein & fibre
  • rparkman
    rparkman Posts: 15
    Sure you're not 5 months pregnant?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    surely you would know if it was constipation!?
  • Stress will also make you gain weight in the tummy area. I don't think you mentioned your age, but I am 48 and have noticed over the last year or so, a little more fat accumulating around my middle. I think some of that has to do with hormones. At any rate, once the stress is over and you're more relaxed and definitely cut out all those beers, your body should start settling down and back to normal. Hang in there!
  • maz504
    maz504 Posts: 450
    Stress will also make you gain weight in the tummy area. I don't think you mentioned your age, but I am 48 and have noticed over the last year or so, a little more fat accumulating around my middle. I think some of that has to do with hormones. At any rate, once the stress is over and you're more relaxed and definitely cut out all those beers, your body should start settling down and back to normal. Hang in there!

    You do NOT look 48!!!! Go girl! :flowerforyou:
  • drew06
    drew06 Posts: 28
    Maybe you are pregnant? Lol just kidding. That is probably all the bloating from all the high calorie and high sugar intake. Also, I hate to break it to you, but it could also be fat.

    It is much easier to gain this weight than lose it, but if you go back to your normal healthy style of living, it should slowly go away. Just remember what you looked like before and use that as extra motivation, focus on the what you will look like, not what you look like now.
  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
    Sounds like a combination of things.

    Cut the beer for a while ... I will never tell you to give it up as I love beer! But cut it down, drink lots of water, and watch what you eat, you should deflate!

    Edited: Inflate and Deflate are different :) haha
  • Murphy0126
    Murphy0126 Posts: 84 Member
    started drinking 6-10 beers a night

    I continued that path for 3-4 weeks.

    I believe your apparent alcoholism should be addressed before anything else.

    Take it from me, I'm a recovering alcoholic with 4 years sober.

    You'll deny, get angry, say it's normal.....

    Get healthy inside, then focus on the outside.

    Rob
  • itsthehumidity
    itsthehumidity Posts: 351 Member
    It's not about switching up your diet. It's the fact that you're drinking so much beer. Alcohol has the same calories per gram as fat, and the non alcoholic part of beer is mostly carbohydrates. In moderation, there's nothing wrong with that, but I wouldn't consider 6-10 beers moderation. You're seeing changes in your body because you're drinking a lot of calories, and your daily calorie intake exceeds your expenditure. You also might be experiencing bloating not related to adipose tissue storage.

    What you're saying amounts to: "I drastically changed part of my diet and my body is now different. What do I do?" I think you already know the answer, but just remove the beer from your diet.
  • girlfriend i am on the same page as you!!! i use to be 230 then became anorexic and dropped to 107. now i am eating healtjy and back up to about 127 (refuse to weigh myself) but trying to be at 110. i am a restaurant manager and once i am able to eat it is about 130am. i find myself beyond stressed and eating late night...mind you it is cheerios and grapes but still. I work out 2 hours everyday. i am a certified trainer and i am getting back on track. i am sp scared of meals so i graze alllllllll damn day! its annoying, but i started today and bought some fiber cereal and some protein bars so i can eat them at work!!! it all in the mind set!

    i recommend this boo called fine to fab and i think every girl should read it and also listen to the song "just the way you are" you are beautiful inside and out. dont let your "belly" get in the way f what you are capable of!!! put your mind to it...stay off the scale because it is just a number. no number represents you. go off your jeans or dress.

    reach out for anything!!!
  • dwalt15110
    dwalt15110 Posts: 246 Member
    It depends upon which beers you were drinking as to the content of the yeast in the beer. All beer starts with yeast and while some brewers filter their beer, traces of yeast can exist. Most likely you are experiencing that bloating that comes with drinking an excessive amount of beer, which you have said you did. Remember that sugar "feeds" yeast and causes it to be active. Keep drinking lots of water and eating lean protein and you should notice a difference.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Deal with your alcoholism before crying about feeling fat.
  • tbgree00
    tbgree00 Posts: 25 Member
    6 beers = 840 calories (assuming 140 per beer), 10 = 1400 calories. That's 3-4 weeks of consuming 5,880 to 9,800 extra liquid calories on top of your meals. Finishing out the math 10 beers a day for 4 weeks is 39,200 calories. If your meals were bar food, pizza, take out, etc it's easy to put on tons of bloat in 3-4 weeks. The calorie count came from searching "beer" on here so I'm sure that varies depending on brand.

