Large Belly

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Most of my weight is around my mid section. I am thinking that this is because of bad digestive health. Any ideas???

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  • Dee_D33
    Dee_D33 Posts: 106 Member
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    Your body will store fat wherever it pleases. It's based largely on genetics, which also determines the order from where you lose it. If it's bloat, that's another story, but I'm assuming you're talking about fat.
  • isaforsberg7
    isaforsberg7 Posts: 5 Member
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    Too much stress tends to make people to keep their fat in their belly/abdominal area
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
    edited January 2017
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    Too much stress tends to make people to keep their fat in their belly/abdominal area

    I used to hear this. More recently I saw a study where there was a correlation in belly fat and anxiety. Not exactly sure what that means. Apples have a genetic predisposition to stress, no matter what their current weight? Or, more likely, there is something about the belly fat or visceral fat itself that causes an overproduction of stress hormones.

    Interesting stuff but regardless of what the answer is, we apples want to get to our optimal waist to hip ratios (to prevent heart disease), and probably work to keep our stress levels down.

    With regard to "bad digestive health", my intestinal system gets irritated easily and the subsequent inflammation is visible. I just try to avoid known irritants.

  • tarothelp
    tarothelp Posts: 167 Member
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    Me too ...sigh. But when you drop body weight does your belly go down too? Mine does.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Most of my weight is around my mid section. I am thinking that this is because of bad digestive health. Any ideas???

    Have you seen a doctor for your bad digestive health? Do you have a treatment plan? If not, it might be the first place to start.
  • Lolalikeslolagets
    Lolalikeslolagets Posts: 142 Member
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    I'm the same. I've read it can be connected to cortisol, and sleep helps but I have young children and a high stress job so, so much for that.. deficit or no, it's the last place to go
  • Care76
    Care76 Posts: 556 Member
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    It can to a small degree. I was diagnosed with celiac disease and since I've learned about cross contamination in the summer I've lost about 2 inches all over each area. I do think my belly went down a bit because of inflammation, but there's still a lot of fat.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Too much stress tends to make people to keep their fat in their belly/abdominal area

    I used to hear this. More recently I saw a study where there was a correlation in belly fat and anxiety. Not exactly sure what that means. Apples have a genetic predisposition to stress, no matter what their current weight? Or, more likely, there is something about the belly fat or visceral fat itself that causes an overproduction of stress hormones.

    Interesting stuff but regardless of what the answer is, we apples want to get to our optimal waist to hip ratios (to prevent heart disease), and probably work to keep our stress levels down.

    With regard to "bad digestive health", my intestinal system gets irritated easily and the subsequent inflammation is visible. I just try to avoid known irritants.

    I'll need to dig to find it but I have read a study or two that found higher stress levels and lower self-confidence in women with PCOS (who tend to be apple shaped.) This study didn't look into hormones/cortisol. My thought on that is that many (certainly not all) women with PCOS are stressed out over trying to lose weight and halt the side effects of the condition, and that certainly wears on their emotions and feelings about themselves. I would be interested in reading the study that you mentioned since it is a different take on it.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    Too much stress tends to make people to keep their fat in their belly/abdominal area

    I used to hear this. More recently I saw a study where there was a correlation in belly fat and anxiety. Not exactly sure what that means. Apples have a genetic predisposition to stress, no matter what their current weight? Or, more likely, there is something about the belly fat or visceral fat itself that causes an overproduction of stress hormones.

    Interesting stuff but regardless of what the answer is, we apples want to get to our optimal waist to hip ratios (to prevent heart disease), and probably work to keep our stress levels down.

    With regard to "bad digestive health", my intestinal system gets irritated easily and the subsequent inflammation is visible. I just try to avoid known irritants.

    I'll need to dig to find it but I have read a study or two that found higher stress levels and lower self-confidence in women with PCOS (who tend to be apple shaped.) This study didn't look into hormones/cortisol. My thought on that is that many (certainly not all) women with PCOS are stressed out over trying to lose weight and halt the side effects of the condition, and that certainly wears on their emotions and feelings about themselves. I would be interested in reading the study that you mentioned since it is a different take on it.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/16353426/
  • ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken
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    That may just be where you carry it. If I posted my before photo you would my fat, round gut. Also though I tend to lose most of my weight in my abdominal area first.
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
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    Ok this is purely my personal theory... I have noticed people who carry most of their weight in the middle are sweet eaters and the heavier in the thigh rear end seem to be salt/fat eaters. I know it sounds bizarre and could be a hair brained idea. Truthfully the most likely answer is genetics. Anyway as time goes by you will see a loss in the middle. I'm an apple shaped person and have lost 72 pounds. My midsection is still bigger than I'd like but I still have 25 pounds to go. I have lost a considerable amount in the middle. Just for slaps and giggles I will also confirm I was a sweet eater, lol.