Feeling discouraged about my belly fat

[thepowerwithin]

And yes, there's SOME fat there, but it looks like something else is going on as well. I'm no expert in allergies or intolerances, sorry. What you COULD do is an elimination diet and add one food back in at a time to see if you have any reactions.

I had a second look too, and felt the same way. Her abdomen doesn't seem to jive with the rest of OP's body. I second the elimination diet and possibly a thorough medical workup, as she said there was a hard bump/lump around belly button.

Good luck OP. Hang in there.

[mid20sgirl86]

Well I don't really eat too much wheat stuff... like I basically cut out bread as soon as I started dieting. Ever since I posted this thread, I've been eating fish, chicken, ham, fruits, veggies, and yogurts. And the meats are all fresh, it's none of that frozen processed stuff. The fish is a new thing, like just yesterday. There is a section in my grocery store where you can pick fish and they cut it up for you right in front of you. Just like with chicken and ham. I'm not a big fan of other meats. So I don't know what else to cut out. I don't eat junk. The last time I ate any junk food was Christmas day. So maybe those will help with the bloating. I know there will be a couple days before I see any improvements if this works. I think I only started this thread 3 or so days ago. And I stopped buying any soup that might make me bloat. Someone at work told me to make homemade soup because I'll know whats going in it, and it will be less salt.

Edit: I added two new close up belly photos. I took these before I started dieting when I lived in my old place(about a month and a half ago, about two weeks before Christmas). I took them originally for progress photos, but unfortunately there is no progress. I figured as soon as I moved to my new place I could lose it since my new building since it has a gym. I've upped my cardio time over the past couple days as well. However, like I said I've noticed fat loss from everywhere except the gut. And if I could manage to take a good picture of my back (which I can't with my phone) you'd be able to see a bit of back muscle by the shoulders. Something I only just noticed today. The belly photos are in the gallery photos with my arm ones.

[Diddlypops]

Has your belly always done this or is it a new thing? Have you been checked for a hernia?

[Betty300]

I also agree that maybe you should see a doctor, it could be a umbilical hernia?
I've always had quite a large tummy too...but I'm certain mine is from bloating, in those last photos you posted you said you were trying not to push it out, but were you actually trying to suck it in a bit?
It would be good to see a photo of you sucking it in as much as possible to see how it appears then..cause if I don't suck it in at all I can look pregnant lol..

I'm also trying to drop my bodyfat too...and my tummy is definitely the last place to go..I even lost fat in my face (which I don't think even looked fat), and yet I have this tummy with a huge amount of bodyfat to lose, but no..clearly the face needed it more lol

[mid20sgirl86]

I was definitely sucking in. It won't go in anymore, lol. I took several of them with me sucking in before I finally put that one up. And I hadn't eaten or drank any water for hours before that because I had just gotten up. I suck in, and it still sticks out so much. I don't know how much more proof I need. I've got silouette photos as well I can put up. Those are from me and my friends being silly the one night. but you can clearly see a gut sticking out in them. I'll look for them now.

My stomach was flat until I gained all the weight after the break up, and then as soon as I started exercising I lost it all every where except the stomach. And I think I might buy a new scale because mine says I went down 3 pounds today, but my stomach is still the exact same.

And I gained the weight fast, very fast. All I did was lay around and eat junk. So it isn't a surprise.


And it could be a hernia, a lot of the people I work with have had hernia surgery lately, but I don't know how hernia would affect weight loss.

Edit: Anyway, I put up the silly silhouette photos because I think they clearly show off my stomach the best. I took these right before I moved, so there are no curtains in the balcony window because they are packed away by then. And I had a few people over (they're hiding, we all did for the individual although we have a few group shots) and we decided to be silly and take pcitures of ourselves in the balcony doors. You can kind of see my cat though.

[EricaRosas84]

I would also check with your gynecologist. I knew of a girl who looked pregnant and found out she had some female problem that causes her stomach to look like that all the time. I've been trying to google it but can't find what the condition is called....but I would seriously check with a doctor, it could be a ovarian cyst.

[inbetweendays]

I would also check with your gynecologist. I knew of a girl who looked pregnant and found out she had some female problem that causes her stomach to look like that all the time. I've been trying to google it but can't find what the condition is called....but I would seriously check with a doctor, it could be a ovarian cyst.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease can do that.

OP, as others have said, a checkup with your doctor would be a really good idea. I, too, thought hernia or Pelvic Inflammatory Disease after seeing your pics. It just doesn't look like a typical body fat issue to me. But I'm not a doctor, thus the suggestion to check with yours. Good luck!

[Ang123]

Do you have scoliosis? That will cause the belly to stick forward if you have a lower curve and fat has nothing to do with it.

[mid20sgirl86]

Well thanks for the help. I'll ask the doctor when I go about it. And no I don't have scoliosis. It could very well be hernia if hernia does that, I didn't know hernia could make your stomach stick out. I knew someone else who had it though, and his belly button was an outie from it. I don't think it can be the pelvic inflammatory disease though. It looks like you have to get it from an STD and I get regular check ups when it comes to that. I haven't been sexually active in the last two years, but my ex had an interesting past and he cheated on me, so I was always getting check ups because I didn't trust him. I was very obsessive about it, even my gynecologist told me I was obsessive and that I was fine. And that she would have let me know right away if I had any problems. I'm actually due for a check up with her after my period, so I can ask again.

