I don't know what I am aiming for...

han5pence

hi guys

I am feeling really frustrated at the moment! I weigh about 137 lbs, 5 ft 7, 24 y o female with 22% body fat.
I lost about 2 stone 3 years ago and I am happily keeping it off and trying to tone up through tracking macros and going to the gym 3/4 times per week (body pump, body combat, spinning etc). However I am finding it all a bit "what am I doing this for".
I know that the weight training I do is building muscle, this means my weight on the scales can't and won't reduce.
I just don't know how to see progress without a number on a scale or a clothes size going down (I wear a UK 6-8 now) and it's all feeling rather demoralising and un-motivating.
Anyone any advice on how to pinpoint a goal so that I feel like I have something to work for, rather than just feeling like this is how I will be forever ?

Thank you xx

WBB55

19%BF might be a goal. Deadlifting your bodyweight might be a goal. Running a 10K might be a goal.

juggernaut1974

Or...if you're happy...just maintaining can be a goal too.

strong_curves

ceoverturf wrote: »

Or...if you're happy...just maintaining can be a goal too.

This!

han5pence

WBB55 wrote: »

19%BF might be a goal. Deadlifting your bodyweight might be a goal. Running a 10K might be a goal.

Thank you but my goals are all aesthetic (unfortunately)! Lowering my body fat further is going to be very difficult as I have 34dd boobs. Stripping more and more fat is definitely one of my aims however it's difficult to track this accurately.

maxit

ceoverturf wrote: »

Or...if you're happy...just maintaining can be a goal too.

x2

levitateme

Body recomp - lift heavy weights and eat at maintenance.

Carnhot

You are my height. You are NOT my age or weight. If I could have words with my 24 year old self, I would tell her that avoiding becoming my 51 year old self would be a good goal. Your profile photo shows you to be beautiful. Staying beautiful is worth working at.

han5pence

ceoverturf wrote: »

Or...if you're happy...just maintaining can be a goal too.

I agree. However I don't think I will ever be happy with my body. It only takes one look at "Instagram girls" with amazing bikini bodies for me to feel like a barrel. I know I could get there in the long term but i feel like I need shorter term goals in order to stay motivated. I literally look every morning to see if I have any change in my midsection especially and there never is.

han5pence

Carnhot wrote: »

You are my height. You are NOT my age or weight. If I could have words with my 24 year old self, I would tell her that avoiding becoming my 51 year old self would be a good goal. Your profile photo shows you to be beautiful. Staying beautiful is worth working at.

What a lovely thing to say. Thank you, your kind words have put a big smile on my face! Feeling better already

han5pence

levitateme wrote: »

Body recomp - lift heavy weights and eat at maintenance.

Thank you, that is a great idea. I will save up money for a PT to introduce me to heavy lifting (I will need to get it right to prevent injury!) right now all I have is body pump class which is included in my gym membership, I lift weights that fatigue me in that class so there is a start! eating at maintenance sounds dreamy!

tomatoey

han5pence wrote: »

ceoverturf wrote: »

Or...if you're happy...just maintaining can be a goal too.

I agree. However I don't think I will ever be happy with my body. It only takes one look at "Instagram girls" with amazing bikini bodies for me to feel like a barrel. I know I could get there in the long term but i feel like I need shorter term goals in order to stay motivated. I literally look every morning to see if I have any change in my midsection especially and there never is.

Stop looking at "instagram girls"

han5pence

tomatoey wrote: »

han5pence wrote: »

ceoverturf wrote: »

Or...if you're happy...just maintaining can be a goal too.

I agree. However I don't think I will ever be happy with my body. It only takes one look at "Instagram girls" with amazing bikini bodies for me to feel like a barrel. I know I could get there in the long term but i feel like I need shorter term goals in order to stay motivated. I literally look every morning to see if I have any change in my midsection especially and there never is.

Stop looking at "instagram girls"

I genuinely admire them though! I would love to look like that. I know I'll never be a bikini model but there are real girls on there that are aspirational.

evileen99

han5pence wrote: »

tomatoey wrote: »

han5pence wrote: »

ceoverturf wrote: »

Or...if you're happy...just maintaining can be a goal too.

I agree. However I don't think I will ever be happy with my body. It only takes one look at "Instagram girls" with amazing bikini bodies for me to feel like a barrel. I know I could get there in the long term but i feel like I need shorter term goals in order to stay motivated. I literally look every morning to see if I have any change in my midsection especially and there never is.

Stop looking at "instagram girls"

I genuinely admire them though! I would love to look like that. I know I'll never be a bikini model but there are real girls on there that are aspirational.

They are also photoshopped.