i am currently hovering between 177-180. i am 5'8.5-5'9 so my "normal weight" is 164-169 (169 also happens to be my 100lbs) . I hit 168.8 ONCE for about a day, and then went right back up to 172 and hovered.
It's been 4 months. I am losing/gaining the same 5 lbs, but I am developing wicked muscle, my belly fat is getting tighter, but i am no longer losing inches.
I eat 80/20 clean
I work out, A LOT.
I find that if I eat any less (I eat low cal/high volume) I become prone to binging/ cranky etc etc.
I am active.
I have not had my BF measured, but everytime I have had a recommendation to lose weight, it's always taken me to about 180 lbs (recommended weight) I have a large frame, size 8.5 feet, and 7 inch wrists. I would guesstimate I am carrying about 10 lbs of just skin as well.
If you were "stuck" as I am, would you call it, or would you keep pushing? Would you take a maintenance break?
The only thing I can see getting lower numbers (and yes, it is 100% a number thing at this point. I would like to be hovering between 164-169, 170 being redline). But what I can see is cutting cals, and exercise, losing some fat/muscle, and then building again. Now, I know that's not smart but??
I don't even know how to approach it anymore haha suggestions?
I totally get what you are saying. It is just numbers, but that mentality an be so hard to overcome! I was/am in the same position. My scale number is on the higher end of my height range, and in order to go lower, I would really have to get crazy with my calories and possibly lose muscle, etc. it wouldn't be impossible, but to me, it just isn't worth it.
Do you like the way you look now? How do your clothes fit? I keep reminding myself that even though my number isn't what I would love, my body looks the way I want, and that's the point, right?
My 'advice for others' side is telling me to say take a maintenance break if you want. Don't drive yourself crazy over the numbers. My 'what I would actually do' side is saying I would never be happy stopping so close to goal. Could you switch it up some? Try radically different exercise than you are doing now. Maybe try cycling your calories. Lift heavy weights. Just try something different to confuse your body.
All that being said - I am no where near goal. Feel free to spit this back at me when I come here asking the same question in a couple months. Maybe someone who has hit goal will have better advice...
I find that it can be helpful to focus on non-body-related numbers for a while; one more mile run each week, heavier weights lifted, more time spent stretching (although with all the yoga you do, I'm sure you have that covered!)... that sort of thing.
You could also tweak your diet for the same purposes; eat an extra serving of veggies each day in place of a serving of pasta, drink an additional cup of green tea every day.
If you are looking for another way aside from weight to check your body's progress, how about switching to a measuring tape? Body fat testing via most methods varies wildly, but taking periodic measurements of your waist, hips, thighs, bust, etc. can give you a much better idea of what is actually going on, and should be more consistent.
My question is what are you basing you goal numbers on? an old weight you once were? If so then were you anywhere near in the same sort of physical shape you are in now? Muscle is heavy and small so if you are comparing just your weight to an old you, the old "smaller" (in lbs) you may have actually been physically bigger.
Id recommend go by what the mirror tells you and not the scale. continue toning any problem areas and have your goals now be more along the lines of (realistic!) body composition
I think finding the sweet spot is hard to find. I have a number as well, but it might be the right one or might not. It's especially hard if you are larger framed because you almost feel like you are 'cheating' or exaggerating that YES, this is a good weight for me, despite the charts say I SHOULD weigh less.
I know for me, I want to get my BF tested when I get to that sweet spot (haven't gotten there yet). That will be more of a mental validation for me to let the idea of a lower number on the scale go. At my gyms, several times a year they have a bodpod test. When I am where I want to be, or think I am where I want to be, I'm going to do the test and see if I'm at the fitness level/fat level I want or not. If I'm below 25% body fat, no matter WHAT the scale says, I will call the scale work finished and will just work on fitness from there - as it's the fitness that makes me feel good and move well and keeps me healthy - not the number on the scale.
Last edited by berryblondeboys; 09-20-2012 at 09:35 AM.
We set goals when we start to lose based on averages and what we think is a good ending number when we are obese. We might remember a time when we were that weight and were happy with it. We need a starting point and this makes sense The reality is that it might not be practical now. We have to allow for a "wait and see" option.
I was about 145 in high school and about 155 in my 30s before I let my weight get out of control. I picked 152 as a final weight based on that and on the fact that it was an even 100 pounds to lose. I joined a gym and exercised. I got in better shape than I was. I think I'm "healthy." At about 80 pounds lost, I had no loose skin. At 90 pounds lost, I have loose skin that is noticeable on my thighs and arms. I don't want that to get worse for purely reasons of vanity. So I stopped. I decided to hold steady for a while. It's almost a year of bouncing between 160 and 165. The skin situation is the same. At my age, I guess this is as good as it will be. Being obese for 25 years has taken it's toll.
