Does your remaining fat "redistribute" after losing weight, or is that a myth?

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Orphia
Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Does your remaining fat "redistribute" after losing weight, or is that a myth?

I know fat doesn't move around, but if you're at a low but healthy BMI, after hitting maintenance and continuing to exercise, does body recomposition mean you gradually have less problem areas?

What's the relationship between recomp and genetics, with respect to layers of fat and/or accumulations in a certain area?
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  • Fursian
    Fursian Posts: 524 Member
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    I have heard and wondered about this also. Can't provide any experience yet, but the idea of this 'fat redistribution after weight loss' does sound appealing, lol.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    Thanks for the helpful replies!
  • ChihuahuaMeme
    ChihuahuaMeme Posts: 19 Member
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    You don’t actually “lose” fat cells, you “shrink” or “empty out” fat cells because the fat inside is used for energy. Any fat that is used makes the cell shrink but the fat cell is always there waiting to fill up and increase in size if you overeat your calorie input. They don't move but you can add more elsewhere.
  • flrancho
    flrancho Posts: 271 Member
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    In my experience fat doesn't redistribute. I'm at my goal weight now and a little "skinny fat". I still carry the vast majority of my weight at my belly. I've been doing weight training to do recomposition, but so far after doing it for months on end that seems to be shrinking are my underarms and my breasts. Belly has stayed the same.

    I lost about 130 pounds overall (most of it with MFP), over the course of just short of a year and a half. I'm 29 and have loose skin. I'm hoping it gets better, but if it doesn't I'm going to look into getting surgery even though I can't afford it. If I was older or already married I probably wouldn't care that much, but since I'm single and have never had a boyfriend, the loose skin really bothers me. My breasts are the worst.
  • Tweaking_Time
    Tweaking_Time Posts: 733 Member
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    When I lost my original 75 pounds - and then went to maintenance for several years and maintained my weight within a pound or two of goal - my body shape continued to change. If I did not keep active, my belly would grow (first) even though my weight did not change.
  • TheRiceLord
    TheRiceLord Posts: 24 Member
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    ChihuahuaMeme wrote: »
    You don’t actually “lose” fat cells, you “shrink” or “empty out” fat cells because the fat inside is used for energy. Any fat that is used makes the cell shrink but the fat cell is always there waiting to fill up and increase in size if you overeat your calorie input. They don't move but you can add more elsewhere.

    So true. Think of fat cell receptors as balloons. They deflate, but as soon as you start overeating again, they blow up and expand.
  • TheRiceLord
    TheRiceLord Posts: 24 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Also when you gain more muscle, it'll tighten your skin up. Very useful to gain some muscle everywhere. Your skin is like a huge organism or whatever. Anyways, if you lose a good amount of weight it can take 6 to 8 months for your loose skin to tighten up and get used to your new physique. But it will stay loose if you keep on losing weight. It will start to tighten when you maintain or slowly gain pure muscle. I would recommend a caloric surplus of 200-250 calories max.
  • kimdawnhayden
    kimdawnhayden Posts: 298 Member
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    I've never heard of fat redistribution. I know some ladies that would totally take advantage of that. :blush:
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Orphia wrote: »
    Does your remaining fat "redistribute" after losing weight, or is that a myth?

    I know fat doesn't move around, but if you're at a low but healthy BMI, after hitting maintenance and continuing to exercise, does body recomposition mean you gradually have less problem areas?

    What's the relationship between recomp and genetics, with respect to layers of fat and/or accumulations in a certain area?

    I've never heard of this...

    Re-comp is basically a bi-product of good livin'...eating well and getting your fitness on...doing the things the lean and fit people do. Re-composition is basically slowly adding some muscle mass while burning fat. It's a slow process. I've been in maintenance for three years and in that time I've lost about 2-3% BF and put on about 5 Lbs of muscle...I weigh basically the same, but I'm leaner at that same weight.
  • ARGriffy
    ARGriffy Posts: 1,002 Member
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    Orphia wrote: »
    Does your remaining fat "redistribute" after losing weight, or is that a myth?

    I know fat doesn't move around, but if you're at a low but healthy BMI, after hitting maintenance and continuing to exercise, does body recomposition mean you gradually have less problem areas?

    What's the relationship between recomp and genetics, with respect to layers of fat and/or accumulations in a certain area?

    My body has changed shape an awful lot whilst maintaining, and some of that was with no exercise at all. My hips have come out, my arms are more shapely too and I'm the exact same weight! I don't know if it's fat moving around but something definately happened!
  • hekla90
    hekla90 Posts: 595 Member
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    If you are doing weight lifting and staying active your body fat percentage and size of muscles can change (aka recomping). Fat won't move around though unless you get lipo or injections. I have a pretty low body fat and I still have my genetic predispositioned fatty areas despite resistance training and doing cardio (especially my upper arms and saddle bags lol they're small but all fat!) though fortunately none of them are disproportionate or noticeable to anyone but me. I'm happy with how I look and not dedicated enough with my current job to put in more effort to get down to competition level of fitness/body fat/muscle building.
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,141 Member
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    ChihuahuaMeme wrote: »
    When you reach a certain age your skin will not shrink back and become smooth and firm as your youth. I have lose over 100 lbs and I am 69 and have loose skin all over. I look really good in clothes so I don't care. The only one that is going to see my loose skin is my doctor and the undertaker. :)

    I agree with you. I only had 12 lbs to lose and even if things look better, they will never be like when I was younger (I am older than you). :'( Fat stays put where ever it wants to be, even at a low weight.

    Even with a lot of strength training skin doesn't bounce right back, elasticity and collagen diminished a lot, and it is not that easy anymore to develop muscles once we became super senior citizens. Oh well, at least I am healthy and I also look decent with clothes on.
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
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    Hey @Orphia ! I've been at the same weight +/-3 pounds for the last 3+ years. Its a bit frustrating not losing scale weight. I have changed shape. I have a butt, my clothes fit better and I have some definition in my legs, and clavicles.

    I bought a BF scale hoping I'll see some of the numbers change. :smiley:

    Good luck girl! I know you'll succeed!

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