Bit confused about 'goal'

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Kdp2015
Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
edited June 2016 in Motivation and Support
I'm down from 185 to 147 (I'm 5'10 female) I've lost it fairly fast and I'm not really sure when to stop (I had some help last week in maintenance post but feel worse after my weight stayed the same this week.) I thought I was ready to maintain but still feel a bit 'fat' I know weight training will help but I'm still 20.5% bf so can afford to lose more, I'm just not sure I'll feel any better about the way I look if I lose more and I'm not sure I'll really know when to stop?! Sorry for rambling on!!

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  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,932 Member
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    Use the BMI scale to determine where you want to be ... and especially to determine what your bottom limit should be.
  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
    edited June 2016
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    Thanks. My lower limit is 129 so I'm quite far from that.
    Sorry, eta 129 not 137!
  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
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    It's mainly my stomach I'm unhappy with...
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    o43ocfl9eo45.jpeg
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    If I were you I would stop trying to lose weight and would instead do resistance training (lift weights or serious bodyweight exercises.) You have a lack of muscle mass and that will make you look soft. If you continue to lose, you will likely continue to have the belly pooch and will just look like a smaller version of what you look like right now. If you were to eat at maintenance and train well, you would have great results.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    Do you do any strength training? I'd divert my energies to that if I were you. I kinda am you in that I have almost always had a little bit of a tummy even when skinny. I did lose it for a period of time when I was lifting weights regularly and had a fairly low bf%. The rest of my life I buy clothes that don't accentuate it or use spanx. You are very attractive btw.
  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    If I were you I would stop trying to lose weight and would instead do resistance training (lift weights or serious bodyweight exercises.) You have a lack of muscle mass and that will make you look soft. If you continue to lose, you will likely continue to have the belly pooch and will just look like a smaller version of what you look like right now. If you were to eat at maintenance and train well, you would have great results.

    Surely I need to lose fat though?
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    If I were you I would stop trying to lose weight and would instead do resistance training (lift weights or serious bodyweight exercises.) You have a lack of muscle mass and that will make you look soft. If you continue to lose, you will likely continue to have the belly pooch and will just look like a smaller version of what you look like right now. If you were to eat at maintenance and train well, you would have great results.

    Surely I need to lose fat though?

    You may be able to get where you want to be without a change in weight though. Upping your muscle and reducing your fat. No calorie deficit required.

  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
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    goldthistime wrote: »
    Do you do any strength training? I'd divert my energies to that if I were you. I kinda am you in that I have almost always had a little bit of a tummy even when skinny. I did lose it for a period of time when I was lifting weights regularly and had a fairly low bf%. The rest of my life I buy clothes that don't accentuate it or use spanx. You are very attractive btw.
    Ok literally blushing right now I'm not used to hearing that kind of thing thank you. I'm really trying to up my weights (mainly machine work but I've been really trying with deadlifts, rows, squats and curls too) I've been doing it six weeks and have noticed a bit of change in my shoulders, my lower stomach feels weaker than ever though I used to think my abs were OK (albeit hidden) but that's def where I've lost some muscle from.
  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
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    I appreciate six weeks is not a long time I just really want this stomach gone now and it's making me eat less which I know is wrong.
  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
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    goldthistime wrote: »
    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    If I were you I would stop trying to lose weight and would instead do resistance training (lift weights or serious bodyweight exercises.) You have a lack of muscle mass and that will make you look soft. If you continue to lose, you will likely continue to have the belly pooch and will just look like a smaller version of what you look like right now. If you were to eat at maintenance and train well, you would have great results.

    Surely I need to lose fat though?

    You may be able to get where you want to be without a change in weight though. Upping your muscle and reducing your fat. No calorie deficit required.
    Will strength training reduce fat? (Seriously, I didn't know that...)
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,932 Member
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    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    I appreciate six weeks is not a long time I just really want this stomach gone now and it's making me eat less which I know is wrong.

    That's a part of the female anatomy which is very hard to flatten. I have that too.

    If the low end of your BMI range is 129, and you're 147, you could try dropping another 5 lbs and see how that goes.

    And yeah, keep working out. You might try incorporating rowing or something in the mix. :)
  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
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    Machka9 wrote: »
    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    I appreciate six weeks is not a long time I just really want this stomach gone now and it's making me eat less which I know is wrong.

    That's a part of the female anatomy which is very hard to flatten. I have that too.

    If the low end of your BMI range is 129, and you're 147, you could try dropping another 5 lbs and see how that goes.

    And yeah, keep working out. You might try incorporating rowing or something in the mix. :)
    I've not tried rowing I might give it a go thanks.
    I might lose a few more pounds to see how I feel, think weight loss may be a little addictive though!
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    If I were you I would stop trying to lose weight and would instead do resistance training (lift weights or serious bodyweight exercises.) You have a lack of muscle mass and that will make you look soft. If you continue to lose, you will likely continue to have the belly pooch and will just look like a smaller version of what you look like right now. If you were to eat at maintenance and train well, you would have great results.

    Surely I need to lose fat though?

    Training at maintenance will have you losing fat at the same time. If you continue to lose fat without any work to build muscle, you likely are going to end up with skinnier arms and legs and still have the belly pooch. You are pretty thin already. I'm 4.5" shorter than you and the same weight.

    BTW, 20.5% bf--where'd you get that number? You do realize that is a fairly low body fat percentage, right?
  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    If I were you I would stop trying to lose weight and would instead do resistance training (lift weights or serious bodyweight exercises.) You have a lack of muscle mass and that will make you look soft. If you continue to lose, you will likely continue to have the belly pooch and will just look like a smaller version of what you look like right now. If you were to eat at maintenance and train well, you would have great results.

    Surely I need to lose fat though?

    Training at maintenance will have you losing fat at the same time. If you continue to lose fat without any work to build muscle, you likely are going to end up with skinnier arms and legs and still have the belly pooch. You are pretty thin already. I'm 4.5" shorter than you and the same weight.

    BTW, 20.5% bf--where'd you get that number? You do realize that is a fairly low body fat percentage, right?
    It's purely from scale which I know is not a great guide but it's gone done quite consistently from 30% at my heaviest.
    I certainly don't feel thin :(
  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
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    Judging by pictures I've seen online I'd like to be 18 or 19%
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    goldthistime wrote: »
    Kdp2015 wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    If I were you I would stop trying to lose weight and would instead do resistance training (lift weights or serious bodyweight exercises.) You have a lack of muscle mass and that will make you look soft. If you continue to lose, you will likely continue to have the belly pooch and will just look like a smaller version of what you look like right now. If you were to eat at maintenance and train well, you would have great results.

    Surely I need to lose fat though?

    You may be able to get where you want to be without a change in weight though. Upping your muscle and reducing your fat. No calorie deficit required.
    Will strength training reduce fat? (Seriously, I didn't know that...)

    Strength training doesn't reduce fat per se, but if you add muscle but stay the same weight, your bf% would have to decrease. Search for the recomposition threads.

  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
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    I know all this makes sense I'm just struggling 'feeling fat but not being on a diet'

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