Squidgy body fat

mormas
mormas Posts: 188 Member
edited November 2024 in Social Groups
Is it true that the fat you lose first is the deep/eptopic/visceral fat?

Could that be why my body (especially my middle / core) has gone all soft and squishy?

I understand I can't build muscle while eating at a deficit, but need to eat a deficit to lose the fat. Does this way of eating (higher protein than carb) help preserve the muscles already there so when the fat goes, I will look good, or do I have to lose the fat, then work on building muscle?

Hope that makes sense to someone

Replies

  • wabmester
    wabmester Posts: 2,748 Member
    mormas wrote: »
    Is it true that the fat you lose first is the deep/eptopic/visceral fat?

    Yes.
    Could that be why my body (especially my middle / core) has gone all soft and squishy?

    No. That's due to reduced subcutaneous fat cell size. It's a Good Thing. :)
    I understand I can't build muscle while eating at a deficit, but need to eat a deficit to lose the fat. Does this way of eating (higher protein than carb) help preserve the muscles already there so when the fat goes, I will look good, or do I have to lose the fat, then work on building muscle?

    The high protein will help preserve muscle mass.

    You may lose a bit of muscle overall. That's partly because you don't need as much to support your body at a lower weight. But you can still add muscle in specific areas with exercise.
  • kirkor
    kirkor Posts: 2,530 Member
    mormas wrote: »
    I understand I can't build muscle while eating at a deficit

    depends on how un-trained you are, and how much fat to have to lose + how steep your deficit is

    you should still be weight-training, regardless

  • auntstephie321
    auntstephie321 Posts: 3,586 Member
    Yes you want that fat to go soft and squishy. I don't know anything about the technical side of this stuff but my belly is the last to go and when it got all squishy I was like oh great now I look worse. But now it's gradually melting away.

    I've found no scientific studies to support this but I believe the three stages fat on your body are:

    Big hard ugly fat
    Soft squishy smooshy fat
    and
    Gone fit and firm no fat
    ;)

    I also read somewhere that untrained muscle responds faster than trained muscle so if your new to this you can see gains at a deficit. Also being at a slight deficit can help you slowly build muscle as your burn fat. It's a slow process though.
  • SamandaIndia
    SamandaIndia Posts: 1,577 Member
    There is also the squishiness of skin, is that part of it?

    There is 20% less me writing this than would have 5 months ago. My tummy skin is struggling to catch up. When I curl up it looks very squiggy. I have no clue how to fix that stretched skin, beyond waiting.
  • wabmester
    wabmester Posts: 2,748 Member
    Subcutaneous fat = fat below the skin. Fat cells shrink. Skin cells, not so much. That's why we squish.
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    Doctor Nally talked about the skin shrinking over time. He even says after losing a fair amount of fat, the body will kind of work on the skin and connective tissues a bit and this explains a lot of the "stalls" that happen when there isn't an obvious answer like cheating or starting new activity or changing diet.
    He says the body is always doing "remodeling" and referenced someone that has lost a lot of weight, who's skin eventually caught up. He says you don't need plastic surgery. You just have to be patient. I hope that's correct!
  • auntstephie321
    auntstephie321 Posts: 3,586 Member
    @Sunny_Bunny_ I read an article about that same thing years ago. I wish I had saved it. But it talked about how there is still a lot of fat under the skin after you lose and it takes time for that fat to shrink to the point your skin isn't sagging anymore.
  • wabmester
    wabmester Posts: 2,748 Member
    edited February 2016
    For "remodeling," cells would have to die. Skin cells die all the time. Fat cells, almost never.

    I guess all of us will know in time. For now, I try to fill the empty spaces with muscle. :)
  • RobinK228
    RobinK228 Posts: 63 Member
    edited February 2016
    @Sunny_Bunny_ I read an article about that same thing years ago. I wish I had saved it. But it talked about how there is still a lot of fat under the skin after you lose and it takes time for that fat to shrink to the point your skin isn't sagging anymore.

    I recently read this bodyfatguide.com/LooseSkin.htm, which talks about excess skin after weight loss. Is this similar to what you read? I'm always leery about the stuff I read online because I'm so gullible. :smile:

    Edited to add: The guy has a really creepy pic of himself on his site, so that made me even more leery, lol.
  • Sunny_Bunny_
    Sunny_Bunny_ Posts: 7,140 Member
    RobinK228 wrote: »
    @Sunny_Bunny_ I read an article about that same thing years ago. I wish I had saved it. But it talked about how there is still a lot of fat under the skin after you lose and it takes time for that fat to shrink to the point your skin isn't sagging anymore.

    I recently read this bodyfatguide.com/LooseSkin.htm, which talks about excess skin after weight loss. Is this similar to what you read? I'm always leery about the stuff I read online because I'm so gullible. :smile:

    Edited to add: The guy has a really creepy pic of himself on his site, so that made me even more leery, lol.

    Not exactly, but a lot of that makes sense too.
    Doc Nally was saying it like this: (not exact quote. Just my take on it)
    Your body got to work on burning excess fat away and after a certain point, the amount of connective tissue and skin becomes too much for the current amount of underlying fat. So the body goes to work adjusting and reducing the connective and supportive tissues for a while (to level the balance a bit was how I was understanding it). During this time, you might think you are "stalled" but your body just has other things it's working on and losing fat isn't it's priority.
    So, he was suggesting that part of the fat loss process eventually includes the body naturally reducing the connective tissue and skin. Causing it to fit a little better.
    He did literally say "you don't need plastic surgery.
    It was on one of the earlier Keto talk podcasts. I have listened to all of them in the last 2-3 days and I have no idea which it was. They cover a few topics on each one. They are answering listener questions.
  • SamandaIndia
    SamandaIndia Posts: 1,577 Member
    That guy.. yuck.. red budgie smugglers.... not good.

    His message appears to be: you lost weight too fast including muscle -you bad girl... once you build up muscles in that area the skin will magically fix itself. He may have a point on some muscle wastage but I do not like the tone nor agree with him. Thxs for sharing @RobinK228 (although it will take time to remove that creepy photo from my retinas!)
  • LowCarbInScotland
    LowCarbInScotland Posts: 1,027 Member
    That guy.. yuck.. red budgie smugglers.... not good.

    His message appears to be: you lost weight too fast including muscle -you bad girl... once you build up muscles in that area the skin will magically fix itself. He may have a point on some muscle wastage but I do not like the tone nor agree with him. Thxs for sharing @RobinK228 (although it will take time to remove that creepy photo from my retinas!)

    Yikes! Definitely a creepy pic. Hard to take someone seriously when they're in speedos in their bio pic.
  • auntstephie321
    auntstephie321 Posts: 3,586 Member
    RobinK228 wrote: »
    @Sunny_Bunny_ I read an article about that same thing years ago. I wish I had saved it. But it talked about how there is still a lot of fat under the skin after you lose and it takes time for that fat to shrink to the point your skin isn't sagging anymore.

    I recently read this bodyfatguide.com/LooseSkin.htm, which talks about excess skin after weight loss. Is this similar to what you read? I'm always leery about the stuff I read online because I'm so gullible. :smile:

    Edited to add: The guy has a really creepy pic of himself on his site, so that made me even more leery, lol.

    Lol I read that to, it's the same or similar info but I don't think it was the same guy, maybe, but I'd remember that pic lol
  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
    Just popped in because I like the word 'squidgy' - it's such a great phonosemantic!
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