I have found, during my long stint of on-off dieting, that when I am losing or gaining weight, my back itches. I'm told by the sports therapist who treats me that I lose weight from my back first.

I have read about 'brown fat' that is situated in the upper back. Does it have any function (other than just sitting there)?

And does anyone else find that itching is another indication of fat loss, along with the purple ketostix? I have sometimes found my thighs itchy as well (sadly not as much as I'd like!).

Does massage have any fat reducing effect? I've had a couple specifically aimed at areas of body fat, but I haven't noticed any difference.

TIA, Clare

How totally odd... I've noticed lately that my back is itchy, I scrubb the he!! out of it in the shower, I hope it's cause I'm loosing NOT gaining. I can't make myself get on the scales, I just keep trudging along.

Jackie

Calleva,

I don't know about the brown fat or your loosing weight theory with your itching, but I do know that when I start itching in certain places, like my stomach or my scalp, it's the beginning of an over growth of yeast in my system and I immediately cut cheese out of my diet.

Yeast infections is a side affect of too much cheese (or beer) on this diet. It can be anywhere on your body and is not necessarily in the places we all think of. It also will stall your weight loss.

I had it happen on my stomach back in 2000. My doctor confirmed it was a yeast infection. I was under a lot of stress at that time, and ate cheese like crazy. It took a long time to go away. But now, as long as I watch my cheese intake, I'm fine. It starts off as an itch under the skin for a few days and then before you know it, BAM, a rash.

This may or may not have anything to do with your itching, but if you do eat a lot of cheese on this diet, you might want to cut back and I bet the itching goes away.

Sonya
172/133/125

Go Longhorns!

"Brown fat" is a dark-colored, mitochondrion-rich adipose cell in many mammals that generates heat to regulate body temperature during hibernation. It differs from "white fat" adipose cells which have many fewer mitochondria and much more lipid within the cell structure. Almost all newborn mammals (including humans) have a larger percentage of brown fat cells than adults, and hibernating mammals keep a high percentage of them through adulthood.

There are no distinct areas of brown adipose cells in the subcutaneous fat of adult humans - that I know of. The only way I know of to find these sparse and randomly scattered brown adipose cells is to put some excised fat on a slide and view it with a microscope. You might or might not see a few such cells.

Maggie
5'1"
Atkins since '98 (160)
Maintaining nicely (110)

Redhead until further notice!

Sonya

Interesting post, but I'm fairly sure that the itching I experience is different because I don't scratch it into a rash, and it happens mostly on my back. I noticed it when I was on low fat diets, which of course ruled out cheese though I did have restricted cottage cheese. When I itch, I lose.

Thanks Maggie for the info - fascinating.

Does anyone know if massage would help to break up fat deposits and help to get rid of it?

To the best of my knowledge, massage can do some wonderful things and make you feel great, but it can't break up fat cells or change the appearance of cellulite.

Sorry- I wish it was otherwise.

Les

This is so weird that you brought this up. My theighs have been itching for two mornings now and I keep thinking that something is biting me in my sleep! But reading all of this has helped me remember that when I was pregnant and my belly started to get bigger it itched like crazy from stretching. And since stretch marks can be created from quickly gaining OR losing weight I can only assume that losing weight may make you itch as well!!! I am fairly excited about this, another sign that things are moving! Thanks for this post!

Crystal
202/178/140
I can feel it melting away!