Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I have been eating paleo 80-90% of the time since June. When I cheat it's usually with sugar in the form of candy/chocolate.

I recently had hydrostatic body fat testing done and I am at around 11% body fat (I am female). I recognize that this is very low. I'm relatively athletic and work out 3-4 times a week doing Crossfit.

Here is my question. Despite having had a sharp increase in muscle mass over the past few months, I still have a ring of fat around my middle. I have no muscle definition there and continue to jiggle. This is in sharp contrast with the rest of my body. Given my workout schedule, etc., I had expected that I might see some definition around now.

Any suggestions on how to address my belly fat issue? Do you think this is related to diet? Diabetes and premature cardiac death run rampant in my family, so my difficulty losing the belly fat is of concern, above and beyond my vanity.

flag	asked Jan 20 2011 at 21:46 Sara 611●4●8

What exercises are you doing at Crossfit? What numbers for rep/set/weight? – Phillip B Oldham Jan 20 2011 at 22:15

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11% BF, and you still have jiggle? Was the machine broken? – chantilly Jan 20 2011 at 22:35

I'm doing weight training roughly 3x a week with short metcons (usually couplets like bodyweight + weighted exercise or running + weighted exercise). Usually 1x a week I'm doing a longer metcon with weights. Lifts are usually 5x3 or 5x5 or something similar, 3 different exercises per week. My max backsquat is 185, deadlift 245, power clean 145. C&J is about 125, struggling with the jerk. Usually doing some body weight exercises on my own 3x a week (pull ups, pushups, toes to bar, b/c I struggle with those). I run a mile, hard, before the WOD 2x a week to build cardio – Sara Jan 20 2011 at 22:55

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what if that was some computer glitch that showed "11" instead of say "21"? – gn Jan 20 2011 at 23:01

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11% is extremely low for a female. I agree it smacks of error. You should ask for a retest. – Ambimorph Jan 21 2011 at 17:43

Stephen-Aegis · Accepted Answer · 2011-01-20 21:53:35Z UTC

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Cortisol.

Stress.

Solution: Sleep, ALOT more. Shoot for 10hrs. Take a nap.

Take steps to reduce chronic stress beyond that. My last step to seeing my abs was sleeping more.

answered Jan 20 2011 at 21:53

Stephen-Aegis
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was just about to say the same thing. definitively signs of some kind of suboptimal hormone expression. – Tom Jan 20 2011 at 22:22

This was going to be my answer too. – gilliebean♦ Jan 20 2011 at 22:49

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Also, sleeping more and better will help you to reduce your consumption of sugar. ;) – gilliebean♦ Jan 20 2011 at 22:50

Makes sense. My average sleep per night is prob 5-6 hours. – Sara Jan 20 2011 at 23:00

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That's likely our culprit then. Especially with how active you are. Be sure to come back and let us know about your results from sleeping more :) – Stephen-Aegis Jan 20 2011 at 23:25

Travis Culp · Answer 2 · 2011-01-20 22:48:28Z UTC

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11% seems far too low for a female.

answered Jan 20 2011 at 22:48

Travis Culp♦
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My understanding is only a concern when time for childbirth. – Stephen-Aegis Jan 20 2011 at 23:22

I don't think amenorrhea is good at any time. It brings along a whole host of other problems. – mari Jan 20 2011 at 23:51

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who said amenorrhea? – Stephen-Aegis Jan 24 2011 at 22:31

mari · Answer 3 · 2011-01-20 23:57:23Z UTC

I really doubt this is correct. I am at 18-20 percent body fat and a size 4. You would probably also present with amenorrhea, which you don't mention.

And in the end, what does a number matter? As I think you are seeing with the scale, a mirror or tape measure is a much better gauge of progress. I've gained about 15 pounds in the last few months, but no increase in body fat.

gone2croatan · Answer 4 · 2011-01-20 22:43:28Z UTC

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Do you happen to take hormonal birth control?

answered Jan 20 2011 at 22:43

gone2croatan
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Nope, no hormonal birth control. – Sara Jan 20 2011 at 22:49

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Then I go with Stephen's suggestion. – gone2croatan Jan 20 2011 at 23:10

David Leitner · Answer 5 · 2011-01-20 22:49:50Z UTC

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I would support the recommendations on sleep, cortisol, and other hormones, but at the same time, sometimes lower ab fat is just the last to go.

answered Jan 20 2011 at 22:49

David Leitner
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Aaron Curl · Answer 6 · 2011-01-20 23:33:41Z UTC

I remember a year ago Mark Sisson from Marks Daily Apple did a bodyfat test. I don't know if you have ever seen him or not but he is ripped. He asked readers to guess his bodyfat and the average guess was 6-7%. The test showed 11% (I just remember the actual being really high) if I remember correctly. Any way long story short, the results could be off. It's a machine ran by a human so errors can occur. If it's correct then congrats on the results!

