Hi guys, I've been lurking here for awhile. Today I just really need some encouragement.
I've lost 30 pounds, and was feeling pretty good about it. Only 17 left. But three things have left me feeling discouraged.
1) I've been burning the candle at both ends at work the last two days--up early, to bed late. Last night I was exhausted and starving, and had some extra raw carrots (about 2 handfuls of the little ones), and a bowl of vegetable soup, beyond what I usually eat. Today I'm up 2 pounds.
2) I found an online calculator for body fat. Plugged in my waist (32"), hips (41") height (5') and weight (119)--all my fat is in my stomach--and came up with a body fat % of 39.94. Says the average for US females is 32%. "Acceptable" is 25-31%, and 32% plus is obese. Sigh. 30 pounds lost, I'm at 119--and still obese. Going by BMI, I thought I was at least finally in the OK zone.
So right now I'm 71.47 pounds lean, and 47.53 pounds fat. If I lose strictly fat, at 105 pounds, I'll STILL be obese--with 32% body fat! 102 would put me at 30% body fat--the high end of "acceptable." Not until 95 would I be 25% body fat, or skinny.
I guess I knew that about my body--even when I've been at my low weight before (102), I'm not thin. Still have a belly, and wouldn't dare try on designer jeans.
3) I had to get something from the top part of my closet today, so I thought I'd take a look at my thin clothes. They're not even that small--8's and 6's. Not even close. How am I possibly going to get from here to there in 17 pounds? Or won't I? Is this that situation where every time you gain and relose weight, you end up fatter than before?
Sorry to be Debbie Downer. I've been trying to keep optimistic, and reading here every night for encouragement, but today I'm feeling like I'm at the base of the hill, when I had thought I was so far along. (Sigh) And on top of that, I'm just plain hungry. I had been daydreaming about adding some more food to my routine--another fruit serving, another veggie--but this was a wake up call how far I still have to go.
Thanks for letting me vent!
Last edited by HungryHungryHippo; 06-19-2009 at 04:57 PM.
As encouragment~Let me say that we all goof up ~Noones perfect~119 is a dreamy number to most on here~so Remember it could be worse~remember there is many success stories on here...And many more to come...Just Hang in there And keep doing your best~thats all you can do.
As far as all those figures /Numbers/ect....If you feel great go with it~As long as your healthy~Sometimes those numbers vary and everyone is different.
Oh and scales go up and down a few pounds regulary so I wouldn't sweat it.Should be right back on track soon and never go to bed hungry...At least you ate healthy stuff~low in calories so you should be fine.
GOODLUCK & Congradulations on your success so far
My daughter is 5 '2" And weighs 165 and I think she is adorable~Not heavy looking at all and wearing a size 10 ~So I bet you look fabulous at 119! You gotta be pretty tiny at 5ft 119 lbs.
OK... well, I can see why you are feeling discouraged! But I think the missing component is exercise. Do you exercise? Do you do resistance training?
The reason I thought to ask is that someone at your weight would not normally have that high a body fat unless they had lost weight very quickly and remained sedentary at the same time. Have you lost by eating very low calories?
You should keep in mind that estimates based on body measurements can be completely off... The most accurate measure of body fat is done with immersion testing, and the next most accurate is the caliper test done by a trained professional (who is also good at it).
If your body fat is really that high, you can reverse what's happening, but I think you might need to gain some weight (in the form of lean body mass) before you can change that body fat percentage. And you may also need to change what you're eating.
Tell us more if you feel like it... And consider getting a referral to a dietitian or nutritionist--none of us here can really do much more than give you our ideas, and we're not professionals.
OK, breathe! Jay is right. You can't let one body fat calculator get you down. If you are really concerned about your body fat, you need a more accurate measuring tool. Even body fat scales aren't completely accurate.
How do you FEEL? Your waist and hip measurements are a bit larger than some chickies your height and weight, and body fat around the middle isn't healthy.
So, listen to what Jay said - she is a wise chick! Exercise, not necessarily weight loss is going to make you fitter.
