Stopped Dieting when I got to my goal - Now I want to go further

girl_inflames

I stopped dieting at 140 - ended up going up to 144 - water weight and all that from going to a normal diet - but I want to get to 130 and tone up. I'm soft and jiggly still and it's so irritating. The problem is - I can't seem to lose weight anymore! It's so hard to go back to a 1200 calorie diet. I wonder if I beefed up exercise if the soft tummy would tone itself up? Any advice ladies? I still have a soft layer on my tummy and I'm with that but I want toning. Would losing additional weight help? I'm 5ft 6 if that helps give a picture.

girl_inflames

Additionally - I don't want to be "thin" I want to be fit. I'm wondering if getting to 130 will make me unhappily thin.

Tryingtogetfitdeb

I am the same, I'm hoping to get to about 132, I'm about 140 at the moment, but I need to tone too. I don't want to be thin either. I think if you eat healthy food you don't have to go as low as 1200 a day. I think that it's a slow process toning up, but it will happen eventually with regular exercise, this is my plan anyway.

sardelsa

Are you doing any form of resistance training? I would think about following a weight lifting program (strong curves, new rules of lifting for women, thinner leaner stronger, allpro, etc) and either eat at a small deficit or remain at maintenance and recomp (so you stay the same weight but lose fat and gain muscle at the same time) The second option is slower but if you are happy with your shape and just want to 'tone up' then it can work for you.

MostlyWater

Definitely exercise. You should have been doing that all along.

winejunky143

I'm 5'5" 123lbs eating close to 1400 calories on recomp. I would speak to a nutritionist about what you can change in your diet to help you lose fat and gain lean muscle. Also lifting will help you tone up. It's important to get the right nutrition for lifting though. Best advice is talk to a specialist/professional.

jenhaynes74

Exercise! Mainly strength train & HIIT & exercise that you enjoy. Rebounding is great too. If you haven't worked out with weights before - your body will totally transform within 3-6 months of consistent hard work. I used a DVD called Shaping Up with Weights for Dummies post-baby and had amazing results! The instructor goes through all the proper forms of 12 exercises & the jargon - as well as false beliefs about training with weights.

Please, don't cut your calories though. Try modifying your diet. You should be eating at least 140 grams of protein for you weight...probably equal in carbs. And most important Don't cut out healthy fats. Just be careful of how much you eat of them. You could slightly modify your diet to less than 500 (carbs) if you're eating according to your weight. It's a delicate balance, so be careful about cutting too many calories or you could end up skinny fat like me and it's a much tougher road!

Marr2365

I agree with Jenhaynes74. I am 52yrs old and menopause is been my obstacle, most of you don't have to worry about that but you still get that monthly bloat. 2 things have dramatically helped me.
I do an elixir every day. 1tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, lots of lemon, a little organic local honey and a sprinkle of cyan pepper. This regulates your blood sugar and is a great probiotic. Because it helps regulate blood sugar, you don't get as hungry. No sugar spikes and crashes anymore.
The 2nd thing is cardio weightlifting. It has been my staple since 2000. I use Les Mills on demand. $14.00 a month on my Roku. I have 5-15lb hand weights and a large fitness ball to do that class. It is a lot like HIIT. You do high reps, low weights and you keep adding weight as you go. I have lost major inches and fat and replaced with toned muscle. Don't worry you wont get big, you will get fit. You will look like a fitness model in months. I do 3, 55min body pump classes a week. That is 630 squats a week, that has to work., right??? I'm pushing out all the fat and my butt looks like a 30yr old. I've had to lose 40lbs, I'm more than half way. I can see the transformation in just 3 months. People don't recognize me, which is the greatest compliment.
Weights for women are the best thing for bone density for your future, it is an investment. You spike your heart rate constantly which is the best thing for your heart muscle, keeping it strong. It helps your libido by progesterone increasing from getting stronger. Builds confidence, helps you stand up straighter and taller, and gets rid of cellulite.
Best thing is....Not only do you burn 500 calories a class but you also burn calories throughout the next 2 days by muscle recovery.
Girls, GET ON THE BAND WAGON!!!!! Go pump iron!!!

glassofroses

After burn is actually only 6-12% of what you burned when you worked out and it doesn't last as long as two days, that's a fallacy.

You don't have to eat a 1200 calorie diet to lose fat. Just enough to be in deficit (250cals down from maintenance should do it; slowly but surely) while you resistance train. If you want to build muscle, so that when you cut (lose fat) you'll have a toned tummy, you'll have to be in small surplus (more than you need at maintenance) so that you can feed the muscle to grow but you have to be training those muscles so it doesn't turn to fat. I suppose it all depends on how your abs feel. Strong? Everyone has abs it's just whether they're visible or not.

ejnxyz

The research shows for those of us post menopausal, at some point, and we all know when this has come to pass, we MUST cut daily calories by 25% or we'll just get plain ol' FAT. You have to get used to being hungry. I'm in this transition now. It looks like I'll be around 1200 for maintenance. I don't plan to go off hard core exercise/weights/running until I hit the bottom of my healthy weight range. And I won't log out of MFP until I'm sure I have that final maintenance calorie intake/exercise routine confirmed. No yo-yo for me - this is a permanent life style/eating for the future.

girl_inflames

Thank you everyone for your insight and advice! I truly appreciate it! I feel that I have a lot of muscle from the amount of hiking I do, but the skinny fat is still there. So, I think I'm going to seek a nutritionist/dietician and go from there.