To ask you to advise me why my stomach is massive

[samjamsam]

I'm really struggling atm. I have a massive stomach - 31-32 inches.

I am a size 10 otherwise due to my massive stomach. I would probably be a size 8 if I didn't have my stomach to fit into clothes. I weigh 7 stones 13 pounds (50.3kg).

I have been to the doctors and had tests for gluten intolerance, cortisol, pregnancy and all came back normal.

My typical diet:
Breakfast: 40g oats, oat milk and 2 strawberries
Lunch: small portion of quinoa or couscous with 1/3 tin chickpeas and 1 banana.
Snack: malt loaf (91 calories) or no snack, very occasionally a treat like popchips
Dinner: e.g. 1 mug of pasta with tomato sauce (olive oil, garlic, 1/2 tin peeled tomatoes) aubergine and ricotta; jacket potato with a tin of beans and cheese

I do a 10-15 min workout in the morning such as a lower body workout, light cardio or abs and do about 8000 steps a day.

Please help!!

Looking at your photo OP I’d want to rule everything out before accepting it as just fat so would probably see a Dr again, maybe request a different one?

Please get checked for the cancer risk.
But if it's not that it could just be food intolerances. I've just seen a consultant as I've been suffering for about 5 years with excess gas and bloating. He said these sort of intolerances are common in women in late 30s and can be cyclical ie they could just go away again at some point.
Bread is the big culprit for me, but any sort of carb isn't good for me plus cauliflower and sprouts. I've gone low carb and feel so much better. Is your tummy ever tender to touch- that could be another sign it's intolerances

I think your BMI is on the lower end of the healthy spectrum, am i right? Are your particularly fine framed in a way that might suggest your BMI is actually a bit higher maybe? I imagine it’s just your body shape and where weight gets stored for you? A lot of women get bum/hips area, weirdly I’ve always got sort of upper tummy (like higher than you) but I know other people get it in the same area as you.

If it bothers you you could try abs exercises and try building up your body muscle? BMI is an imperfect measure, unless measured very careful it usually confuses fat and muscle, so if you have a normal BMI but no muscle you might actually be a less healthy weight than you think. If you aimed to stay current weight but put in a bit of muscle, it might change? There’s not much point dong ab work in isolation though.

One thing we learnt from PT was the difference in size between fat and muscle weighing the same amount—so if you lose e.g. 3kg off your tummy it makes a big difference, even if you immediately replace it with muscle—as it’s so much smaller. You might be very low muscle at the moment?

I'm working on building muscle atm. I don't want to join a gym atm so just using body weight and I also have a 4kg dumbbell.

With ab exercises, do I need to do cardio alongside them to lose the fat?

@WiggleSquiggle

Looking at your photo OP I’d want to rule everything out before accepting it as just fat so would probably see a Dr again, maybe request a different one?

This. Please push for a second opinion and ask to also see a gynae specialist. Poor you, it sounds really distressing

I have contacted my GP, let's see what they say.

Blood tests cannot rule out cancer OP. Family member was diagnosed really late with bladder cancer after GP told her for 18 months that she just had bad cystitis!!!! I would insist on a scan in a specialist unit.

You dont look that big. Are you pushing out at all that photo?

How old are you? I am finding now mid thirties that keeping fat off my midriff extremely hard and requires me to run an absolute mile from sugar in any form. It's a struggle as I was always slim & reasonably fit and it makes me look terrible unless I wear loose dresses

The thing is, I have had this issue for about 3 years - if it was something really awful surely I would be feeling physically very unwell?

It wouldn’t be overeating as I would say that is not much food for one day. I know you’re small, I am too (size 8 small frame) but I couldn’t survive on that.

If I put weight on, it goes on my stomach but more a pot belly, not like your shape.

Could be food intolerances- my daughters stomach used to swell and even though gluten free test came back ok, it turned out it was wheat she’s intolerant to.

Maybe try cutting it out for 3 weeks, you’ll know by then if it’s that.

I second going back to the GP and asking for a scan.
Assuming all is well with that, maybe revisit your diet and have a look at what you are eating, it seems quite heavy on legumes to me, and they really make me bloat.
What height are you OP?
My DD is size 8 and weighs 9'8lb at 5'5".
Could it possibly be that you are not eating enough?
I am old enough to remember seeing the horrific photos of starving children with bloated bellies in famine areas.

OP:
Get a 2nd opinion from a doctor
Hopefully nothing serious, but needs to be checked properly

None of us here are doctors - or at least we can't prove it ! - so do get fresh advice from a professional

Keep on at gp. My previous manager was constantly fobbed off she had ibs. She ended up wearing maternity clothes only when she went to a & e in agony did they diagnose ovarian cancer she had treatment and a hysterectomy got given the all clear then told it had spread to her stomach lining and she passed away shortly after

You're barely eating anything op
(Compared to me! )

I got a bit worried reading this thread - i read this www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/why-is-my-waist-size-important/

which says above a 34.5in waist is v dangerous... using the guidelines my natural waist is approx 34in but if I measure a few inches below at the fattest point it's more like 38in... I've had 2 kids and assumed this was middle age spread / stretching but my bmi is fine, weight 61kg. Should I be worried?

@Glitters100

Could be food intolerances- my daughters stomach used to swell and even though gluten free test came back ok, it turned out it was wheat she’s intolerant to.

Maybe try cutting it out for 3 weeks, you’ll know by then if it’s that.

This is so hard to do as a vegetarian :(

@Serin

I second going back to the GP and asking for a scan. Assuming all is well with that, maybe revisit your diet and have a look at what you are eating, it seems quite heavy on legumes to me, and they really make me bloat. What height are you OP? My DD is size 8 and weighs 9'8lb at 5'5". Could it possibly be that you are not eating enough? I am old enough to remember seeing the horrific photos of starving children with bloated bellies in famine areas.

I'm 5'2 so a bit shorter than your daughter!

My sister had this and had a very large benign ovarian cyst removed, as well as the ovary.

She’s fine and has had children but I’d want rule out all the nastier stuff ASAP.

Yes, ask for a scan, to be quite sure it is fat - or that it is gas

There are several possible conditions other than cancer that could lead to a protruding abdomen and they all need to be checked out
e.g. hernia, Addison's

Also, my husband bloats as is gluten intolerant.

oh and of course a cyst !

In my professional opinion:

Oats, oat milk, couscous, malt loaf, pasta

Grains and cereals can be really hard on the intestines without diagnosis of wheat intolerance or coeliac disease. Try cutting out all grains and cereals for 6 weeks.

There seems to be a lot of carbs in your diet. (beans, pasta, potatoes, oats)

They can cause bloating, and they retain a lot of fluid, too.