What do you think about the body's natural weight?
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Did you ever mention to your trainer that you've lost your period when you've gotten to a certain weight? 19-20% body fat is really good so you are at a good weight and bf percentage. Genetics plays a role in where you are going to hold that body fat. If your body fat drops below 12-15% (I believe), you will lose your period as a woman.
Women need that bf for reproductive functions. It's natural and healthy. So is there a weight that your body wants to get to? Yes, but it will depend on how much muscle you have that will determine this because it will want to naturally have that 20% bf. It's unfortunate that you don't have the body that you were looking for at a GREAT body fat percentage, but at some point genetics does take over and the only way to change that is by plastic surgery (aka body sculpting, or lipo). I am NOT suggesting to do it, but if it is the only way for you to be happy, then it is a consideration.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »No, I don't believe we have a natural weight determined by genetics. I do think we have a happy weight that is determined by lifestyle.
That's exactly how I feel, and how I feel about my current weight in particular. I know that I am capable of being lighter and I know what I would need to do to get there, but there's a reason I always seem to get stuck around this weight. It's a weight that I can maintain while still drinking a bit too much and having a more than occasional indulgent day. The only time in the past 3 years I've gotten below this weight was when I had surgery earlier this year and couldn't eat (or drink) as much for about 5 weeks after. I absolutely COULD be healthier and lose a few more pounds, but I'd have to make additional sacrifices I haven't yet been willing to make, it seems.
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We have lots of fitness, physique and body building models to look at and many strive for them. Unfortunately what many don't know, is that the picture you see is usually after they've done a contest. It's RARE to see a competitor walking around looking like that all the time. And to get in such defined ripped up shape, they are usually at their LOWEST immunity, condition and health.
There's an ideal weight for each person based on their lean mass and ideal body fat %, but it's so variable between people that there's no true consensus since how one feels also plays into it.
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LadyTalulah wrote: »I think there will be a lot of conflicting opinions with this question.
Do you think that the body has a natural weight (or more body fat % rather than weight) that is determined by genetics and it tries hard to keep within that range?
It makes sense to me, considering that there are just people who are naturally thin and others who are naturally bigger.
I ask this because I'm starting to think that my body is EXTREMELY stubborn when it comes to it's desired weight. Let me clarify, I'm not by any means overweight and I'm not looking for an excuse as to why I "can't lose the last 5 pounds". I'm just realizing that when I start to drop in body fat %, my body rebels, I become so sensitive to blood sugar drops, I'm tired and cold all the time and I stop getting my period. Where as for some of my other friends, that same body fat % is natural to them. I always end up back at my regular weight, which is anywhere between 53 and 56 kg (I'm 165cm). So what I would call my "natural weight" is not at all big, in fact I'm quite small. It's just not lean with defined muscles.
I think I just feel like I'm striving to get that "perfect figure" and my body just won't adapt no matter how slowly I lose the fat or what nutritional plan I'm on!
Anyways, what are your opinions?
I think it's all dependent on someones habits, I don't think your body finds it's "ideal weight" it's more like you find that equilibrium where your activity level and what you eat are in line.
People just need to rationalize things to themselves for their lack of effort or for giving up on their eating habits... "I didn't gain weight back, my body just put it on, all on it's own... you know your body has to find its natural weight and all" .. yeah that makes sense...
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GuitarJerry wrote: »Set point theory is BS.
this is what i came to say.
Set Point is BS. Your weight is a direct result of your lifestyle, activities, and food intake.0 -
LadyTalulah wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
I believe he's saying that you're getting a lot of conclusions based on shaky premises, trusting the opinion of a trainer who probably has scant nutritional training, and have potentially counterproductive goals.LadyTalulah wrote: »brianpperkins wrote: »So we have comparison to others with a lot of assuming as to what they truly do when not with you, blind trust in a trainer (a group with limited, at best, nutritional training) who spoke in generalities, seeking the "perfect figure" ... all while ignoring that what your body is signalling is not a weight issue, it's a nutritional issue.
Did you use google translate or something? It's hard to make sense of what you're saying.
