How far did you have to go before you felt like you were happy?

I've lost 80 lbs, and maintained the loss for almost 2 years. Problem is, lately I have been feeling really bad about how I look. So Im thinking I have to set a new goal, and I am wondering how you decided when you were finished.

Thanks!

If you havn't already, maybe you could try toning up a bit?

Small people can even feel bad about themselves if they don't have good muscle tone and definition.

Regardless, you know your body better than I do, and we'll all be here to support you with your goals!

Good luck!!!

I am planning on increasing the strength training. I have a weight set on its way to me. Hopefully that will help. I know I can't do anything about the extra skin, but I figure I will try to make what's under it firmer, since I had not focused on that during the weight loss phase as much as what the scale said.

Im just not sure if I still need to restrict my diet to try to lose more fat or just focus on the strength training.

When you think about the prospect of restricting calories to lose weight again, how does that make you feel? If it just makes you feel sad and overwhelmed, then I'd say just focus on the weight training for awhile. But if it makes you feel like it's hard but you've done it before and can do it again, then combine the two.

In any case, congratulations on maintaining for TWO YEARS! That's fantastic!

Jay

Actually it makes me a little mad. I feel like I worked so hard, and still didn't get where I wanted to be.

I know I should feel good that I lost weight (and mostly I do) but somehow I still see the same body in the mirror, I just fit in a smaller clothing size. Frustrating!

Were you expecting weight loss to change more than just your body?

Well, restricting your diet will cause you to lose WEIGHT in general. Exercise is what is really going to help you to:

~lose fat (by doing cardio exercise)
~gain muscle (by strength training)

You don't really ever want to "stop". You keep progressing yourself, fitness wise, even if your weight in pounds stays the same. Your 150 pounds next year, might look a lot better than your 150 pounds now, if you lose some body fat and get some more muscle during that time.

My weight loss efforts were inititated because of health problems that I had developed. My Dr. wanted me to be at 150 lbs. I chose 145 as my own personal goal. The improvement in my health status was my main focus and of course as the weight came off, vanity came into play. Most days I am perfectly happy with where my weight is. Some days, I think I could lose about 10 more lbs. and be happier. But, looking back, I think my goal weight found me . I got to where with the same food and same exercise that I was maintaining the same weight. I don't want to give up more of my food or have to exercise a lot more to try to lose a small amt. more. I don't think it would improve my health any and I can't afford another new wardrobe. As for "being finished", I realize I'll never be finished. I'll always have to eat right and exercise to maintain the weight I have lost. Prior to this weight loss journey, I knew nothing or noone that had ever maintained a weight loss for any length of time.

I am not real happy even now. I have a goal weight in mind that is a range--anywhere from 136-122 really. But, some days I panic that that is impossible and my body just won't go that low. Other days I am more optimistic.
I am still able to lose weight...(*crosses fingers*) and until it really does seem impossible to shift any more, I am going to keep at it.

You didn't say how tall you are so its hard to tell, but I'm around 150 right now (I'm short though) and I sure don't look or feel my best. My stomach is big and that's very unhealthy. But even maintainers usually have to work out just to tone the body and keep the weight off. Also, it may help to know how many calories you eat and your current activity level.

I never actually completely reached my goal. I was working extremely hard to go from 140 down to my 135 goal and managed to lose another 3 when I found out I'd been pregnant the whole time. Since the pregnancy, I'd gotten down to 145. With the holidays, a recent move and lots of remodeling (too tired to cook and eat right many days - and no time for exercising), I'm at 148 right now.

Even at 137, I wasn't "completely" happy. I ALMOST had that small tummy pudge gone. It may have been more pudgy at that point though because I was over a month pregnant. But I have noticed a difference between the 140 I was and the 145, and mostly the 145 to 148. The pudge gets more noticeable. I'm back to exercising now. Still not as much as I'm still remodeling, but I get in about 20 to 30 minutes a day for 6 days a week. So I'm hoping that will help to tone it some. But I think just a few pounds can make a big difference in problem areas.

This is where height is a big, big thing. At 5'2", like you are, 150 may not be the best weight for you-135-140 may be more likely, Body type may also play a big part. I am 5'7", a whole 5 inches taller, and when I am down to 150 I look pretty darn good-as long as I am continuously exercising.

Yes, most trainers work out consistently to stay fit. Most maintainers keep the weight off by eating just a little more than they did to lose weight (if they lost it at 1600 calories a day, they might maintain that loss at 1800-2000, for instance) but they have to work out. If you don't work out after you lose the weight, even if you can keep the scale down, you will lose muscle over time, and gain body fat.

The same goes in the opposite direction. You can keep the scale about the same, and improve your body over time, if you keep exercising and advancing your workouts.

Another thought . . . You don't say how old you are. There comes a point when how the body looks just isn't of great importance anymore. I'm old enough now that I know I'm not ever going to have that young thin body I once had back in my 20s and early 30s. So for me it's about the health and comfort considerations.

Our bodies are precious, no matter what their size or quirks may be. I'm glad that I have so much in my life that I can actually afford to worry about my weight, and can do something about it!

You worked really hard--don't let an arbitrary number make you unhappy about all that you've done. The weight training and other exercise is probably a really good next move, as aphil has said.

Good luck!

Jay

Thanks for the replies.
I am 29, and 5'5". I am not clinging to ideas of looking like my younger self, because my younger self was 80 lbs heavier then.

I am currently consuming about 1300 calories per day in order to try and get the scale weight down a bit more. During the maintainance phase I was eating probably 1800-1900 calories (I wasn't counting at that time, just trying to learn how to make the new eating habits permanent and normal).

I have been having a very hard time getting the scale to move at all this time around, my body seems to like this weight. The lowest I have been since I started losing is 147.5 but I had a hard time maintaining that. I really don't want to resrict more calories, and I definitely don't want to lose muscle! I am perfectly fine staying at this weight - I really just want to reshape my body at this point.

While losing weight I did mostly aerobic exercise for fat loss, this is the first time I am considering strength training. It seems like it's time to start thinking about that. I read online that extra skin is a myth - that you have to get under 10% body fat and it will cling to your body again, so I guess that is what I have to do.

I know exactly where you read that and he's full of baloney, sorry to say. All he wants to sell you an e-book - $$$.

The lower the body fat, the more skin issues people have. Less fat = less holding up the skin, right?

I got my body fat down to 12.5%, which is about as low as a woman should ever go, and looked my absolute worst. I had sheets of skin hanging off of me. No fat, just skin. Sorry to say, but it just doesn't cling like Saran wrap.

For more about skin and weight loss, you might want to check out our Weight Loss and Skin FAQs.

But weight training can help you out a bit here, as well as reshape your body. Building some muscle can fill out some of that excess skin very attractively.