So I recently did a 20-day Water Fast and I got rid of loads of fat from my body. I didn't get rid of it all so as I broke my fast I began an exercise regime like I've never done before. And as I monitored my progress I realized my protruding belly is not all that much fat, it's like a bloated mass behind the fat and muscle.

If I look at my profile in the mirror, I look very skinny on most of my body - arms, legs, upper body, face. But my belly sticks out almost like those starving Ethiopian children you see on TV, but of course not as severe. I see this totally abnormal protrusion extending from right where my rib cage separates down to my waistline.

When I feel this mass, towards the top I cant really pinch any folds of fat between my fingers, but I do have a pretty decent size roll of fat down by the waistline which I can grab. This roll though makes a bump sticking out from the overall bloated area so it's not incorporated into it at all.

So behind this relatively thin layer of skin fat I can feel my abdominal muscles which I've been working hard on since breaking my fast 2 weeks ago and I'm really happy with the progress. But it seems nothing is making this bloated belly shrink down at all.

So I am pondering several questions...

Just what could this protrusion actually be? Is there fat behind the abdominal muscles that this could be? Is it bloating? How to tell?

Who can I consult about this? If I dont trust regular physicians, who can I see - a holistic doctor? A naturapathic doctor? I am totally unfamiliar with the terms and types of doctors in the alternative medicine field but I think that's the route I want to take. I would like to see someone who is qualified enough to take a look at me, give me some tests and diagnose what is going on with this belly.