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2004/05/02, 09:35 PM
I'm a 23 year old male with a very unusual problem and I'm looking for help to solve it. I am 5ft. 4in. and 120lbs. For all of my life I have been a very skinny/scrawny kid and pathetically weak but I also could eat whatever I wanted without gaining an ounce. A typical ectomorph only I was not tall. Over the last two years there has been a very disturbing change however. My scrawny stick thin body has lost even more muscle making me look absolutely emaciated. But at the same time I have been gaining huge amounts of fat around my belly and middle no matter what I do. I have restricted my diet to about 1700 calories a day on average (which would previously have been unheard of for me), eating healthy foods, and I have been exercising. Doing both cardio and weight training. But nothing works. I just keep getting more and more emaciated with a huge belly at the same time. Some of my jerkier friends have actually nicknamed me "ET". Has anyone ever heard of anything like this? Could it be a sign that something is wrong? I always wanted to have more muscle but looking at my skinny/fat body now makes me want to scream. Any help will be immensely appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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2004/05/03, 11:03 AM
Have you talked to your doctor about this DuncanMcFly? I would suggest you start there just to make sure all is well in duncan-ville :)
Men typically gain weight around their mid-section, and the distribution of that weight may not seem equal, thus leaving some parts without much excess fat and others with too much. Unfortunately, you will not be able to spot reduce, but you can continue working out and it will change. Oftentimes at first, a person who is working their abs may seem an increased waist line as the new muscle forming pushes forward the fat. Seems unfair, but if you do continue to workout effectively and perform cardio afterwards (fat burns better this way) - you will bulk up where you wish and loose the body fat. Perserverance will pay off and your clothes will show the difference! :big_smile:
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2004/05/03, 12:46 PM
Thanks for the advice but I really doubt that my condition is due to muscle pushing out the fat or anything of that nature. I know about the myth of spot reducing, and how men tend to gain more middle fat overall. What's got me concerned is that the slow down in my metabolism has been ridiculous. I literally went from being able to eat 3000 calories a day without gaining an ounce to barely being able to take in 1500 (even with all healthy foods) in a matter of just two years. I also seem to be losing large amounts of muscle mass leaving me with an emaciated appearance and a gigantic belly. I tell people I have a weight problem and they see my stick arms and think I must be anorexic. Then when I show them my belly they go "Whoa! You're right!" I am seeing a doctor next week to see what the problem might be but I don't think this is normal.
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2004/05/03, 01:04 PM
That does sound off - glad to hear you are checking into it. Let us know how everything turns out.
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