Ah, much clearer, thank you. Possibly, although I am more inclined to believe a trainer's opinion than my own. Especially because in my country, trainers have to go through a vigorous year long course and have many classes on nutrition and basic biology before they are legally allowed to practice. I've heard that in North America though it's basically just a class on the weekend and then you're qualified. I would be more wary of their opinion, for sure.
You're mad!
You're talking about a BMI of 19-20 which is under the healthy 20-25 range and clearly not suitable for your body type as can be seen from your physical symptomsLadyTalulah wrote: »I ask this because I'm starting to think that my body is EXTREMELY stubborn when it comes to it's desired weight. Let me clarify, I'm not by any means overweight and I'm not looking for an excuse as to why I "can't lose the last 5 pounds". I'm just realizing that when I start to drop in body fat %, my body rebels, I become so sensitive to blood sugar drops, I'm tired and cold all the time and I stop getting my period. Where as for some of my other friends, that same body fat % is natural to them. I always end up back at my regular weight, which is anywhere between 53 and 56 kg (I'm 165cm). So what I would call my "natural weight" is not at all big, in fact I'm quite small. It's just not lean with defined muscles.
I think I just feel like I'm striving to get that "perfect figure" and my body just won't adapt no matter how slowly I lose the fat or what nutritional plan I'm on!
Anyways, what are your opinions?
My opinion is you're mad to be disputing people telling you to listen to your body's obvious signals or a medical professional rather than a trainer0 -
Have you ever considered build muscle and gaining mass, then follow it with a cut to effectively change your body composition.
Also, how many calories do you eat?0 -
LadyTalulah wrote: »Yes on the heavy weightlifting! 5x a week.
Does anyone else think it's likely that the OP is overtraining, in addition to undereating?
If by "perfect figure" and "lean" you mean building a little muscle, you're not going to get there by overtraining and undereating. Your body builds muscle during recovery, not while you're lifting. And it can't build the muscle without fuel (extra calories beyond what your body needs for basic functions) and protein (beyond what your body needs for basic functions, including normal everyday muscle repair, which goes on all the time).
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I think of it this way (Some one correct me if my logic is wrong) I have no issue staying at 170 (my assumed body's natural weight), according to scooby calculator, in order to stay at 170 I would have to eat 2500 calories to maintain.
That's a lot. I have no problem eating that and staying full.
I would like to get down to 135, it's a little over 2100 to maintain at that... Those 400 calories a day make a HUGE difference when you're use to feeling full on 2500 a day.
Does that make sense?0 -
No, I don't believe in a "natural weight" or set point. It sounds like you would benefit from a bulk and cut cycle.0
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Asher_Ethan wrote: »I think of it this way (Some one correct me if my logic is wrong) I have no issue staying at 170 (my assumed body's natural weight), according to scooby calculator, in order to stay at 170 I would have to eat 2500 calories to maintain.
That's a lot. I have no problem eating that and staying full.
I would like to get down to 135, it's a little over 2100 to maintain at that... Those 400 calories a day make a HUGE difference when you're use to feeling full on 2500 a day.
Does that make sense?
You lost me at why you would want to maintain at 400 calories less, ha.
Also, those are theoretical numbers and ones true maintenance can stay the same even with significant weight loss. In fact, in the 25 lbs + I have lost, my maintenance has stayed at 3000 calories since my activity level has increased.
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LadyTalulah wrote: »I think there will be a lot of conflicting opinions with this question.
Do you think that the body has a natural weight (or more body fat % rather than weight) that is determined by genetics and it tries hard to keep within that range?
It makes sense to me, considering that there are just people who are naturally thin and others who are naturally bigger.
I ask this because I'm starting to think that my body is EXTREMELY stubborn when it comes to it's desired weight. Let me clarify, I'm not by any means overweight and I'm not looking for an excuse as to why I "can't lose the last 5 pounds". I'm just realizing that when I start to drop in body fat %, my body rebels, I become so sensitive to blood sugar drops, I'm tired and cold all the time and I stop getting my period. Where as for some of my other friends, that same body fat % is natural to them. I always end up back at my regular weight, which is anywhere between 53 and 56 kg (I'm 165cm). So what I would call my "natural weight" is not at all big, in fact I'm quite small. It's just not lean with defined muscles.
