Need Advice About Muscle Loss

IAmSagittarian82

First off, let me say I LOVE MFP!

About 4 yrs ago, I did a diet called Medifast, which was a 700-1000 cal a day reduced-carb diet shipped to your door. I lost a lot of weight with it for sure - over 100 lbs (from 250 lbs to 140 lbs). But now, I am afraid I really just lost a ton of muscle along with some fat. When I got down to my goal weight of 140 lbs, I was so weak in my arms that I could hardly pull open doors. I remember going to Barnes & Nobles and the mall...ppl had to help me pull open the doors to enter in. I had obviously lost muscle mass. At 140 lbs, I was skinny (size US 3/5) but I was terribly flabby and my body was wrecked with lose skin. As soon as I tried to maintain my weight, I noticed that my weight started creeping back up even while eating at "maintenance" calories.

So fast forward, today I eat a protein rich diet and workout. I am currently 190 lbs and a size US 6/7 (at 5'7 tall). So I have "gained" roughly 50 lbs, but 50 lbs of what? Physically, I only look about 10-15 lbs heavier than I did at 140 lbs. My back fat has diminished a lot and I barely have any loose skin at 190 lbs. What I mean is, I look more toned up at 190 lbs than at 140 lbs...I still fit a lot of the same clothes.

Has anyone had this to happen? In other words, does your heavier weight look better than your skinnier weight? Has anyone here tried MF and lost muscles instead of fat? Do you think it is possible for me to have put back on a significant amount of muscle...nearly 50 lbs worth?

Obviously, I know some of it could have been a little fat gain...since my breasts went from DD at 140 lbs to DDD at 190 lbs.

I track my meals here on MFP and I am back to losing weight again but it just seems like my body doesn't want to get under 190 and that getting down to 140 is a joke. I'm starting to think I must have very little fat left or something.

Any advice is appreciated.