I can hear your discouragement from here. 120 is just a number: it includes both your muscles and your fat. Jay is spot on. It just sounds like you need to exercise. And I would increase your calories to those servings of food you want--it may be just the thing to rev up your metabolism--and it sounds as if your body wants it!
Perhaps a consult with a fitness professional with recommendations at the end of it tailored for you and your goals is in order. I plan to see one at my local YMCA when I get close to done--as you really are!
You've come far and done well. I'd say you're just fine tuning your efforts now to get your body as close as it can be to what you want. Hang in there, kiddo.
Hi there! OK, online calculators aren't the be all and end all of calculators! To really assess your body fat, you need to go to a sports facility and have a dunk test done. This is the most accurate way to go. As for BMI, I would have more faith in this than the body fat calculator.
And according to your waist/hip ratio, you are well within the healthy range: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/waist-...io-calculator/
On the same site, there is a more advanced body fat calculator that needs your wrist and forearm measurements, so you may want to recheck your number...and your BMI is normal, too.
SO, what does this mean??? Well, you can change the shape of your body through exercise. You can lose some pounds if you LIKE, but I think exercise will be the key to changing your body shape.
Lori--thanks for the kind words. I'm betting at size 10, your daughter DOES look pretty great! Right now I wear a 12.
And thank ALL of you for the advice and encouragement!
You're right--I don't exercise a lot, and I am on a low-calorie diet. Somewhere around 800 calories a day. I know I've heard not to go below 1200, but at my height, that would only give me a weight loss of .25 pounds a week, bringing me to my goal September 27, 2010. (Ironically, 1 year and 1 day later than my actual target!)
I did try another body fat calculator that included measurements for calf, thigh, neck, and wrist, and came up with 31% body fat, since those aren't problem areas for me. But I feel like I'm cheating if I don't go with the stricter scale.
Exercise probably is the answer. Sigh. The most I can bring myself to do consistently is long walks.
Last edited by HungryHungryHippo; 06-20-2009 at 12:14 AM.
Sigh. The most I can bring myself to do consistently is long walks.
If that's the most you can bring yourself to do, then I suppose changing your body composition is not ALL that important to you, correct? You have to decide just how much this means to you and if it's something that you REALLY want to change then you will have to resolve to do what it takes to change it. That is up to you.
By the way, I'm a 5 footer as well, and I weigh a good 7, 8 lbs more then you (& I'm 45). At 119 lbs, I bet you look lots better then you think!
You HAVE come very far! And since we are all works in progress, you can still go farther and farther and farther, at any given time. There is no one or nothing to stop you. It's all within your own hands.
Hey again! Listen, it's not just the lack of exercise, it's that 800 calories a day.
If you are eating that low, then your body is using muscle and other lean mass as well as fat in order to keep your body functions going! You can't get proper nutrition eating that low--and your metabolism slows down. You may actually stall out in your loss. Your hair could start to fall out, your gums may start bleeding, your periods may stop, and that's not even considering the damage you could be doing to your bones and heart... Get the picture?
If you plan to start exercising, it is imperative that you eat more. Especially you need to add protein.
Dates don't matter as much as your health! I would really strongly suggest that you see a dietitian or nutritionist that specializes in food issues/eating disorders. You could be right on the edge of that, and it is not a good place to go! I don't mean to scare you... No wait, that's a lie. I do mean to scare you! Please consider changing what you are doing... You can lose weight with a more healthy approach.
Yes, Jay's right. I missed that 800 calorie thing. IMO, you need to get those numbers UP. I know us 5 footers don't require as much as the "average" person, but 800 calories is just not gonna cut it.
I think you need to look at your long term health here. There's really no way to get in enough nutrients/energy on that low a number. You're looking to lose fat here - not muscle and you don't want to be vitamin/mineral deficient, which is almost surely to happen.
So yes, add in some exercise, but add in some nutritious calories as well. We want you looking your best, but much more importantly feeling and being your best.
I just need some encouragement
But I think the missing component is exercise. Do you exercise? Do you do resistance training?
I don't mean to scare you... No wait, that's a lie. I do mean to scare you! Please consider changing what you are doing... You can lose weight with a more healthy approach. 