All this is to say I know exactly how you feel. You're torn between hitting a goal that was set a long time ago and being able to live and maintain pretty easily at a pretty healthy weight. Don't think of it as quitting. Take a maintenance break. See how it goes. Then decide if you want to drop even 2 more pounds. Then do it again. And again until you get where you want to be. You might be there right now. Just don't think of it as stopping short of your goal. It took me a while to get that thought in my head. You aren't quitting. You're changing your game plan to suit what is reality now. Good luck. And congratulations on what you've done so far.
I totally feel where you are coming from! I was in the same position a few months back (not even kidding same height and weight). I did a mixture of what other people have already told you. First, I took a break from the scale (like two months)... I didn't go into maintenance but just kept tracking my calories and reminded myself this is a calories eaten calories burned thing, eventually the scale number will fall I was just getting too caught up in it daily. Second, I switched up my workouts. I started doing more weights and less cardio. Third, I switched to eating pretty much only lean protein, fruit, veggies, limited amounts of very whole grain/high fiber carbs and of course I can not resist my bit of chocolate per day. Sure enough I decided to step on the scale again a few weeks ago and was down from 170 to 158... I'm still at it for the last bit though, no way I can settle now.
Not sure if any of this will help you, as we all know everyone is very different. Whether you choose maintenance for a while or keep at it I wish you the best, stay strong!
see that's the weird thing, logically, i've been at this long enough to know what's up, but mentally.... im kicking and screaming.
so, in order of appearance:
ChickieChicks is it bad, that mentally, i would rather see the lower number, then a new muscle ripping through?? okay, i admit it's bad, but I WANNA!! (imagine a kicking, screaming, red faced tamper tantrum inserted here hahaha). My body looks fine- but i've never been, "dissatisfied with it". even at my highest weight, it's a beautiful, strong body, full of stories. it is healthy, and i both love, and respect it. that being said, my clothes feel fine, i wear a size 8, muscle definition is good, i have a little bit of tummy "pooch" it's getting fitter, but i know it won't go away completely because of loose skin.
gatorgirl6 it's funny, because this feels exactly like a maintenance break. i'm not losing, or gaining, but i can't cut calories any lower without the ED monster coming out to play. so, it's like, i'm eating calories to lose, but staying still- clearly that means that i'm afraid of upping food because literally, 180's scare me.
JossFit your advice is always so good! i've actually kicked the bucket, and started going to the gym- i'm back to running (still as sporadically as ever, but i'm trying for 3x a week min.). i have also picked up some exercise classes at the gym, kettlebells mostly, with a little spinning. The diet tweak is what scares me- I currently eat VERY minimal grains, like, I had a piece of sourdough bread with dinner last night, and I'm magically up 2 lbs. THANKS BODY. I also stopped counting calories "officially" I do have a count every 1-2 weeks and im eating between 1500-1700 (i'm extremely active), drinking about 3litres of water a day). Do you think adding a serving (like half a cup) of grains, like buckwheat or quinoa would do the trick? Also, measurements wise- NOTHING IS MOVING!! Like, it's getting tighter, visibly, definition is coming out, but the inches haven't moved. that's why i'm so confused haha
pnkrckpixikat my goal number is based on the top range of my BMI for my height. I know that this is a sometimes WRONG methodology, but it is something I feel like I can/could achieve.
I have a goal weight of 165...but I don't know that I'll ever get there. Not because I can't just because I'm more of what size I want to wear type of gal. Either a size 10 or 8 whichever feels the best.
i am currently hovering between 177-180. i am 5'8.5-5'9 so my "normal weight" is 164-169 (169 also happens to be my 100lbs) . I hit 168.8 ONCE for about a day, and then went right back up to 172 and hovered.
It's been 4 months. I am losing/gaining the same 5 lbs, but I am developing wicked muscle, my belly fat is getting tighter, but i am no longer losing inches.
I eat 80/20 clean
I work out, A LOT.
I find that if I eat any less (I eat low cal/high volume) I become prone to binging/ cranky etc etc.
I am active.
I have not had my BF measured, but everytime I have had a recommendation to lose weight, it's always taken me to about 180 lbs (recommended weight) I have a large frame, size 8.5 feet, and 7 inch wrists. I would guesstimate I am carrying about 10 lbs of just skin as well.
If you were "stuck" as I am, would you call it, or would you keep pushing? Would you take a maintenance break?
The only thing I can see getting lower numbers (and yes, it is 100% a number thing at this point. I would like to be hovering between 164-169, 170 being redline). But what I can see is cutting cals, and exercise, losing some fat/muscle, and then building again. Now, I know that's not smart but??
I don't even know how to approach it anymore haha suggestions?
