Squishy Fat

May 20, 2010

So, this is going to sound completely strange to some. And gross to many. Apologies now.

I’ve noticed this every time I lose a chunk of weight. I always ask people that have lost weight if they had any idea of what I was talking about, and their blank stares gave me the answer. So for this, I ask you, my blog family.

Image via SanFranAnnie on Flickr

When I lose weight, I get jiggly fat. It’s squishy. I can mold it and roll it and tuck it into itself. When I’m heavier, my fat is firm. Harder, more rounded, fuller (how I’d like my boobs to be at some point, but I digress). When I lose weight in chunks, I get squishy, jiggly fat. I know that when I get squishy fat, I’m doing a good job.

I’ve attempted to come up with a scientific explanation to explain my crazy.  In each of our bodies, we have fat cells. Our fat cells can be full (uh, fat), or they can be more empty and small. When you lose weight, you don’t lose fat cells, you only shrink the volume in the fat cell. Unless you have liposuction, you’re stuck with the number of cells in your body. Could it be, that I’m noticing my fat cells shrinking and thus since the volume in the cell is less, the skin is more pliable? Or do I need to be committed and this whole blog post deleted?

Seriously- is there ANYONE out there who knows what the hell I’m talking about? And if you think I’m nutso, you can say that too.

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Tagged as: fat cells, loose skin, lose weight

  • http://alithinks.com Alison

    I have squishy fat (which I can roll between my fingers) below my belly button. I totally get what you are saying.

  • http://twitter.com/tashalee Natasha Lee Collier

    I totally know what you mean.

  • PurpleKelly

    I know EXACTLY what you're talking about. After a 90lb loss, I've got it badly right now.

  • Jessica

    You're not nuts. I've always been convinced there are two sorts of fat. My flab has always been, well, flabby. My college roommate, while more overweight than I, always had “firm” fat. I envy her because she can wear sleeveless shirts and shorter skirts with no problem, whereas my upper arms have a distinctive “bat wing” appearance and my thighs are not particularly shapely.

  • Rach

    I've only ever had squishy fat, so I don't know what's going on. Although as a child, I used to wonder how my mother's belly could be so large, & yet so firm. I just figured she was an anomaly of some kind. Huh. Now I'm curious.

  • http://fuckyoucookie.com/ Chris Pugh

    I know what you're exactly talking about because I've been noticing the exact same thing. I believe hard fat is fat that hasn't gotten a lot of blood pumping through it.

  • http://diaryofcurvyjones.com Curvy Jones

    Hmm… I have never experienced that but my fat has never been firm, so…. ???

  • Alanna

    Yes, that's exactly what happens to me! I've lost about 90 lbs so far, and every 10-15 I notice my stomach is squishy. Then it seems to slowly shrink, and then gets squishy again- like it keeps deflating and then shrinking. You're not crazy! Sometimes I almost hate it because I have this weird, saggy, pinched-in skin, instead of just being nice and smooth (but fatter :)

  • http://www.thrivepersonalfitness.com/ Pamela Hernandez

    You're not nuts! :) I have a thought about it and what you are experiencing. Depending on your weight loss program, if it is just calorie reduction or calorie reduction and cardio, you are losing muscle as you go as well as fat. So you are smaller but squishier. I would suggest adding weight training to maintain and build muscle mass.

  • Cathy

    I do know what you mean and I agree with your explanation of why.

    It almost scares me from losing more weight, thinking that I'll just be a hanging mess.

  • Raine

    It's thought to be water-filled fat cells.
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-wh…

  • http://michelleslowcarblifestyle.com MIchelle

    Wow Emmie, I never really thought of it that way. I have gotten some squsishy fat in my stomach area and definitely in my arms.

  • http://michelleslowcarblifestyle.com MIchelle

    Wow, never thought of it that way. Yeah, I got some squishy fat in my stomach area from my weight loss.

  • http://www.finallyfiguringitout.blogspot.com MB

    You're not nutso. My opinion is that when you lose fat, especially if you lose it quickly, your skin doesn't have time to shrink so you have more squishy pliable skin to play with. After you've stabilized your weight and if your young enough and still have enough elasticity in your skin it will eventually shrink down some but, of course, quick massive weight loss requires surgery to lose all that extra skin that has nowhere to go.

  • http://marshmallowfluff2010.blogspot.com Leah

    You are definitely not crazy!! I get that as well. What's worse though, I can make my belly talk with my squishy fat… I just need to draw eyes and a nose on my stomach and I'll have a face! Lol.

  • http://www.skinnyemmie.com skinnyemmie

    Thanks for the link! It really makes a lot of sense!

  • http://www.skinnyemmie.com skinnyemmie

    I can't believe so many people actually understood what the heck I was talking about!!!

  • babybubbles

    I have this right now and I've only lost 5 lbs! Completely understand and relate. Glad for the link as well. I think that's **part** of my own demotivation for losing weight – I feel like I get worse before I get better because of that saggy fat instead of the firm stuff. Hang in there Emmie! We're all there with you.

  • Pingback: Body Rebellion — Skinny Emmie Weight Loss Blog

  • Liz

    HI Emmie,

    I just found your blog and I am trying to read all your earlier entries. I totally know what you mean about the squishy fat. I’m trying to lose 100lbs in a year right now and everything is jiggling. While I know it is a good sign for me, my butt has never, ever jiggled (I’ve been lucky with that) and now I feel like the gosh darn Jello Girl, very, very annoying.

    I hope this helps you feel not crazy or at least not alone in your crazyness.

    Liz

  • jen

    I am going through exactly what you describe and while my fat is getting squishy I’m in a weight loss stall…I really think its my bodies way of preparing the fat to be lost. I’m assuming the fat must fill its cells with maybe water retention to then be eventually flushed when my weight loss stall ends and I lose like 5 pounds in a week. i have never lost this much weight before but also have never experienced squishy fat…its new to me but totally real. I can move it I can mold it…I’m just worried about the skin shrinking back.

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