Losing too much weight?
 

When I lose weight it seems to be most noticable in my face. People tell me I am loosing too much and getting too skinny. However, I am definitely not underweight and I still clearly have some pounds to go because the belly flab is still there. How can I lose the belly flab without getting so skinny looking in the face that people comment I am looking ill or something. I currently workout regularly (jogging, weight-lifting, and a little yoga). I am 6'2 and weigh 190. When I last got down to 180 (and still had the belly flab even then) I got the "too skinny" comment a lot which caused me to slack off and the weight came back on - and too much I might add. I'm not even sure what weight I should be targeting. Ideas?

I really don't want to tell you this, but you can't spot reduce. Your genetics decide where your body hangs on to fat most stubbornly. For you it seems to be your belly, and you lose quickest in your face. Unfortunately, the only way you'll lose your belly fat is to work through your little bit of facial fat, then your limbs, your back, and then your belly. If you weight train and build muscle at the same time, then at least you'll fill out a little bit and you'll have a healthy glow so people won't think you look sick.

I'd also say ignore the people who say you're getting "too skinny." If you know you've still got some belly to work off then you can't let their opinions weigh on you (no pun intended) to the point where you give up.

6,2 190 sounds like you at a good weight for your body type maybe off a little bit there are things you can do to get rid of belly without looking sickly. I agree about the weight training the right training can tighten up the stomach. I lifted weights regulary in the past its good, only thing about gaining the muscle from weight lifting if you don't keep up with the training all the muscle you gain quickly turns into fat.

Muscle doesn't turn into fat and vice versa. If you stop lifting you stop maintaining your physique and you slowly lose muscle mass, while most likely gaining fat mass. You will often hear people tell you "its easy to turn fat into muscle" well this simply isn't true. What is true is that endomorph soft and rounded body types gain muscle easily, they aren't turning fat into muscle.

Well, the problem is that genetics determines where the fat comes off and in what order.

Most people see a good amount of difference in the face after only a relatively small loss. There's really nothing you can do about it, unfortunately.

I will also say, that there is such a thing as "skinny fat". This is where your weight sounds like it should be good for your height, but because of a relatively small frame and/or amount of muscle mass you still appear to be chubby at your weight.

The way to fix that is to lift weights and make sure you get 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight and then lose more fat. Lifting weights and getting protein will make sure you don't lose any lean mass while on restricted diet. That extra muscle that you have will make you look a lot better at whatever weight you are at.

You can burn fat in target specific areas, albeit more difficult than burning fat non-specifically. You have to find exercises that target your core. Though it tends to take longer and be more difficult, but if you work at it you will succeed.

No, you can't. You absolutely cannot spot reduce or "burn fat in target specific areas".

Excercising your abs does not make you lose weight soley in your abs, maybe not at all. The way fat comes off of your body depends largely on genetics, but is generally more spread throughout the body no matter which parts you exercise.

You can make a body part look better by working it hard. Working that area hard will make muscles larger underneath the fat, making you look more lean than you are.

Ok, I don't want to argue, so anyone reading this see my thread on spot reducing. Though you are correct about genetics playing a role, that just makes it more difficult, not impossible.
Never say not possible. 120 years ago it was impossible for man to fly.

muscle turning into fat is an expression that people always use if you want to be all technical that isn't possible, bottom line if you bulk up lifting weights and you don't maintain that routine you don't return to your original small state you remain stocky but not as ripped or healthy looking point you are out of shape and fat.

First off, wow.

Second, you can't spot reduce, you just can't. Regardless of how advanced our modern aviation techniques become, the body still works under a set of rules you can't change.

If you aren't maintaining a routine you aren't helping your body, and you'll be fat either way.

Its not just about losing weight, its about changing your body composition and ultimately looking and feeling good. If you want lower body fat you need to lift weights.

No one needs to bulk up but toning and building some lean mass doesn't hurt anyone looking for a harder body. Bulking up is what bodybuilders do and its definitely achieved a lot differently than weight loss in both diet and training regimen.

Ok - so thanks for all the feedback here and in the spot reducing thread! I think I will just keep pushing until the unwanted pounds/flab come off. I know I have some work to do on my eating habits. FitDay has been a big help! I will try to ramp up the weight lifting some more while maintaining my jogging and I will try to focus more on core work. I will keep my fingers crossed that the losses in my face will stabilize at some point along the way.

Just a thought,

Maybe the people around you are reacting more to the changes you are making. They may be more reacting to the fact that you do not look the same. Secondly, they may also be trying to sabo your efforts to make change because it indirectly makes them look at their own weight issues.