# Should I stop losing weight?



## Mark Parrott (Sep 16, 2016)

I am now 76.6kg (fractionally over 12 stone) & my BMI (according to an online calculator) is 24.2.  I now have a very boney backside that makes long car journeys uncomfortable but I still have a bit of belly fat that won't shift.  My weight has been steadily dropping since going LCHF (apart from one very minor blip) & I don't really want to lose any more weight on other parts of my body.  Will increasing my fat intake stop the weight loss?  I'm doing minimal exercise as I don't want an even bonier bum!


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## AndBreathe (Sep 16, 2016)

Many folks find exactly as you have done, Mark, and that's that weightloss never goes from the desired areas.  In my experience (and my BMI is significantly lower than yours), is that over time a certain amount of "redistribution" happens.  Either that or I've just got more used to it, as my clothing isn't any tighter!

Many folks do find the accumulation around the mid-section takes longest to go, and for me, I was already very slim, before my waist shrunk markedly, and quickly.

Have you had any follow up bloods since April to see where you are sitting with all your markers (not just HbA1c)?  In your shoes, those would be influences for me.  Further to that, I'd consider two things.  What is your height/waist ratio?  That's now considered to be a better metric than BMI with a desirable waist measurement of less than half height  (e.g. waist of less than 30" for a height of 60"; just to keep the example simple).  Secondly, I'd toddle myself down to Tesco, armed with a 50p or £1 coin and step on their scales.  The ones in my store do a body composition breakdown, which, if I recall correctly includes a visceral fat percentage.  (I'll have a look when I go in shortly.)  Whilst that's not ideal, at least it's an indication, without shelling out lots of pocket money for a DEXA scan.

It's clearly up to you.  It took me a while to stop the weight loss, but then I have never been a sweet/cake eater or snacker, and I wanted to continue eating a reduced carb diet.  When deciding when to seriously stop the losing, I wanted to give myself a very decent buffer under the upper normal BMI cut off, just to minimise tripping over it and potentially getting unsupportive feedback from the professionals (not that I have been weighed for over 2 years.

Sorry that's been so long, but all I can is tell you my thought process when in your shoes (albeit mine are a bit smaller  )


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## Mark Parrott (Sep 16, 2016)

My waist is 34", height 5' 11".  Haven't had bloods done since April.  Next one due in October.  I'll look out for the scales in Tesco.


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## Martin Canty (Sep 16, 2016)

In the same boat as you, Mark, I'm keeping the faith that the distribution will "correct" itself, in the meantime I'm very happy that I can fit into 32"ish pants......


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## Mark Parrott (Sep 16, 2016)

I can just about squeeze into 32" waist trousers, but can't bend down.


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## AndBreathe (Sep 16, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> My waist is 34", height 5' 11".  Haven't had bloods done since April.  Next one due in October.  I'll look out for the scales in Tesco.



When I was in Tesco I had a look at the scales again.  They measure body fat, not specifically visceral fat.  Maybe it was Boots I noticed the visceral option (or maybe I just cot befuddled).  I'd still be fine "investing" a whole British 50p to see what the percentage body fat looks like anyway, but then, I love data.


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## Mark Parrott (Sep 16, 2016)

Just been to our local Tesco & they don't have one.  Will have to check one of the bigger stores.


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## Martin Canty (Sep 16, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> I now have a very boney backside that makes long car journeys uncomfortable


My solution for that was to buy a new truck..... Nothing to do with the fact that I upgraded a worn out truck to a 1 ton truck for better towing capacity.


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## Radders (Sep 16, 2016)

I'm in a similar boat. I decided to try and gain muscle so have upped my exercises and protein intake. Maybe do some glute exercises to give yourself a bit more padding?


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## Mark Parrott (Sep 16, 2016)

I think that's what I need to do.  I reckon i've lost some muscle mass as well as fat.


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## Marsbartoastie (Sep 17, 2016)

Marky…I sympathise with your bony bum issues.  I still have a way to go ‘weightlosswise’, but sitting has become noticeably less comfy of late.  I’ve been forced to adjust the settings on my chair at work and add a cushioned back support.  In addition, having less padding I now sit lower on my bike and have had to raise the saddle to its maximum extent and have risers fitted to the handlebar stem. It’s just one problem after another.  Who would have thought that one day we’d be moaning about how much weight we’ve lost.  As for my stubborn fat belly…I’m beginning to think that I’m going to need a tummy tuck.  Seriously…my skin is knackered (I think that's the correct medical terminology).  I'd better start saving my pennies.


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## Mark Parrott (Sep 17, 2016)

I had a lovely bum before losing weight. Nicely pert & round. Looks like my dad's now.


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## Marsbartoastie (Sep 19, 2016)

Mark Parrott said:


> I had a lovely bum before losing weight. Nicely pert & round. Looks like my dad's now.


I can't comment until I've seen a picture of your dad's bum.  It may be quite attractive.  Also...us women of a certain age must get our kicks where we may.


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## Superheavy (Sep 22, 2016)

Looking purely at your height, going too far under 12 stone is going to leave you quite skinny across the rest of the body too, so I reckon redistribution rather than weight loss might be the better course. I'm 6'0" and broad in the shoulders, and when I was younger and slimmer, I found that getting below the 12-13 stone range really required drastic cutting of diet and several hours a day of exercise. Ultimately, you know your body, so go with your gut.


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## Martin Canty (Sep 22, 2016)

@Superheavy , you  just made this come to mind


"Every morning at the mine you could see him arrive.
He stood six-foot-six and weighed twofortyfive.
Broad at the shoulder
Narrow at the hip

and everybody knew you didn't give no lip to Big John."


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## Superheavy (Sep 22, 2016)

Martin Canty said:


> @Superheavy , you  just made this come to mind
> 
> 
> "Every morning at the mine you could see him arrive.
> ...



Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Johnny Cash!


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## Martin Canty (Sep 22, 2016)

Oh, thought it was Jimmy Dean.....


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## Superheavy (Sep 22, 2016)

Martin Canty said:


> Oh, thought it was Jimmy Dean.....



As a stripling of only 34, the only version of the song I recognized was the Johnny Cash version, a quick search of the web advises that Jimmy Dean is indeed the original artist. I am none the wiser as to who Jimmy Dean is!


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## AndBreathe (Sep 22, 2016)

Just a heads up @Mark Parrott .  These are in Lidl from Sunday (according to their newsletter email).  They don't do visceral fat or have hand grasps, but as we know, we should be looking for trends and stability more than brutal numbers.  

I'm sure the Bluetooth element is all very spiffing, but it wouldn't be game changer for me.


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