Almost at my goal, not happy with the results.

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I was 315ish (years ago) at my heaviest, down to 247 with a goal of 240. How I pictured myself at 240 (6'1) is nowhere in sight. I was down to 240 in the past and was happy with the results, that's why 240 was my desired weight. It's pretty discouraging. I definitely see a difference between now and then but it looks like I'm going to have to grind a lot more to get down to a weight closer to 210-215ish. Any one else face this issue? Giving up isn't an option for me but I'm not looking forward to the grind like I was before.
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  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    1) What specifically are you not happy with?

    2) Have you been doing a strength training program during your weight loss?
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
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    I was wondering how quickly you lost the weight? If the rate was too aggressive, you may have lost quite a bit of muscle and not have the same composition as before. Or, as a previous poster mentioned, maybe your standards have changed? At any rate, maybe you would benefit from a shift in your goals (while still monitoring your calories) to more fitness-oriented goals? Wish you the best :)
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
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    I agree that it may be body composition. Usually without use the body turns muscle into fat. And VLC dieting only help lose muscle.

    I'd look into recomping or bulking/cutting.
  • MZC386
    MZC386 Posts: 21 Member
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    I don't know how long ago it was that you were 240 but it's possible that over the years through aging and holding onto more weight that your body composition is different than what it was before.

    Are you strength training?

    You may be onto something but I definitely wouldn't have thought the difference would have been so much. I was 24 or 25 when I was 240, I'm now 31 and look a lot fatter now. I have been weight training about 3 times a week, probably about the same as when I was younger.
  • MZC386
    MZC386 Posts: 21 Member
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    AnvilHead wrote: »
    1) What specifically are you not happy with?

    2) Have you been doing a strength training program during your weight loss?

    I look a lot fatter now than I was at the same weight when I was 24/25 yrs old. I weight train about 3 times a week.
  • MZC386
    MZC386 Posts: 21 Member
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    amtyrell wrote: »
    What don't you like about it? 240 seems a high goal unless you are like 6 ft 8 or taller. Depending on height it could still be obese or overweight bmi.
    Also you might have had more muscle at 240 before because body fat percentage makes a big difference in how a weight looks

    I look a lot fatter now at the same weight. I've never been a thin guy, always been chubby or just flat at obese so my goal weight reflects that...... and I'm terrified of going lower than that because of loose skin. You make a good point about having more muscle before than I do now....... I'm stronger now though........ interesting
  • MZC386
    MZC386 Posts: 21 Member
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    try2again wrote: »
    I was wondering how quickly you lost the weight? If the rate was too aggressive, you may have lost quite a bit of muscle and not have the same composition as before. Or, as a previous poster mentioned, maybe your standards have changed? At any rate, maybe you would benefit from a shift in your goals (while still monitoring your calories) to more fitness-oriented goals? Wish you the best :)

    Well this time around, I started at about 280ish maybe close to 3 months ago. Would that be considered aggressive? I work overnights and rather not eat at work, so I never hit my calories for the day. Believe it or not, I've never set fitness goals before. I guess now is as good a time as any to start. Thanks for the response.
  • MZC386
    MZC386 Posts: 21 Member
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    Luna3386 wrote: »
    I agree that it may be body composition. Usually without use the body turns muscle into fat. And VLC dieting only help lose muscle.

    I'd look into recomping or bulking/cutting.

    I'm definitely going to look into that. Thanks for the response.
  • MZC386
    MZC386 Posts: 21 Member
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    Sorry for the late responses guys and gals.
  • tiffaninghs
    tiffaninghs Posts: 200 Member
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    sounds alot like my issue.. im not far off from my lowest weight ever but im alot pudgier this go round. i was doing a mix of strength training before so i obviously need to incorporate that again. i miss being leaner.. also i re-discovered pesky bread so thats an issue as well
  • ultima199
    ultima199 Posts: 2 Member
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    Add a bit of cardio in too. Keep up the great progress you've been making. Remember you are losing more fat than you think if you are also building muscle. I bet you also have higher standards now than you did in the past. Don't give up!
  • MZC386
    MZC386 Posts: 21 Member
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    sounds alot like my issue.. im not far off from my lowest weight ever but im alot pudgier this go round. i was doing a mix of strength training before so i obviously need to incorporate that again. i miss being leaner.. also i re-discovered pesky bread so thats an issue as well

    I've been weight training, I guess not as much as I should have been. I was too focused on the number in the scale going down. Ive never given up bread, I don't have that kind of strength lol
  • JoanDoyleFit4192
    JoanDoyleFit4192 Posts: 16 Member
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    Same here I've dieted the last year or so I'm almost down to a weight I'm happy with but I'm still not happy with how I look..... So I'm starting an exercise routine too starting with brisk walks and yoga, see how I go from there. X
  • craigo3154
    craigo3154 Posts: 2,572 Member
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    MZC386 wrote: »
    I was 315ish (years ago) at my heaviest, down to 247 with a goal of 240. How I pictured myself at 240 (6'1) is nowhere in sight. I was down to 240 in the past and was happy with the results, that's why 240 was my desired weight. It's pretty discouraging. I definitely see a difference between now and then but it looks like I'm going to have to grind a lot more to get down to a weight closer to 210-215ish. Any one else face this issue? Giving up isn't an option for me but I'm not looking forward to the grind like I was before.

    @MZC386. At 6"1', if you are looking to get to the upper end of healthy BMI (24.5), then you should be shooting for 186 lbs.

    I'm 5"9' (mesomorph build) and shooting for 165 lbs. May end up aiming at 154 lbs depending on how I feel/look at 165. (Was 201 at the start of the year, 179 now).

    BMI is only a guide. Depends on your body type as to what a "healthy weight" should be.

    Once you near or achieve a goal, you need to spend some time evaluating if it is where you want to be.

    If you develop the right habits, slowly adjusting weight (up or down, 1lb per 2 weeks) should be easier than the hard grind you have already been through. The hard bit is developing the right habits in the first place (otherwise in 2 years you are likely to be back where you started).
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Loose skin is better than fat.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    You may need to readjust your target weight, or consider overshooting by a bit ... 225-230 and then doing a recomp/bulk.

    You've probably lost a little muscle do to the rapid loss.

    Also, you've still got 7-10 lbs of fat to go before you hit 240