[jcatron243]

1. Fat redistributes itself over the body?

2. It takes 3 days for good/bad behavior to show up on the body/scale??

[Sojourner]

Fat is stored in fat cells which are at specific locations unique to your body. A normal adult has a set number of fat cells which can shrink or expand depending on energy consumed and spent. However, when fat cells in an overweight person become maxed out with stored fat the cells can begin to divide and then a person becomes obese. Short of surgical procedures you can not get rid of a fat cell once it is established... only shrink it.

[jtammy]

#2 - That is my experience. It takes between 2 - 3 days for things to show up on the scale for me. I don't know if that's the case for everyone or not.

[BerkshireGrl]

I dunno about the fat (though I gain everywhere and lose everywhere pretty evenly)... but as far as good/bad behavior and the scale:

-My bad behavior shows up IMMEDIATELY and then lingers. (and lingers.)

-My good behavior, depending on exactly what that entails, can show up in 1 day or a week. Beginning a low-sodium big change diet can make me lose a lot of water... longer waiting results come from calorie restriction or moderate exercise.

[Get n healthy]

I know it takes several days for my bad behaviour to show up. I can eat like a pig on friday and weigh less on saturday but my heaviest day of the week is mon or tuesday....because of friday.

[futuresurferchick]

About the fat cell thing.. it's true that you can only shrink your fat cells, but cells are microscopic. It's not like there is extra fat caused by these cells that can't be gotten rid of. I've heard that it's more difficult to keep the weight off due to having more fat cells, but the cells themselves when they are empty take up basically no space. I'm pretty sure I've got that right anyway.

I don't know exactly what you mean by #1, but fat comes off--and goes on--to everyone differently. Someone in one of the forums once described losing fat like peeling layers off an onion.

[jcatron243]

Its hard to explain what I mean but here it goes. I heard that as you lose weight, your fat redistributes throughout your body. As I have been losing, the excess rolls around my hips have been shrinking, they were almost gone until a couple days ago I can now, pinch and inch. I couldn't do that a week ago. When I was complaining about it, a friend told me that they told her at curves that fat redistributes itself throughout the body as you are losing. I know it doesn't make sense. I guess I cant put it into words very well.

[srmb60]

I'm pretty sure that your fat is where it's at and that's all ... it doesn't move. But I have nothing on which to base that. I don't remember why I think so.

I wanted to address what jcatron said ....rolls around my hips have been shrinking, they were almost gone until a couple days ago I can now, pinch an inch ....
I find that now that I'm down to the last few pounds, it's as if the fat shrinks and leaves my skin a bit too big. Then after a few days, my skin catches up. Does that make sense? I've said before that it feels like my birthday suit is too big

[Beach Patrol]

I believe that fat redistributes differently as you age. It's the only thing that makes since out of being 152 lbs at age 30 and 178 lbs at age 37 and having the same measurements & wearing the same sizes.

Whenever I'd gain weight, I used to always gain it in my hips & thighs. That was my 20's/30's. Now that I'm in my 40's, I still gain it in my hips & thighs, but also I find weight creeping into my upper abs and my arms & OMG... that horrendous BACK/BRA fat!!!! Ick. "Sometimes it's hardddddd to beeeeee....a womannnnnnnn."

[fiddler]

Yes, fat can redistribute itself over the body. There are some medical syndromes of which abnormal fat redistribution (lipodystrophy) is a symptom.

Fat can also redistribute in response to changes in various hormone levels and drug therapies.