I have lost about 63 pounds from 207.4 to 143.6 pounds. I am a Weight Watchers lifetime member with an official goal weight of 146 which corresponds to the highest normal BMI. I know the advantages/disadvantages of BMI. In my case, while at a "normal" weight, I have about 45% body fat (had it tested in a Bod Pod). So, I am way, way over fat. I do strength training with a personal trainer twice a week to help maintain muscle.
My primary goal now is to improve my body composition. Just strength training alone is not enough given my high body fat. I still have fat that I need to lose. If I maintained my muscle, I would be 40% body fat at 135 pounds and 35% at 125 pounds.
So, I know I want to lose down to at least 135 and then assess my body fat. Ideally I want to get below 35%.
Rationally, I know that despite my BMI I am skinny fat and metabolically obese. I very much need to 10 to 20 pounds of body fat while keeping my muscle (or ideally increasing it).
Yet over the last six months I've only lost a few pounds. I find that when I get a couple of pounds below 146 pounds I tend to lose intensity and eat just a little more. Then I get back to 146 and when that happens I get the intensity back.
I am not worried about regaining above 146, but I struggle to get below 143 pounds. Whenever I get close to that, I start regaining a bit.
I think that some part of me knows that I am a normal weight (by BMI) at 146 so I don't feel the urgency to get below it. When I was obese I felt a lot of urgency. Now the weight loss seems more .... optional. So I tend to let other considerations (wanting to eat out, and so on) over weigh my desire to lose weight.
Again, logically, I know that is ridiculous. But I am having trouble applying that logic.
I want to get closer to a weight that would mean I had a better body composition. I don't want to give that up.
Has anyone experienced difficulty losing weight once you were in the normal weight range but weren't where you wanted to be? If so, how did you handle it?
Koshka: First of all, Congrats on losing 63 lbs!! Wow, what an achievement!
I too am a WW member, have been for years. Reached goal in 2013, stopped tracking and weighing in and gained it all back. Incidentally, I moved away from the WW lifestyle to focus on building muscles and improving body composition ( I did go from 34% BF to 24%). But life happened and I derailed that process by not working out often enough. Combined with no tracking /weighing in, it all came rushing back.
I've noticed that once I set a goal with WW, I find it hard, psychologically, to get beyond that. Got to my WW goal of 135 lbs with every intention of getting to 127. Never happened. I seem to go only as far as I'm pushed to go. You could try moving your WW goal down and see if it motivates you.
Better composition can happen at your current weight too. I've been at 24% BF (from 34%BF) at 135 lbs, and last year, went from 36% to 25% BF at 154 lbs. Felt bulky at the higher weight though, although friends and family swear I looked the same as the last time around.
For this WW stint, I plan on pushing through till I reach my personal goal weight of 127 lbs. For me, it helps to commit to the lower goal at the outset so I don't get complacent.
I'm actually in normal range for BMI (muscular) but not weight. It is frustrating. I was reading what you wrote for your workouts. Do you do any HIIT training or functional fitness (battle ropes, etc) either alone or with a trainer? This helps burn fat and helps you look better- as do heavy weights- but I find I need the balance .
Welcome to the Feathers Forum! I'd like to echo the congrats of SPA411 - that's an amazing accomplishment!
Lots of good advice here from others. I was thinking that what you describe sounds like a motivational issue, so maybe googling "how to get motivated to lose weight" or something similar might help. I'm always amazed by how often I will just type in whatever problem I'm having - not always having to do with weight - and most of the time find some very helpful answers.
Last edited by HungerWerks; 02-15-2016 at 04:02 PM.
I can only speak to what works (or doesn't) for me. It took 68 weeks to hit the goal weight I've had in my mind since 2001. My weight loss never slowed just because I was back in a normal BMI but has come to a screeching halt in the 31 weeks since. I think there are 4 things in play, 1. Mental, I've had my goal in mind so long and worked so hard I question if I am really pushing myself the same way I used to. 2. My body seems to fight me much more now that I am at a smaller size. It just seems to be really happy to hover at 127-129. 3. I lost the weight through diet and cardio only, no weights. Once at goal I decided to shed the skinny fat look and started lifting but I'm starting to question if I can lose another 5 this way. My appetite has also gone way up since lifting. 4. I hate winter, it's very hard to get motivated and active when you enjoy outdoor exercise and you are burned out on indoor cardio.
Hi there! Congrats on your success, it sounds amazing!!!
It my current weight I'm kind of going for fat loss/increased strength. I'm experimenting with streamlining what I eat - a LOT less sugar (and starches), more protein and combining cardio and muscular workouts.
is it possible your method of body fat measurement interprets loose skin as fat? (I'm not sure what bod prod is...)
Maybe you could consider taking measurements and making fitness goals to track your progress instead of the scale? I suggested that to a friend of mine during a plateau phase which really helped her out as she realised her body was changing even when her weight wasn't.
SPA411 -- You are are right. I find it hard to go beyond my WW goal. But, I don't really want to set a goal lower than where I am now. Mentally I don't think it would help to do it since I already know I'm in normal BMI range. One thing I did do was get a scale app that gives me a moving average for weight (so smooths out the curve) and I set a goal on it of 135. I plan to focus more on that goal than thinking so much about my WW goal.
badbeastbabe - I mostly do weights with the trainer. I have a very bad left knee and am limited as to certain things I can do.
HungerWerks - I think you are right that motivation is a factor. Objectively I have the motivation but when I'm at a normal weight I tend to let the motivation slide. I just had a really bad couple of weeks eating and I'm up a couple of pounds on the scale and so now it is really easy for me to be on track. It is continuing that once I have gotten back to where I was that is the problem.
dmnoland - Wow! Your first 3 factors really apply to me. And, yes, that is exactly my issues (I live in an area where outdoor exercise is best done in the winter...it is summer where I have to exercise indoors all the time).
souvenirdarling - Yes, the BodPod would interpret loose skin as fat. So, I know it probably isn't really as bad as it seems. I am eating pretty well. I eat very little added sugars and very seldom have starchy veggies. I eat a lot of protein. I do think I need to go do measurements again.
Congratulations on your weight loss. Yes, I see what you mean. I have been the same weight for three years. In order to get below that weight, I need to eat around 1000 calories. I maintain on 1300-1500 calories, seriously watching everything I eat. But, my body fat is around 18% and I have a decent amount of muscle.
1) try weight training, lifting heavy (for you)
2) keep carbs under 100g net
3) use a food scale and measure what you are eating
4) use Loseit too keep track of your eating
5) avoid carbs other than fruits and vegetables, so no bread, pasta, potatoes, except for once a week, one thing at one meal, a single portion
Struggling to lose these last pounds
I'd like to echo the congrats of SPA411 - that's an amazing accomplishment! 
