Reached 53.4 KG but Still Have Belly Fat

[typingsound]

I'm a 33 year old male. I've been doing a fitness programme with a trainer at my gym since early June. My main motivation was I wanted to lose the fat around my stomach, but also wanted to become more toned. I've always been self-conscious about my belly fat, especially because the rest of my body was skinny.

I managed to get down to 53.4 KG (my height is 1.75m 1.74m) with a combination of diet, HIIT and strength training. I was pleased with the results. My trainer then said it was time to put the weight back on as muscle and I'm now doing strength training (I still do light cardio). I've slowly been putting the weight back on and I'm currently at 58.2 KG as of today. It's been quite challenging putting the weight back on, because I'm an active person who walks a lot.

My concern is that I still have a ring of fat around my belly button which I can pinch with my fingers. I've tried speaking to my trainer about it, but he says that I didn't need to lose any more weight and I need to stick with the strength training and increase my protein intake.

I took some photos to better explain what I am taking about.

https://imgur.com/AaUQerp

https://imgur.com/hWaE1yF

https://imgur.com/nkiKevv

https://imgur.com/q74Smt4

https://imgur.com/a/XJiLAiE

My question is should I lose more weight before "bulking up"? I don't want to go against my trainer's advice and I would like to be more muscular, but the belly fat really affected my self-esteem. I even used to wrap a towel around myself when going swimming until I could get into the pool (sad I know). Any advice would be much appreciated.

EDIT: I added a fourth photo.

EDIT 2: Sorry I entered my height incorrectly at first. I'm 1.745m).

 

[octsris]

@typingsound Having some fat is normal for an natty athlete don’t get mislead by pictures of guys in the internet who are running on gear and cutting extremely, this isn’t healthy. Gain some weight and train, then cut back, at some point you will build bigger abs muscles and they will be more visible when you maintain low body fat. Also everyone is different and our bodies store excess of fat in different places I personally can’t fully lose the “love handles” even after extreme cut. Just train, and eat healthy and you will see the results, but you have to have realistic goals in mind

 

[typingsound]

@octsris Thanks. I'm just worried the belly fat I have at the moment is unhealthy as

well as being unsightly. I added a fourth photo in my OP to show what I

mean. I know I have to be realistic but it took me ages to get down to 53.4 KG and I don't want to undo the work I put in.

 

[sheyoreo]

@typingsound My guy, just to be clear:

The reason literally everyone is telling you this is fine is because you honestly appear to be approaching eating disorder levels of worried about your body. I'm not saying this to rag on you, truly: but if it honestly bothers you as much as you are presenting here, it might not be a terrible idea to maybe schedule a couple sessions with a counselor if you are able, just to make sure you aren't teetering into eating disorder territory before it is too late.

We're not telling you everything's fine because we want your nudes in our inbox as we white knight. Legitimately: it's fine, and a lot of people would be jealous to look as you do. Us guys are just as much victim to this unrealistic body in the media kind of shit as women are. Look at that recent Liver King scandal. You're doing great my guy, your trainer sounds like he has a good head on his shoulders: follow what he says and enjoy being in better shape than a lot of guys a lot younger than you.

 

[typingsound]

@sheyoreo Thank you. I honestly appreciate the comment. I know you're trying to help. I do have a counselor (not about this; I was bullied out of my old job) and I'll talk it over with them in the new year.

 

[beloved926]

@typingsound I have 74kg with same height as you do and less visible abs. Fuck movie abs, you have a lot of room for bulking, and you look great already.

 

[typingsound]

@beloved926 Thank you.

 

[beastnate123]

@typingsound Dude, you're fine. Start bulking.

I was the same as you, skinny with a small gut. I cut, it wouldn't go away, I bulked it got bigger... But after awhile, it just diminished. Like the ratio of it got less and less as I worked my Abs and Obliques dynamically.

Get into hanging leg raises and window wipers, and absolutely start bulking now.

 

[typingsound]

@beastnate123 Thanks. I'm doing the hanging leg raises at the moment, but I'll start doing the window wipers.

 

[dawn16]

@typingsound I was in the same boat as you and I didn't regret my bulk. Go get em tiger.