    That won't all drop off overnight or even easily over 3-4 weeks. I'm sure it won't all go to fat etc but you'll be able to lose it with some work. Good luck! Lean on the support here and think about finding help because pounding lots of beer to cope with a major life event isn't a good way to go.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    You were on a self destructive path for almost a month, it will take at least that to recover. You can't spend a month tearing down a building and expect to repair all that damage in a week.

    Stop the destructive behavior, get help with that if you need to, and start taking care of yourself.

    And from now on.. instead of easing your pain in beer... ease it with the endorphins that come from busting your *kitten* at the gym, or on the road running. Instead of drowning your sorrows with alcohol, take the victory way that comes with being in better shape than ever.

    One bender here or there is one thing... I do it on occasion. But daily, is crazy.

    Good luck with the relationship too.
  • Josalinn
    Josalinn Posts: 1,066 Member
    started drinking 6-10 beers a night

    I continued that path for 3-4 weeks.

    I believe your apparent alcoholism should be addressed before anything else.

    Take it from me, I'm a recovering alcoholic with 4 years sober.

    You'll deny, get angry, say it's normal.....

    Get healthy inside, then focus on the outside.

    Rob

    you put this so much better than I could have. Please talk to someone!
  • paddgirl21
    paddgirl21 Posts: 154 Member
    Sure you're not 5 months pregnant?

    i was going to suggest the same
  • CharlotteAnneUK
    CharlotteAnneUK Posts: 186 Member
    ok -

    1) pregnancy test to stop people asking
    2) stop drinking in excess
    3) remember who you were before you started the relationship, you were good then, your good now
    4) realise that no-one is worth destroying your own health over
    5) get back into a regime that suits you before worring about weight & waist size, getting the regime right and something you can stick with is usually the hardest part.
    6) Give yourself a huge hug from all of us for getting your life back into touch and THEN...
    7) think about loosing weight / inches as your head should be in a better place to cope properly.

    Good luck.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    started drinking 6-10 beers a night

    I continued that path for 3-4 weeks.

    I believe your apparent alcoholism should be addressed before anything else.

    Take it from me, I'm a recovering alcoholic with 4 years sober.

    You'll deny, get angry, say it's normal.....

    Get healthy inside, then focus on the outside.

    Rob

    Exactly what I was thinking.

    OP, with 6-10 beers a night, no wonder you feel icky and your body is rebelling. If you can't moderate the beer, you need to get help. If you can moderate the beer, then just do it and get back on track.
  • WOW! Thanks for some of the great responses. Maybe I should have worded this differently... I drank that much for 3-4 weeks! NOT now! I don't drink a drop of alcohol while I'm dieting and doing a workout regimen! I was going through a tough time and everyone deals with stress differently. But to say that I'm an alcoholic is a little ridiculous. I was just wondering if anyone else had gone through being BLOATED!!?? From changing a diet!!! I wasn't looking for psychological advice about me personal life. This is a fitness forum. I was giving background on how the last two months of my life have gone and if that could be soemthing to do with it. And no... I'm not preggo. Thanks.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    I don't think a month of excessive drinking necessarily means someone is an alcoholic. Under these circumstances, I would say she has extraordinarily poor coping skills and certainly could use some help (preferably professional) on dealing with stressful/traumatic/devastating events in her life. But to jump right to alcoholism isn't necessarily the right call in this particular situation.

    However, OP, if this kind of drinking is how you often respond to difficult situations, then yes, you need to deal with your alcoholism before you worry about your weight. It's not something you can blow off. Even if you don't drink all the time, if you binge like this and can't control yourself and this is not an isolated incident, you are not okay and you need help.

    ETA: sorry, OP, you posted while I was typing. But I'm not going to alter what I said as I think the drinking is a much bigger concern than the bloat.
  • OK PEOPLE! I don't drink 6-10 beers a night. I said I did that for 3 weeks! NOT NOW! I was going through a stressful time! Some people binge eat, some people don't eat at all, some people drink, some do drugs. I get that it's not the healthiest thing on the planet.... but it's what i did for three weeks. I usually have 3-4 drinks per MONTH!
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    Did you read what I said at all? About how even if you only do this in tough situations, it can still be a problem? The bit about coping skills too.

    Anyway. It took you a month to do the damage and it's not going to disappear quickly, either. You'll need to take good care of yourself for a few weeks at least to see things improve.
  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
    OK PEOPLE! I don't drink 6-10 beers a night. I said I did that for 3 weeks! NOT NOW! I was going through a stressful time! Some people binge eat, some people don't eat at all, some people drink, some do drugs. I get that it's not the healthiest thing on the planet.... but it's what i did for three weeks. I usually have 3-4 drinks per MONTH!

