I Lost 40 Pounds and Finally Hit My Goal Weight. But I Still Looked "Skinny Fat" With My Shirt Off. Here's the Brutal Truth About Why Dieting Harder Made Everything Worse.

My husband said I looked great. My scale said I'd succeeded. But every morning I still grabbed my belly fat in the mirror and wanted to cry.

If you've lost weight but still hate how your stomach looks naked, this might be the most important thing you read today.

December 3, 2024 | 08:47 AM EST

Rachel Chen

I need to tell you something that took me 18 months and thousands of dollars in gym memberships to figure out:
 

You cannot diet or exercise your way to a firm stomach.
 

I know because I tried. God, did I try.

The Number That Was Supposed to Change Everything

You know that number. The one you've been obsessing over.

 

For me, it was 118.

 

It was March 15th, 2024. Around 6 AM.

 

I literally jumped off the scale and back on three times.

 

118.2. Then 118.4. Then 118.0.

 

I even moved the scale to a different spot on the bathroom floor.

 

Still 118.

 

I actually did it.

The Morning Mirror Check

My goal weight. The number I'd written on a sticky note eight months earlier. The number that was supposed to mean I'd finally made it.

 

I'd lost 40 pounds.

 

I was wearing size 4 jeans for the first time since college.

 

My sister kept asking if I was "okay" because I'd gotten so skinny.

 

Ten minutes later, I was standing sideways in front of my mirror, doing the check that I did every morning.

 

You know the routine.

 

Shirt up. That immediate stomach suck.

 

Turn sideways. Let it out slowly.

 

Pull the skin taut to see what it COULD look like if it was actually tight.

 

But there it was.

 

That little pooch. Still soft. Still moving when I walked.

 

Like it didn't get the memo that I'd hit goal weight.

 

I actually said out loud to my reflection: "Are you f*cking kidding me?"

 

How have I hit my goal weight but still have this belly?

The Promise Everyone Makes (That's Actually a Lie)

Every weight loss forum. Every fitness influencer. Every well-meaning friend. They all said the same thing:

 

"Just keep going! The belly is always the last to go!"

"You need to get down to 15% body fat to see abs."

"Try adding more cardio."

 

So I did what any rational person would do. I moved the goalposts.

 

Okay, so 118 wasn't it. That's fine. Maybe 115?

 

Actually, you know what? Maybe it's not the weight. Maybe I need to do more abs.

 

Or try that girl's routine on TikTok—the one with the perfect stomach who says she does 100 bicycle crunches every morning.

 

Or maybe I'm just not built for a flat stomach?

 

But then why did I look better at 140?

 

This makes no sense.

The Worst Part? Nobody Gets It.

"You look amazing!"

"I wish I had your problem."

"At least you can fit into small sizes."

 

My mom actually said—and I quote—"You're getting too thin, sweetie. You need to eat."

TOO THIN? Lady, have you SEEN my stomach? I wanted to lift my shirt right there at brunch and be like, "THIS. THIS IS THE PROBLEM."

 

But you can't do that.

 

Because then you're the skinny girl complaining about being fat.

 

You're fishing for compliments.

 

You're "ungrateful."

The Dressing Room Moment That Changed Everything

It was the July 4th weekend. Nordstrom Rack.

 

I was trying on swimsuits for my cousin's pool party. I'd grabbed a bunch of size XS bikinis, confident they'd fit.

 

They did fit. Technically.

 

But under those fluorescent lights, in that three-way mirror, I saw the truth:

 

I looked worse than when I started.

 

Yes, I was smaller. But I was also... deflated? Like someone had let the air out of a balloon.

 

My stomach wasn't just soft—it was loose. Saggy, almost.

 

I sat on that little bench in the dressing room and googled "why does my stomach look worse after weight loss."

 

That's when I discovered the term that explained everything: skinny fat.

The Science Nobody Talks About

Here's what months of obsessive research taught me:

 

When you lose weight through calorie restriction and cardio, you lose both fat AND muscle. Your body doesn't discriminate.

 

But here's the kicker:

You often lose muscle faster than fat, especially from your core.

 

So yes, the scale goes down. Your clothes get smaller. But your body composition—the ratio of muscle to fat—actually gets WORSE.

 

That's why I could be 30 pounds lighter but somehow look softer.