[mid20sgirl86]

Well it turns out I have a really huge cyst on my ovary, and that is why I have a belly and why I can't lose fat from my stomach. I'll have to go into surgery to have it taken out. They said it's a six pound cyst at least. They said once it's drained and everything my stomach should be flatter. I went to my doctor about the hernia, but it turned out it's not. It took a while for me to go through testing and everything, and I finally found out yesterday what it is. At first they were telling me I had a tumor, so that was kind of scary. I'm glad to know it's just a cyst. I just don't understand why I never felt pain for so long, I've had it for years. I'll end up losing an ovary too. My doctor actually thought I was pregnant even though I insisted I wasn't but he forced me to do all the testing like blood work, and early morning urine test and also an ultrasound, which is when we discovered the cyst.

[Betty300]

Well that does suck...but I guess at least you know what is causing it now, and 6lbs cyst - wholly molly!
I can't recall but were you getting any abdo pain?

[megdaig]

Well that makes a lot of sense.

Good luck with the procedure.

[oregonchick76]

Well it turns out I have a really huge cyst on my ovary, and that is why I have a belly and why I can't lose fat from my stomach. I'll have to go into surgery to have it taken out. They said it's a six pound cyst at least. They said once it's drained and everything my stomach should be flatter. I went to my doctor about the hernia, but it turned out it's not. It took a while for me to go through testing and everything, and I finally found out yesterday what it is. At first they were telling me I had a tumor, so that was kind of scary. I'm glad to know it's just a cyst. I just don't understand why I never felt pain for so long, I've had it for years. I'll end up losing an ovary too. My doctor actually thought I was pregnant even though I insisted I wasn't but he forced me to do all the testing like blood work, and early morning urine test and also an ultrasound, which is when we discovered the cyst.

Oh my gosh! How scary! But what a relief to finally know what it is... And silver lining - you'll be 6lbs lighter after you're healed up from surgery! Oh man, you have to post after pics later on and let us know how it went. Good luck.

[mid20sgirl86]

Well that does suck...but I guess at least you know what is causing it now, and 6lbs cyst - wholly molly!
I can't recall but were you getting any abdo pain?

Just until recently. Like the last couple months or so. Now I am in constant pain. No wonder I look pregnant though. It's the size of the newborn baby. Over the last few weeks it has developed into a pain all over my abdomen, I can feel it in my back, and my right side hurts and over the last few days I've been getting pain down my right leg. They called today to schedule the surgery, so I asked if that's normal and they said yes and they're surprised I didn't have the pain before. It must have run out of room, so maybe that's why it hurts now and not before. I don't exactly have a big body frame.

Oh my gosh! How scary! But what a relief to finally know what it is... And silver lining - you'll be 6lbs lighter after you're healed up from surgery! Oh man, you have to post after pics later on and let us know how it went. Good luck.

Yup, and I am thinking it will be more than six pounds. Just because with hospital stays, that happens. And they said the way they'll do the surgery it won't ruin my stomach muscles so that will be nice. And he said I will notice that I won't really have a belly after the surgery. My stomach is all hard. I just hope I don't end up with extra skin there.

[Betty300]

Yeah it is odd that you are now in constant pain, I can't believe its 6lbs..no wonder you have a belly lol...How did they confirm the cyst, did they do an Ultrasound and go "omg" lol...
Good luck with the surgery..hope it all goes well

[sonti]

Wow that's amazing. I just had a 9lb baby inside me, I can't imagine a 6lb CYST of all things, glad to see you got checked! Moral of the story, if something seems wrong, it probably is!

[mid20sgirl86]

Yeah it is odd that you are now in constant pain, I can't believe its 6lbs..no wonder you have a belly lol...How did they confirm the cyst, did they do an Ultrasound and go "omg" lol...
Good luck with the surgery..hope it all goes well

Yeah I went to my doctor because I thought it was hernia because of the bump above my belly. He told me right away that it was not hernia (even though the walk in clinic doctor told me it wasn't) and I told him I can't be pregnant when he asked me about my periods and all that. So he sent me for an ultrasound and they found it. They thought it was a tumor at first. Then they sent me to a gynecologist who told me it was only a cyst. Just a really big one, and when he was feeling my belly he told me felt no fat, it was all hard. Because I was asking him if I was overweight as well, and he said no.

[nata1622]

I just wanted to tell you to not let negative people on this forum get you down. Keep working hard, keep eating clean, and you will get the results you want. If people have nothing positive to say, they aren't worth your time. I know the internet tends to give people "cajones" (sp?) where they shouldn't. Ignore those people and keep smiling.

[CoderGirl]

Also, you should probably have that checked out. Your belly should not have a hard bump that hurts.....

This, go to the doc. It could be something stress related or well, it's just better to get it checked out asap. A friend of mine always thought she carried weight in her stomach until she found out she was intolerant of certain foods and I have to say what a difference in her middle.

[LHarwood]

Good luck with your surgery OP. Also after recovery..im gonna ask you to get your self confidence back..be happy and cook nommy food. Keep us posted.

[CoderGirl]

Yeah I went to my doctor because I thought it was hernia because of the bump above my belly. He told me right away that it was not hernia (even though the walk in clinic doctor told me it wasn't) and I told him I can't be pregnant when he asked me about my periods and all that. So he sent me for an ultrasound and they found it. They thought it was a tumor at first. Then they sent me to a gynecologist who told me it was only a cyst. Just a really big one, and when he was feeling my belly he told me felt no fat, it was all hard. Because I was asking him if I was overweight as well, and he said no.

Glad to hear you've seen someone and it's not a tumor! Gluck with everything.