I think I just feel like I'm striving to get that "perfect figure" and my body just won't adapt no matter how slowly I lose the fat or what nutritional plan I'm on!
Anyways, what are your opinions?
No, I do not believe this to be true because of science, but there indeed is a weight that we all feel that is natural for us.
I believe that genetics does determine many things about us, such as how we are built, our eye color, etc. etc.
I don't believe anyone is naturally thin or fat.
Weight loss takes time. After all, you didn't gain overnight, and you won't lose it overnight either. The less you have to lose the slower it comes off.
If you want to get lean with defined muscles, you will have to do heavy weight lifting and eat at maintenance or a slight surplus. If you are already doing these things, you are off to a good start.
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Probably. Healthy bodies probably have a range where they're happy and want to remain.
Starve your body and it will fight you with hunger, weakness and dizziness. Eat too much (of healthy foods) and you'll feel uncomfortably stuffed and kind of sluggy.
I think they find a place they like and try to stay there.
It's really easy to pack the pounds on by eating junk food, though. You don't get the uncomfortably-stuffed feeling because you don't have to stuff yourself to take in so many calories. Even so, the pounds begin to pack on. Eventually, you have less energy.
If you're thin and your body is fighting you on weight loss, listen to it! Eat a little more. Don't starve yourself into a hospital bed, for Pete's sake. Tube Up The Nose isn't a good look.
@Kalikel, I ask in the kindest way: what does junk food has to do with this conversation? She said nothing about eating junk food in her original post, and you the first one to mention it.
She didn't say she was starving herself either.
I am genuinely confused.0 -
I'm going to take you at your word that you aren't trying to start some ridiculous fight.Probably. Healthy bodies probably have a range where they're happy and want to remain.
Starve your body and it will fight you with hunger, weakness and dizziness. Eat too much (of healthy foods) and you'll feel uncomfortably stuffed and kind of sluggy.
I think they find a place they like and try to stay there.
It's really easy to pack the pounds on by eating junk food, though. You don't get the uncomfortably-stuffed feeling because you don't have to stuff yourself to take in so many calories. Even so, the pounds begin to pack on. Eventually, you have less energy.
If you're thin and your body is fighting you on weight loss, listen to it! Eat a little more. Don't starve yourself into a hospital bed, for Pete's sake. Tube Up The Nose isn't a good look.
@Kalikel, I ask in the kindest way: what does junk food has to do with this conversation? She said nothing about eating junk food in her original post, and you the first one to mention it.
She didn't say she was starving herself either.
I am genuinely confused.
My point is that the body kind of fights us on going over or underweight. When you don't eat enough, you will naturally feel weak, tired and dizzy.
As far as overweight, your stomach will say, "Enough!" and will cause you to feel uncomfortably stuffed when you eat too much food. The fullness in the intestines could make you a bit sluggish. That's assuming you're eating natural, healthy foods. If you eat junk food, though, you won't get that uncomfortable, stuffed feeling. You won't have intestines packed full of food. Because you can eat very little and still get a lot of calories. So if you're eating cake and cookies, you won't feel the effects of too many calories the way you would if you tired to do it with peas and soybeans. There won't be any push back. Your body won't fight you there.
I hope that clears it up. 0 -
I'm going to take you at your word that you aren't trying to start some ridiculous fight.Probably. Healthy bodies probably have a range where they're happy and want to remain.
Starve your body and it will fight you with hunger, weakness and dizziness. Eat too much (of healthy foods) and you'll feel uncomfortably stuffed and kind of sluggy.
I think they find a place they like and try to stay there.
It's really easy to pack the pounds on by eating junk food, though. You don't get the uncomfortably-stuffed feeling because you don't have to stuff yourself to take in so many calories. Even so, the pounds begin to pack on. Eventually, you have less energy.