 

That's why my stomach jiggled more at 112 pounds than it did at 140.

 

That's why no amount of ab workouts could create definition when there was no muscle left to define.

The Thing I Found at 2 AM That Actually Made Sense

It was 2 AM, I was on page 6 of Google search results for 'why does my stomach look worse after weight loss reddit' when someone mentioned red light therapy.

 

Not for weight loss. For "body recomposition."

 

They explained that specific wavelengths of red and near-infrared light could penetrate deep into tissue and trigger something called lipolysis.

 

The breakdown of fat cells—while preserving muscle mass.

 

- NASA had been studying it since the 1990s.

- Athletes were using it for recovery.

- High-end spas were charging $200 per session for "body contouring."

 

But here's what caught my attention:

 

This person said red light therapy could target visceral fat—the deep, stubborn fat around organs that doesn't respond to diet.

 

The exact type of fat that makes your stomach look soft even when you're underweight.

 

The exact reason you look skinny fat.

My Extremely Skeptical First Purchase

The stuff I wasted money on while being desperate:

  • Waist trainers ($89)
  • "Fat burning" cream ($67)
  • Those weird ab stimulator things ($125)
  • A program that promised to "blast belly fat" ($197)

So when I found LumaLean Ultra, I was skeptical. 

 

Another gadget. Another promise. Another disappointment waiting to happen.

 

But then I saw something that made me pause...

 

This girl's before photo looked EXACTLY like me.

 

Not 'overweight trying to lose 50 pounds' like most before/afters. But actually at goal weight with that same soft, frustrating stomach.

 

Her after? Same weight. Completely different stomach.

 

I Screenshot It. Showed My Husband.

 

'This is probably fake, right?'

 

He just looked at me with this sad expression and said, 'Rachel, just try it. If it doesn't work, we'll return it. But you have to try SOMETHING different because what you're doing is making you miserable.

 

So I ordered it and here's how it went

Week 1-2:

The belt arrived in this surprisingly nice box. Inside was this wide belt covered in what looked like tiny red beads—150 of them, each containing multiple LED lights.

 

The instructions were simple: Wrap it around your midsection. Turn it on. Relax for 20 minutes.

 

That's it? No sweating? No crunches? Just... sitting there?

 

The first time I used it, I felt warmth. Not hot, just... warm. Like sunshine on your skin.

 

I used it while watching Netflix. Twenty minutes later, I was done.

 

It honestly didn't feel like much. No immediate results. No magical transformation.

 

I figured I'd been scammed again.

 

Week 3:

I wasn't even doing The Check that morning. I was just getting dressed for work when I caught my reflection.

 

Something looked... different.

 

Not dramatically different. But my stomach looked less puffy.

 

Tighter, maybe?

 

I did The Check. Still soft, but there was something else.

 

A firmness underneath that wasn't there before.

 

My husband noticed too. "Your posture looks better," he said. "You're not doing that thing where you constantly adjust your shirt."

 

He was right. I hadn't realized I'd stopped pulling my shirt down every time I stood up.

 

Week 6:

Week 6 was when I cried. Good tears this time.

 

I was getting ready for date night and grabbed this bodycon dress I'd bought during my "goal weight shopping spree."

 

You know, the clothes you buy for your "future body."

 

It had been hanging in my closet with the tags on. Mocking me.

 

I put it on expecting to do my usual routine—shapewear, strategic posing, ultimately changing into something flowier.

 

But I looked... normal.

 

Not Instagram model perfect. Not magically transformed.

 

Just... normal.

 

Like my stomach finally matched the rest of me.

 

I wore the dress. No shapewear. Ate pasta at dinner.

 

Didn't once adjust or smooth it down.

 

My husband said "You didn't ask me if you looked bloated even once tonight."

 

Month 3:

Three months later, there was another pool party. Labor Day weekend.

 

I went back to Nordstrom Rack.

 

But this time, I grabbed a different kind of suit.

 

A two-piece. Not a bikini exactly—one of those cute high-waisted bottoms with a supportive top.

 

The kind that shows your midsection.

 

In that same horrible three-way mirror, under those same fluorescent lights, I saw a completely different person.

 

Same weight: 118 pounds.

Same size: XS.

Completely different body.