Michelle olds · Answer 7 · 2011-01-21 00:12:40Z UTC

11% is VERY low for a female!! I do think those machines have glitches. I eat stricly paleo, do crossfit 2-3 times per week and I am very small, not a hard body but i have a flat stomach, wear a size 4 pant. Anyway when I started crossfit my body fat was 28%, I had one this same test done and the result came back that I was 30% bodyfat and at risk!!! I'm not in denial, I know the machine was wrong, there's not way possible. I'm in better shape now then I have every been and when I was out of shape I was at 28%. I would try to do it again if you can.

ILovePrimal · Answer 8 · 2011-01-20 22:06:41Z UTC

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Myotic Crunches and Cat Vomit (4 Hour Body)

(I might be kidding)

answered Jan 20 2011 at 22:06

ILovePrimal
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Jon Thoroddsen · Answer 9 · 2011-01-20 22:50:18Z UTC

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Few female athletes go below 14% bodyfat. 11% is extremely low for a woman!

Is it possible that you just have loose skin from dieting, or is it even possible that you have body dysmorhpia? Please check with a doctor!

Also, the flabby bits - as pointed out by Stephen-Aegis - might be caused by cortisol. Too much exercise and/or starvation will increase cortisol levels in your body.

answered Jan 20 2011 at 22:50

Jon Thoroddsen
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LOL! I did consider body dysmorphia! It seemed so niggly to be upset about this. I have had a few children, so considered the possibility it was merely extra skin, but was recently informed by my doc that it is, in fact, fat deposit. – Sara Jan 20 2011 at 22:57

So, your doctor is ok with this low body fat percentage? So I guess you are naturally very thin? Anyway, as a guy with a very persistent beer belly, I feel your pain :-) – Jon Thoroddsen Jan 20 2011 at 23:04

My doc was taken aback by the body fat percentage. He rushed to weigh me when I gave him my body fat % and seemed reassured when he found that my BMI is still on the high side (still normal, but on the border of overweight). I had also gained a few pounds from my last check up, despite being much smaller in regards to inches. I am 6'0 and a size 8, so while appearing quite thin, I am not emaciated and have defined muscle mass everywhere but my belly. So, maybe I'm just destined to have a larger belly! – Sara Jan 20 2011 at 23:10

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female fitness competitors complete around this level of BF% and they look ripped, no jiggle, lots of muscle definition,and they usually do not maintain it long-term. If a woman is reporting excess fat at 11% BF, then all I can say is - Pictures please. – chantilly Jan 21 2011 at 18:11

sherpamelissa · Answer 10 · 2011-01-20 22:55:07Z UTC

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Did you lose a lot of weight to get to this weight/body fat? I have excess skin that "jiggles" that I will probably never get rid of.

answered Jan 20 2011 at 22:55

sherpamelissa
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I dropped from a small size 14 to an 8... but didn't actually lose any weight. At this point I am gaining weight from where I was when I started. – Sara Jan 20 2011 at 23:03

Resurgent · Answer 11 · 2011-01-21 03:55:38Z UTC

The fact that you are so worried about not losing that belly ring of fat is perhaps the reason for cortisol and stress in my opinion. Just let go for a while. Go about your life with wild abandon and focus on other things, while maintaining the lifestyle you are leading now. It took me over 8 weeks to lose some stubborn spots, but what ultimately helped was just not thinking about it. Easier said than done - but worth a try. And I would second Stephen's suggestion on sleep.

jbone · Answer 12 · 2011-01-24 20:33:20Z UTC

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Doing too much cardio can be taxing and doesn't necessarily reduce bodyfat. You're on the right track with increasing your lean muscle mass. You should check out Body By Science for more on the topic.

answered Jan 24 2011 at 20:33

jbone
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AnnaK · Answer 13 · 2012-06-25 04:21:17Z UTC

I'm a size 00/XS, 5'7, weigh in at 119 lbs, and I consistently have 11-12% body fat on a Tanita scale. I also still have a tiny fat deposit under my belly button after having a child. I have pretty serious muscle everywhere else, and my stomach is completely flat except for the tiny lower belly "fat roll" that stubbornly sticks around.

I just wanted to let you know that it is possible to be at a super low body fat percentage and still have trouble spots - that fat has to go somewhere, right?

CB · Answer 14 · 2013-01-22 03:43:08Z UTC

I also just tested at 11% which I believe (because I have gained almost 9 lbs and 11% is an increase over 7.5%). I also have a big (relatively speaking) belly -- 26-27" despite the fact that I am 4'11" and 91 lbs. I have always been an apple rather than a pear, but it is hard for me to believe that my body fat is still too low when my waist size is consistently 4-6 sizes higher than my bust or hips. Maybe it's the sleep issue, I definitely don't get enough. I'm post-menopausal, so birthing a kid or lack of periods not an issue. I found your site as I'm trying to figure out do I really need to put on more fat, and can I do that without it all going to the belly?

Louise · Answer 15 · 2013-01-30 20:36:16Z UTC

I'm also at 11% body fat, it's stress and cortisol levels after training. You need to take Glycine in your protein shake after training 5g should do it. I had the same problem, my corisol level came down, my belly fat did too! Also watch your sugar intake, straight to the tummy!

Body fat doesn’t match up with mirror?

15 Answers