If you're thin and your body is fighting you on weight loss, listen to it! Eat a little more. Don't starve yourself into a hospital bed, for Pete's sake. Tube Up The Nose isn't a good look.
@Kalikel, I ask in the kindest way: what does junk food has to do with this conversation? She said nothing about eating junk food in her original post, and you the first one to mention it.
She didn't say she was starving herself either.
I am genuinely confused.
Ummmm.....Kalikel.,,,,I don't respond to anyone to start fights in the forum. There is no reason for you to respond to me this way.My point is that the body kind of fights us on going over or underweight. When you don't eat enough, you will natuarLly feel weak, tired and dizzy.
As far as overweight, your stomach will say, "Enough!" and will cause you to feel uncomfortably stuffed when you eat too much food. The fullness in the intestines could make you a bit sluggish. That's assuming you're eating natural, healthy foods. If you eat junk food, though, you won't get that uncomfortable, stuffed feeling. You won't have intestines packed full of food. Because you can eat very little and still get a lot of calories. So if you're eating cake and cookies, you won't feel the effects of too many calories the way you would if you tired to do it with peas and soybeans. There won't be any push back. By our body won't fight you there.
I hope that clears it up.
I'm sorry, but it really doesn't clear much up, However, you say that our body fights going overweight or underweight. Based on my own experience, I disagree that our body fights getting bigger, because weight gain is pretty easy for a lot of us. As we get smaller it gets harder to lose weight, though.
I don't see how food type applies. It's all just food.
That said, I thank you for trying to clarify.
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I'm going to take you at your word that you aren't trying to start some ridiculous fight.Probably. Healthy bodies probably have a range where they're happy and want to remain.
Starve your body and it will fight you with hunger, weakness and dizziness. Eat too much (of healthy foods) and you'll feel uncomfortably stuffed and kind of sluggy.
I think they find a place they like and try to stay there.
It's really easy to pack the pounds on by eating junk food, though. You don't get the uncomfortably-stuffed feeling because you don't have to stuff yourself to take in so many calories. Even so, the pounds begin to pack on. Eventually, you have less energy.
If you're thin and your body is fighting you on weight loss, listen to it! Eat a little more. Don't starve yourself into a hospital bed, for Pete's sake. Tube Up The Nose isn't a good look.
@Kalikel, I ask in the kindest way: what does junk food has to do with this conversation? She said nothing about eating junk food in her original post, and you the first one to mention it.
She didn't say she was starving herself either.
I am genuinely confused.
Ummmm.....Kalikel.,,,,I don't respond to anyone to start fights in the forum. There is no reason for you to respond to me this way.My point is that the body kind of fights us on going over or underweight. When you don't eat enough, you will natuarLly feel weak, tired and dizzy.
As far as overweight, your stomach will say, "Enough!" and will cause you to feel uncomfortably stuffed when you eat too much food. The fullness in the intestines could make you a bit sluggish. That's assuming you're eating natural, healthy foods. If you eat junk food, though, you won't get that uncomfortable, stuffed feeling. You won't have intestines packed full of food. Because you can eat very little and still get a lot of calories. So if you're eating cake and cookies, you won't feel the effects of too many calories the way you would if you tired to do it with peas and soybeans. There won't be any push back. By our body won't fight you there.
I hope that clears it up.
I'm sorry, but it really doesn't clear much up, However, you say that our body fights going overweight or underweight. Based on my own experience, I disagree that our body fights getting bigger, because weight gain is pretty easy for a lot of us. As we get smaller it gets harder to lose weight, though.
I don't see how food type applies. It's all just food.
That said, I thank you for trying to clarify.
Then we disagree. That's cool. It won't be the first time!0 -
Another article to add more fuel to this fire. It is just another point of view. Take it or leave it.
https://www.t-nation.com/supplements/change-your-body-fat-set-point0 -
rainbowbow wrote: »GuitarJerry wrote: »Set point theory is BS.
this is what i came to say.
Set Point is BS. Your weight is a direct result of your lifestyle, activities, and food intake.
I don't think OP is talking about set point, as normally used. She's talking about what happens when you get to a very low body fat level.0 -
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