[ohmanilovegod]

I can identify with the title 'skinny fat' that I've seen being used on the forum. I have a low body weight but I'm still fluffy around my middle and my legs. Iguess this is because I lost about 20 pounds through diet and I didn't ever have a regimented exercise program. I have so many questions, please help me!
1. i know I should have lost my weight through diet and exercise. Is it still too late to catch up
2. Can I still expect to see the scale go down? I'm about 120lbs. Won't healthy eating + exercise cause my fat to burn and my muscle to strengthen... causing me to gain weight (due to muscle mass)?
3. How Often should I measure my body widths
4. Did I destroy muscle by not exercising? Is that why I am still bloated looking in areas? Did I damage my body by doing this? I hear all of these horror stories about how muscle can be used for feul rather than body fat.
I eat well. While I don't count calories, I never really restrict myself, I jut make healthful choices. I am studying to be a dietitian, I know how to eat well
I notice people who lost weight the right way (like Meg... everyones rightful hero) and her weight after the loss stands around 135. At a similar height, with more body fat and weighing in at 15 lbs less than she does, I can only come to the conclusion that I can expect to gain weight in order for my body to even out. I don't have such a problem with this as long as I know what to expect. What am I looking for here... weight gain or loss

Currently I am eating the same way... around 1200-1400 calories a day but I'm incorporating running into my schedule every other day. I've worked myself up to about 25 minutes. I think my thigh's are firming up after 2 weeks or so but that may just be wishful thinking. Thank you girls...

[ennay]

You may gain, you may lose. If you keep your eating under control you may stay about the same but shrink in size.

But if you wanna LOOK like Meg, then you have to LIFT like Meg! You got your cardio - and I think that is a good start for your cardiovascular system and health, now add your weights to build back any muscle you may have lost.

It's too late to worry about damage done or not done in the past...just focus on the future

[ohmanilovegod]

Can you build back the muscle you have lost or are you just making the best of what you have left?


Sorry for so many questions. Thanks Ennay... you're awesome

[beerab]

But you have to also remember weight is also a NUMBER- you might find that working out and building muscle after one year you may weigh 135 lbs, BUT be a size smaller than you are now cuz you have no bloating and are toned up. That's why women wrestlers are slightly heavier than normal women- but they are hella toned! The ones that bulk up do so cuz they take steroids.

And you won't gain 10 lbs overnight- muscle takes a LONG time to build up- and yes muscle weighs more than fat because it's more DENSE than fat- it does not take up more space.

If you look at this photo

http://home.earthlink.net/~tinkerbell-57/FatVMuscle.jpg

you'll see that five pounds of muscle takes up a LOT less space than 5 lbs of fat.

Good luck!

[JulieJ08]

Originally Posted by ohmanilovegod

Can you build back the muscle you have lost

Absolutely!

Originally Posted by ohmanilovegod

or are you just making the best of what you have left?

No way!

You don't "destroy" muscle and then you can never build it again. You'll do just fine.

[nelie]

Muscle isn't destroyed, it is atrophied. When you start working with weights, your body realizes that it needs to start using a higher percentage of the muscles you have so it starts 'building' them.

[BlueToBlue]

No, it's not too late to catch up! That's the thing about decisions relating to diet and exercise--nothing's permanent. If you make decision you later regret, you can always fix it later.

I'm not an expert by any means, but from what I've read, you did probably lose muscle mass along with fat when you dieted without exercising. In fact, from what my trainer tells me (and he is something of an expert, lots of certifications, almost has his degree in kinesiology), the cardio you are doing now may be doing the same thing. Cardio is fabulous for losing weight and getting your heart and lungs in good shape, but it won't build muscle mass. You've got to be lifting weights--and heavy ones at that. I wouldn't drop the cardio altogether--having a healthy heart and lungs is important--but I would definitely add weight lifting to your exercise routine.

At 120 lbs and 5'3", it's going to be hard for you to lose much more weight. But gaining muscle doesn't necessary mean that you will gain weight. It's entirely possible that you'll lose a little fat while you are gaining muscle and not see any change in your weight. But you'll be happier with how you look and your measurements will be smaller. It's also possible you'll gain weight from muscle mass, but, I would expect this to happen very slowly--think in terms of years.

[Meg]

Gack, why would you want to look like me?! I'm built along the lines of a tree stump. But I'm tickled at your thread title and yep, I understand your point.

Mel is the best example of someone I know who dramatically changed her body without losing weight. Once she reached goal, she was still unhappy with how she looked. She had achieved her goal weight but not her goal body. She started the BFL program and in 12 weeks she went down two pants sizes. And gained two or three pounds in the process. Was she a "failure" because she gained a few pounds? I don't think so!!

Everyone who posted is right -- not much we do with our bodies is permanent (especially weight loss since we have to work hard to keep the weight off every day!) And it's possible to reshape your body at any age and at any stage of the weight transformation project. You can completely change the size and shape of your body right now without losing one additional pound. Or perhaps even gaining a little weight -- but who cares because it will be muscle weight and that's wonderful, precious stuff.

This is the time to change your focus from scale numbers to inches and body composition. The scale isn't giving you an accurate picture of what's going on inside your body. It tells you total pounds you weigh but not whether they're pounds of lean body mass (good stuff) or fat. Start off by taking your measurements and write them down. Plan to remeasure in four weeks. Have you ever had your body fat percentage checked? That should be your second step.

Once you know where you stand with measurements and body composition, it's time to transform your body! The way you're going to do it is with exercise, specifically with building muscle. Why build muscle? As you can see with the photo Beerab posted, muscle is much smaller and tighter than fat, so when you add muscle, you'll be much smaller and tighter. Plus muscle is metabolically active, which means it's burning calories 24/7, even when you're asleep. That means you can eat more and still maintain your weight loss. Yay!!

I highly recommend that you start with a program that's all laid out for you and easy to follow. The original Body For Life by Bill Phillips is a fantastic program and we have a group of active BFLers posting in the Weightlifting forum. They would welcome you with open arms if you decided to join them! Another great resource is the New Rules Of Lifting For Women. We've had members following that program with great results too.

When I look back on my year of weight loss, I'm so grateful that I started lifting weights at the beginning of my journey, for so many reasons. I don't think I would have stuck it out for 122 pounds if I hadn't fallen in love with weightlifting and I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I would never have kept the weight off without weightlifting. It has changed my body and my life profoundly and in unanticipated ways (see my ode to weightlifting here). I hope you pick up some dumbbells and fall in love too. I promise you'll never regret it!

[ohmanilovegod]

Yay!! Meg, you're my hero! Thanks everyone! I really appreciate all of the help you've given me. I am so excited for this next phase of my weight-removal journey. I had my boyfriend pick up a copy of Body For Life from the library. The transformations on the inside covers are sensational! The women look like a bunch of Megs! I'm sure they aren't half as wonderful though He also got me a copy of body-for-life for women. I didn't even know this existed. It's written by a different person (a woman) but it's based on the same principles so I think I'm going to give it a try. 12 weeks seems like such a short and such a long period of time all in one. I'm not crazy about her writing style, it's all about factors that are against/for women on a weight loss journey and to me it just seems like beginning fluff. Where's the beef? I haven't gotten to a part with any plan of action yet so I feel like skipping through and reading the rest of the book as needed. I'm SO excited. You are amazing women and I feel so lucky to have stumbled upon you in this site. I'm so appreciative and I will definitely keep you posted on my progress. Thanks!!!!