This hits home for me. I have a LOT of muscle for a woman of 5 4" and throughout my 20's and 30's I weighed on average 136-145. When I would go into a doctors office, their first reaction would be - "The charts say you're approaching obesity ..." Now, I was a size 3 and if I went down to the recommended 125, I would have been an unsightly twig. Now I'm mid 40's and still have good muscle - my coach said I could get down to 130 easy but I set my goal at 150 because my body LIKES that number. Yes, I can (and will a little bit) get lower but it's next to impossible for me to maintain. If you are taking care of yourself, you body will FIGHT like all **** to get to IT'S desired weight - not the scales Call it a goal - you look great!
Edit: Apparently I missed some folks on the first reply.
So, here's the other edit.
berryblondeboys first, i have to say that I always enjoy reading your posts tremendously, you seem like a very patient, and determined person! congrats on all of the work you have done. I actually have no idea what my BF % is currently at, but I did buy a Groupon recently for a gym right near my house where i've been doing some kettlebell work, and it came with 2 personal training sessions and fit test, i haven't gotten around to signing up and talking to them about it, (as in i've been putting it off and off and off) but I will be setting that as my new goal to do at the beginning of next week. isn't the whole "large framed" thing a huge blessing and a curse? when i tell people i weigh nearly 180, i get dropped jaws. when i tell people i wear a size 8 at 180, i get told to shut the front door. maybe blame this one on being young, green, and stupid- but i've always had the fitness level. even at nearly 270 lbs, i was FIT. i'm built like a log, i put on muscle but just thinking of it, but leaning out is a whole different thing.
linJber you know what's funny? 180 was my original goal, and i lowered it because i wasn't happy. the first time around (in april) i smoked straight past it, i don't even think i saw 180 and went straight to 179. my body has never been this small before, i literally do not remember 180 on the scale on the way up, my only memory is being around 160 and 12. yup. 12 lol. It's funny though, 180 feels too easy. I am able to eat crap (and have some underlying disordered eating issues) and still maintain around 180. I feel as though saing okay "screw it, maintenance" is really taking the easy way out.
Bikini Ready you know what? that really rang true. i was actually just sitting outside after a little....trip to the fridge about 10 minutes ago, thinking about putting away the scale and setting weekly goals - healthy habits, etc etc. you're absolutely right. it is very scary though, being away from the scale, as a multiple-times-a-day weigh-er. but you're also right, it is an obsession. if i feel like i've done good- i just noticed (also about 10 minutes ago) and the scale goes up, water, sodium, whatever, i go straight to the fridge and eat everything including the door handle. I think I will put the scale away right now, until monday (which is my weigh-in day). Then put it away for a while. Youre absolutely right, it's all a matter of well being, the numbers will come as they are.
I'm right there with you. I've declared myself at goal but have yet to declare myself in maintenance. Weird, I know. In part, I think I'm just kind of afraid to be maintaining instead of losing. I know how to lose. What do I know about maintaining?
I keep thinking I'm going to get down to 165 or lower -- like you said, I hit that for about 10 minutes and so now part of me thinks that's what I "ought" to go for.
Since we're roughly the same height, I can give you some special input. I got what you're aiming for -- 170 as the redline. But I'm jealous of how in shape that it sounds like you are. I'd trade 10 pounds for wicked muscle if I could figure out how to do it.
I asked my doctor about BMI charts and such -- he said to go by how I feel. So if you feel great, and it sounds like you do, then I say call it done.
I'm about your height and weight, stimkovs. I called 'goal' the moment I hit 170, because that was my original goal. I decided I wanted to see if I could make 160, which is why my ticker is adjusted.
At this point, I have upped my exercise to keep my metabolism going, I eat around 1600 calories a day (sometimes less, sometimes more), and I feel very healthy.
My only quibbles are tying up loose ends. I want to keep firming up my torso and legs and it's not a matter of cutting calories but a matter of defining better exercise goals.
So... if it's just a number point for you at the moment, call goal on the weight and keep working towards your loose ends by way of different exercise challenges and dietary changes. If you absolutely must see a certain poundage on the scale, and you think that is a maintainable goal - find out the best way to achieve that through those exercise/diet strategies.
But if you're happy with how things look, feel and fit? Call that goal.
Just a thought, but while the BMI may be a number with flawed methodology to us, it isn't to insurance companies. They live and die by it. Above a healthy BMI and you can pay substantially more for medical insurance and life insurance. Over the years there'll be a huge financial benefit to topping out within the normal BMI range. My medical insurance dropped by almost $1000 a year, I'm self-employed, when I got to a normal BMI. In fact, the savings pays for my gym membership every month.
Not telling you what to do, obviously, but know that there are financial advantages in the real world if you get to that number. If it's just a few pounds, I'd be pretty tempted to get there and get the monetary benefits that go with it.
when would you call it goal?
Call it a goal - you look great!