    It's not really about whether or not you're doing it now.
    That is a very destructive behavior, and if you haven't already talked to someone about what happened you need to do it now before it happens again. 3 weeks is a very long time to continue with such an extreme behavior, and if that is how you deal with stress you need to learn a different coping strategy.
    I wouldn't be surprised if you gained some weight during those 3 weeks and got a little bloated. 6-10 beers is roughly 500-1200 calories, depending on the size and type of beer.
    As everyone else said, take a pregnancy test if you really don't think anything else could be responsible for it.
    I know you said you aren't pregnant, but unless you're a virgin you can never really be sure. You can still have spotting during your periods when you are with child.
  • estaticaa
    estaticaa Posts: 67 Member
    I wasn't looking for psychological advice about me personal life. This is a fitness forum. I was giving background on how the last two months of my life have gone and if that could be soemthing to do with it. And no... I'm not preggo. Thanks.
    We understand that. But you did give a lot of personal info on why you changed your habits and why you decided to get back in shape. For an outsider, it all seems to revolve around the relationship you have with your partner and how badly you cope with changes. The self destructive pattern you adopted during the break up and the fact that you've been in tears all morning because of your belly is bound to attract the kind of advice you got.

    Please don't take this the wrong way. But if you send out signals indicating you need help (and I don't mean just getting in shape), then expect people to point it out that there may be more serious stuff going on with you than belly fat. They're only doing you a favor.
  • Nice2BFitAgain
    Nice2BFitAgain Posts: 319 Member
    And from now on.. instead of easing your pain in beer... ease it with the endorphins that come from busting your *kitten* at the gym, or on the road running. Instead of drowning your sorrows with alcohol, take the victory way that comes with being in better shape than ever.

    This - pounding the pavement saying F-him, F-him, F-him with every step. Much better than binging on alcohol

    You are on the right track again - stick with it!
  • ahronich
    ahronich Posts: 3
    Whenever I eat white carbs or just a lot of bread or greasy foods in general, I bloat up like crazy. Same with drinking alcohol. One night of drinking can cause me to gain 5 pounds of bloat by the next day and everything looks puffy, especially my stomach. Just hang in there, keep exercising and eating right.

    I once drank nearly every night for a week straight and gained about 10 pounds and totally freaked out. Then I started back on track and those 10 pounds were gone in a week or so. Your body may just need some time to regularize itself. Don't give up :)
  • drew06
    drew06 Posts: 28
    Whenever I eat white carbs or just a lot of bread or greasy foods in general, I bloat up like crazy. Same with drinking alcohol. One night of drinking can cause me to gain 5 pounds of bloat by the next day and everything looks puffy, especially my stomach. Just hang in there, keep exercising and eating right.

    I once drank nearly every night for a week straight and gained about 10 pounds and totally freaked out. Then I started back on track and those 10 pounds were gone in a week or so. Your body may just need some time to regularize itself. Don't give up :)

    Now that I think of it, this happened to me too. For a couple of weeks I ate out at restaurants like 3-4 times a week, and I am talking about appetizer, entree, dessert. I was hurting after every meal. I stepped on the scale and I was up 8 pounds in less than two weeks. After I cut out the habits, I returned to normal within a week or two.

    Did I gain a bit of fat? Perhaps, but most of it I think was just bloating, water weight, etc.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    started drinking 6-10 beers a night

    I continued that path for 3-4 weeks.

    I believe your apparent alcoholism should be addressed before anything else.

    Take it from me, I'm a recovering alcoholic with 4 years sober.

    You'll deny, get angry, say it's normal.....

    Get healthy inside, then focus on the outside.

    Rob

    ^This. Not normal to go on 3-4 week benders. (and anything over 3 drinks for a female, is considered a binge)
  • LianaG1115
    LianaG1115 Posts: 453 Member
    There's no mention of whether you quit the beer or not?? Actually the real problem would be to address yourself, why you chose after a separation to resort to an unhealthy lifestyle to begin with? I get that we all have woes and have ups and downs however, to immediately respond with 6-10 beers a night at a whole 140lbs is a serious concern and should be dealt with, otherwise you may have more of the recurring incidents if something devastating happens in your life....just sayin.

    PS- The occasional social beer won't do much to you but the 6-10 a night for weeks well that's where the phrase beer gut comes from.