 

[curiousdude]

@typingsound Belly fat between the abdominal muscles and skin is not unhealthy. It’s intra-abdominal fat between your internal organs which is unhealthy.

 

[kolinfarrel]

@typingsound Looking at your last pic, I can see that that's mostly loose skin as a result of your weight loss, not fat. Depending on genetics and age, it may shrink away or it may not. You can't work it off.

I know of people who went through extraordinary weight loss and decided to get plastic surgery to fix skin that would never rectify itself. However, with the amount that you're pinching, I can't imagine a surgeon taking the risk for such a small change. I recognize how much it affects your perspective, but surgery is not worth it.

Counseling for body dysmorphia would be more effective with less risk.

 

[dawn16]

@kolinfarrel You are blowing it out of proportion in your mind. But as someone who has been pregnant, your skin will eventually snap back into place. It takes a while, but it will happen. You don’t need to have plastic surgery. Just give it time, and enjoy the journey. That being said, remember you are a real person and your body will never be picture perfect. Those pictures are air brushed, color corrected, etc. Perfection doesn’t exist. Be proud of what you have accomplished, and keep working out and eating healthy.

Edit- Add-on- When I look at your pictures, I notice your abs and muscles. You focus on what you want fixed, but everyone else is going to see the positives.

 

[dawn16]

As someone who has lost over 100lbs, I will never be able to work off/lose my excess skin. The only option I have is surgery. Perfection does exist, it’s just different for each person. I get what you are saying, but you are wrong. Not everyone has skin that snaps back into place over time. I could lose another 50lbs and still have the excess skin around my belly. I’ve done it. Hell, I could get down to 150lbs and I’d still have the excess skin. (Currently 250lbs at 6’ for reference). Sometimes, surgery is the only way. It is what it is.

 

[dawn16]

First, congratulations on losing so much weight! Great job! I understand what you’re saying, but my comment was NOT intended for people who lost over 100 lbs. It was for people who have lost around 40-50 ish pounds. (That’s why I used the comparison of pregnancy which is sometimes around a 30-40 lb weight gain.) Yes, surgery is available for people, but not everyone is a candidate, and not everyone SHOULD be a candidate. Although I’m sure there will always be a willing surgeon or medspa who will perform anything you want!

As other people have commented OP’s loose skin is not bad. It is much more glaring to him. Surgery is really intended for people like yourself. I didn’t think that OP had lost 100 pounds. My comment is meant for people who have lost up to about 60 lbs. I believe the skin will go back within 2 years. It will return quicker if you moisturize the area and lift weights. A lot of people don’t want to wait that long. Sorry, imho perfection without surgery really doesn’t exist. We are going to have to agree to disagree on that one.

 

[dawn16]

@typingsound You’re more fit than most even by the standard of the crappy lighting of that photo. When people drop down to single digit body fat ; you do it for a week or so to show off and then they go right back to eating otherwise the calorie deficits affects your hard won muscles.

I know what I am talking about -

I have dropped down to having killer abs for funsies , it’s calorie deficits and adding intense cardio at the end of your workout routine while eating no sugar… would I do not that normally? Fuck no. I have a 2-4 pack at any given time, occasionally a gut. I can show you before / after pictures if ya want where the “before” is me after dropping weight to get the coveted “washboard abs” and the “after” is how I normally am and not torturing myself for a meaningless body style lol.

Live life, enjoy life, stay fit.

 

[bradly64]

@typingsound Man unless you get to that point where you are under 10% you’re gonna have a little fat looking. And that being under 10% is actually rather unhealthy. And if you read a lot of things by guys that used to be there they’ll tell you what hell it was. You’re at a great shape and look great. I think you’re over thinking it

 

[typingsound]

@bradly64 Thank you.

 

[davemalyon]

@typingsound Honestly not trying to come off as condescending, OP, but just try to relax and focus on what you've accomplished. I'm a personal trainer myself and a lot of what I have to work with people on is mindset and appreciating the victories, rather than getting hung up on what's imperfect. Complicated psychology and it can take practice, but shift to what you are confident you can control with ingrained habits and consistency and let the rest fall into place.

 

[typingsound]

@davemalyon Thank you. I am proud of the progress I have made and lots of people have noticed the difference.