 

My stomach was flat. Not just "flat for me" or "flat if I suck in."

 

Actually flat. With a hint of definition on the sides.

 

I wore that string bikini to the party.

 

No cover-up. No strategic positioning. No pillow clutching on the lounge chairs.

 

Just me, confident, in a bikini, eating chips and guacamole like a normal person.

The Science of Why This Actually Works

Here's what I learned after going full nerd on the research:

 

Red light therapy at specific wavelengths (660nm red + 850nm near-infrared) does three things diet can't:

  1. Penetrates deep enough to reach visceral fat - the stubborn fat that surrounds your organs and doesn't respond to calorie restriction
  2. Triggers lipolysis without muscle loss - breaks down fat cells while preserving the muscle that creates definition
  3. Improves cellular metabolism - helps your cells produce more ATP (energy), which improves how your body processes and eliminates fat

The key is power and coverage.

 

Regular red light devices have maybe 50-100 weak LEDs.

LumaLean Ultra has 450 lights delivered through 150 high-density beads.

 

It's literally 4X more powerful than anything else I researched.

What I Wish Someone Had Told Me 18 Months Ago

You cannot diet your way to the body you want.

 

You can diet your way to a smaller body. A lighter body.

 

But not necessarily a better-looking body.

 

The stomach you hate isn't about willpower. It's not about eating less or exercising more.

 

It's about targeting the right type of fat in the right way.

 

I spent 18 months destroying my metabolism, losing my period, and making my husband worry about my mental health.

 

All because I thought the answer was to just keep getting smaller.

 

The answer was never about getting smaller. It was about getting better.

If You're Still Doing The Morning Check

Listen. I know you're probably reading this at midnight, grabbing your stomach, wondering what's wrong with you.

 

Nothing is wrong with you.

 

You're not lazy. You're not undisciplined. You didn't 'do it wrong.'

 

You just need different technology for a different type of fat.

 

Stop moving the goalposts.

Stop punishing yourself.

Stop thinking 'just 5 more pounds.'

 

Those 5 pounds won't come from where you want them to.

 

Trust me. I tried to lose 20 more and nearly lost my period permanently.

LumaLean Ultra was the only thing that helped me.

 

LumaLean Ultra is what those cheap belts and diets wish they could be.

America's Fastest-Growing Fat Loss Device: Over 10,000 Transformation

RM

Robyn M M

Verified Purchase

"I love it. I use mine every day on my belly and every other day on my thighs. I am starting to see a big difference in appearance and tone. Nothing else has worked to help eliminate my menopause belly, but this seems to be working. I have been using it for 2 weeks now."

HC

Haley C

Verified Purchase

“After my third baby, I struggled with stretch marks, saggy skin, and stubborn weight that wouldn’t budge no matter how much yoga I did. My dermatologist recommended red and near-infrared light therapy, so I tried the LumaLean belt. In just 5 days, I lost 2 inches off my hips, my stretch marks started fading, and I dropped 10 pounds in a week. This belt is truly incredible!”

TR

Tiffany R

Verified Purchase

"I struggle with chronic illness and stubborn belly fat, but the Lean Pro belt has made a huge difference. My clothes fit smoother, my confidence is coming back, and I can even use it while resting on flare-up days. I absolutely love it!"

These results are not rare.

 

Thousands of women are seeing the same improvements, finally getting relief after years of frustration.

How Much Does LumaLean Ultra Cost?

Elite med-spas charge $300+ per session for clinical-grade red light therapy. You'd need 12-24 sessions for full results — that's $3,600 - $7,200+.

 

We're committed to making this technology accessible to every woman who needs it.

 

That's why right now, you'll receive 38% OFF your order, plus FREE shipping (worth $12). And that's not all!

 

On top of that, you'll get 2 FREE gifts: the LumaSculpt and the Nomend Sculpt 30 day program.

 

You're never locked into payments. One purchase. Own it forever. Use it as much as you want.

 

Plus, you're protected by our 60-Day Money-Back Guarantee. Try it risk-free. If you don't see results, we'll refund every penny.

 

Click below to claim your discount now.

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IMPORTANT UPDATE

Since writing this article, demand has never been higher. Women are sharing their experiences on social media, and stock is flying off the shelves. Be sure to claim your discount without delay.

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