Those last few pounds

ChelzFit

I have maintained my weight between 130-135 for several years now. I have had 2 children in the last 2 years and able to go back to my original weight fairly quickly. Years ago I struggled with an eating disorder and obsessive exercise, I was running 90 plus miles and weighing 115. I crashed hard and was out from any type of exercise for over a year. I am in a really good place now food and exercise wise but I would like to lose a little fat. Sometimes I log, but usually I don't anymore because I pretty much weigh my food and count calories to know my intake. I usually consume 2,200-2,400 cals a day. Workout 5-6 days a week with 35 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of moderate weight lifting. I was able to put some muscle on this winter eating this many cals so my guess is I was eating a little above maintaining. I am sitting at 133 now (5'7), and I would love to drop about 2 pounds or so. My question is, every time I try to restrict my cals usually just by 200 or even less, my body just tanks out on me. I start suffering through my workouts, I am fatigued, and I lose my appetite and usually have to take a week of from exercising. I am starting to think that my body might just not want to lose those last 2 pounds and is happy where it is at.
Also, I do wear a FITBIT HR and it says I burn anywhere from 2,200-2,400 daily. I also track my workouts using a heartrate monitor during cardio and burn anywhere from 35-450 cals a day.

French_Peasant

133 at 5'7" sounds absolutely lovely. I would just continue to lift progressively heavier weights and make sure you hit your protein macro. I would rather have 2 lbs (which doesn't sound like extra weight at all) and be strong than lose them and be weak during my workouts.

jdhcm2006

It sounds like you need to recomp. Eat at maintenance and start lifting heavy weights.

SarahPeters3

Try even just doing 100 calories less and keep lifting heavy add it alot more protein and veggies fueling your body the right way has a huge impact on your energy levels try to cut out more sugar and replace it with those protein and healthy fats the last few pounds are all diet and really keeping tight to it!

Vegplotter

We naturally fluctuate about 4lbs. So wanting to lose 2lbs is a nonsence. You are calibrating for too small a change.
You are also exercising quite a lot already - I'd say cool it.
It might be time to examine your motives for even bothering about that 2lbs. Does it actually signify something else in your life that's not quite perfect which you can't change by what you eat?
You are very candid in telling us that you've had an eating disorder in the past. Seek help if you think you might be at the top of a slippery slope.

elisa123gal

133 at 5 7 sounds pretty thin already. But hey,… i won't judge. Have your tried cutting down your calories and cutting down your exercise so you don't tax your body and feel weak? Id' try that.. cut down on the cardio and take an extra day off.. see if that works.. i bet it does.

DebSozo

elisa123gal wrote: »

133 at 5 7 sounds pretty thin already. But hey,… i won't judge. Have your tried cutting down your calories and cutting down your exercise so you don't tax your body and feel weak? Id' try that.. cut down on the cardio and take an extra day off.. see if that works.. i bet it does.

I agree. OP you have an excellent BMI now, IMO! I am 5'7" and would love to get back to 145 pounds! I used to think I was fat even when I was 135, but I keep a bit of belly bulge no matter how low I go. I think some of it is genetics. Others on here have said staying at the same weight and doing recomp helps add more lean body mass so you look thinner and have smaller measurements at the same weight.