Any ideas why this happened?

(From XL > Medium) #1

I won’t write the entire story that I’ve gone through, as the post would be too long.

Briefly, I ended up doing a few different lengths of extended fasting (5 day, 3 day, 10 day and 1 18 day). In between, I tried to eat in a keto-ish way, without accuracy measuring the various elements. I lost over 50 lbs in about 6 weeks (weight was 245 when I started). My BMI is now around 28, from being about 39.

I was expecting my belly fat to go, a good chunk of which has gone, but there is still some flab left at the bottom of my belly. However, what I was not expecting was that I would lose weight over the rest of my body too, in areas that I could not imagine would go, like my head, neck, back and legs.
I did not consider I had any or much fat there but I of course don’t know for sure.

i just wondered why the flab which is quite noticeable and clearly just fat would not go before my body used up fat elsewhere on my body?

I know this is not a site for medical advice but its expensive for me to go and see my doctor, whenever i need to, so I have to save up issues to talk to him about. So if anyone has any knowledge of this, or can point me to any info, I would appreciate it.

I have maintained my weight within a few pounds and I continue to do shorter length fastings of 1-3 days, then eating once a day between 11am-1pm. I need to lose more weight for my frame/height, to get down to around 165lbs (I am 5’7’-170cm) but I intend to get to that target much more gradually.

Also, I am not happy about what the weight loss has done to my facial appearance, which makes me look like a much older person than I am and quite different to how I looked before.

#2

Congrats on your success!

Although I think 50lbs in 6 weeks is way too fast for skin to keep up with, hence the flab. Also, were you forcing exercising during that period too? That’s more than 1 lb a day.

The theory is that fasting should remove the excess skin but I think it takes more than six weeks to do that.

(Jack Brien) #3

Belly fat will probably be the last to go as that’s where you keep most of it. The body takes it from all over and looking older is just because the fat isn’t filling out those wrinkles any more.

(From XL > Medium) #4

The fat flab at the bottom of my belly has been there for many years (10+). I was expecting this fat to go first along with my upper belly fat, so to speak.
I was not doing any strenuous or hard exercising during the approx. 6 week period of fasting. I was only walking, for about an hour 1-2 days a week, sometimes 3 days a week, because I read that I should not be doing much exercise during fasting.

(From XL > Medium) #5

Ah OK. That makes sense.
So, is there anything I can do about my appearance?
From everything I have understood about keto and fasting, it is supposed to bring about “renewal”, which would suggest things like wrinkles should be going, no?

(Jack Brien) #6

Love the skin your in :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

(Duncan Kerridge) #7

The weight loss didn’t do that, being overweight before did that. The skin does firm up, but it takes time. And yes, the belly fat is the first to come and the last to leave.

(From XL > Medium) #8

Thank you for that. Any idea how long the skin will take to firm up?
And how long the belly fat will take to leave?

(Duncan Kerridge) #9

I’m not sure tbh I guess it depends on the person and how much change there has been. I think I looked a little deflated for a while when I reached my goal weight but things seem more taut now maybe six months later. Still got some belly fat but it’s sorting itself out slowly.

(Chris) #10

Fasting removes fat from the outside in, it seems. Extremities first, trunk last.

(From XL > Medium) #11

Thank you to all for your helpful input on my question.

#12

It’s not a miracle cure, but you could try supplementing with DHEA.

(From XL > Medium) #13

The only thing is that pretty much everywhere on my body has noticeably thinned out and reduced, except for my lower belly. Some of the fat in my lower belly has gone but not much.
Do I just wait?

(From XL > Medium) #14

What will this do and where do I get it from?

(Chris) #15

Keep calm and fast on. :slight_smile:

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #16

I’m noticing that the fat seems to be leaving in reverse order of arrival. The belly fat was the first to arrive, so I expect it will be last to go.

Fortunately, my underlying reason for going keto was to improve and maintain my metabolic health, so the weight loss is just an extremely pleasant side effect. Therefore I can afford to be patient with my body as it sorts things out. If weight loss were my primary goal, I would be seriously annoyed at the persistence of my belly fat.

#17

I would consider doing water electrolyte only 6 day fasts if you can. Autophaghy is supposed to peak at 72 hours so you would get the rise, peak and fall. I personally have never been able to do water only but you may. Thomas Seyfried goes as far as insisting on distilled water.

Meanwhile no one is absolutely certain on how or when autophagy works

I will add that I have some of the same complaints but mine took much longer than yours. I wish I could have lost as much in such a short time. I think I look older, today I got asked if my children are all grown (no some are preteens). I still have the bottom belly fat and even some upper belly fat which really annoys me as I associate that with fatty liver although in my case I think it is fat in general. With me I look much heavier after meals. If I do not eat I look about 5 lbs thinner which is strange

(Dan Dan) #18

@magsilon

It sounds like your problem is that you are not Fat Adapted :thinking:

Long Extended Fasting without being Fat Adapted will cause loss of both fat and muscle :disappointed:

Eating Keto with IF and short 24 to 48 hour EF and moderate exercise spares/builds muscle and burns fat and in time you will become Fat Adapted. After you become Fat Adapted you can do longer EF and it will have less impact on muscle loss as long as you have adequate bodyfat :smile:

(From XL > Medium) #19

Thank you I will try that.

(From XL > Medium) #20

Another thing I have noticed is that I feel a bit weaker. When I sneeze or cough, there seems not to be the strength behind it the way it used to be.