Why do I still look fat ? :(

turtlemt20

5'4" female maintaining at 112-116 currently... I don't get why I look so fat at this weight I have huge calves, jiggly thighs and stomach fat still. Feeling bummed out.

Do I just need to be stricter with my logging and lose the last 5 lbs?

Sorry for the *kitten* photos but I don't have many of myself

Strawblackcat

OP, you don't look fat. You look borderline skinnier than average, in my opinion.

In any case, you certainly don't need to lose more weight. Maybe look into recomp if you want to increase muscle mass and firm up some of what you consider to be your problem areas, if you want.

Link:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

aggiepringle6665

I don't see fat

livingleanlivingclean

Do you lift? If not, I'd suggest doing that, whilst eating at maintenance to recomp (to slowly lose fat as you gain muscle).... Get yourself on to a progressive lifting program!

Having more muscle mass will likely give you the physique you're trying to attain...

ETA - you don't look "fat". You have fat. We all have fat. You need body fat.

Nony_Mouse

Yep, not fat, recomp to firm up the jiggly bits.

lauraslinn947

You do not look fat! And your calves certainly are not huge! Your mind is messing with you. I think/hope I'm the same - have gone from a bmi of 26 to bmi 22, photos were taken yesterday at a sporting event and (to me) I look exactly the same as at the last event I obviously don't really as I weigh 20lbs less.

You look great!

timtam163

Not to presume but do you spend a lot of time on social media? Do you look around you at what other fit women look like IRL? I say this because I struggle myself against negative self-image even after having lost a lot of weight, and a big part of it is looking at social media and seeing these glow-y insta models whether I want to or not. That, and looking at strangers on the internet who are much skinnier than I am talking about how fat they feel...

dustinjbrock

I'm with livinglean. Weight loss is defiantly not your goal here, toning your body is. Weight training is where you should go to, and that doesn't mean you need to build lots of muscle but light weight training will help you tighten up.

rickiimarieee

You are not fat. You're actually in the tinier end of the BMI. I think you struggle with some self image issues but if you want, you can tone your body with some weight training!

Ironandwine69

First off you don't look fat.
Second, it looks like you don't have a lot of muscle mass. Start lifting, it will tighten things up.

snowflake954

I too vote recomp. There's a great thread running on recomp by usmcmp: Recomposition-maintaining weight while losing bodyfat. She really knows her stuff. Look into it.

Rincewind_1965

Ironandwine69 wrote: »

First off you don't look fat.
Second, it looks like you don't have a lot of muscle mass. Start lifting, it will tighten things up.

^^This

hesn92

You don't

esmerelda9479

You look thin. I agree with other posters. Start building muscle and toning up.

mazdauk

You look thin to me, your calves are small - your legs are not sticks, which is unattractive, but a normal muscle, your stomach is way flatter than mine will ever be.

You are just used to seeing yourself heavier so think that's how you still look.

animatorswearbras

You look slim to me and fabulously proportioned I think the mind plays funny tricks on us all and noone sees the flaws we see in ourselves. I don't see access fat but as others say, if you want, you could start resistance training for body re-composition. You look great though. x

deputy_randolph

To me, you look very "skinny." You are probably "jiggly," b/c you are undermuscled. The jiggly bits aren't just fat...it's skin and other tissue. Even unflexed muscles can appear "soft."

You don't need to lose 5lbs. You need to lift and develop more muscle tissue to fill out the jiggly bits.

Seffell

You need to start replacing some of the jiggly bits with muscle. Start a lifting programme (progressive overload) and eat at maintenance. It will take time but it will change, I promise!

ncfitbit

This video shows you that scale weight isn't the only thing that matters. The first woman is thin, but flabby (she thinks) and the second one actually gains weight on the program, but ends up looking really great. I agree with others you look good already, but maybe this will show you it might be worth it to do weight training.

https://buzzfeed.com/evanghang/we-lost-22-of-body-fat-in-6-weeks?utm_term=.bcp04KVQN#.xsQzLae1Y

evileen99

I post this pic all the time. On the left, a woman at her goal weight. On the right, 14 pounds heavier after a recomp.

lucerorojo

Maybe you need glasses??? You look thin, not fat. You aren't muscular but you look great. If you want to be hard and not soft, then take the advice of others and start lifting some weights and other toning exercise.

Rooskie73

I wish I looked as good as you! You look great!

How do you add pictures on here from a phone? Off topic, but curious.

Grimmerick

maybe a little body dysmorphia? I feel like a lot of us have it from time to time. You don't look fat at all, but you could tone up and add more muscle if you want to appear more cut.

turtlemt20

Hm.. maybe I had unrealistic expectations and yeah I guess I should tone up but I'm afraid of gaining weight and going outside of my maintenance range

I started Crossfit 2 weeks ago and I'm already trending towards the end of my range (114-115)

Grimmerick

turtlemt20 wrote: »

Hm.. maybe I had unrealistic expectations and yeah I guess I should tone up but I'm afraid of gaining weight and going outside of my maintenance range

I started Crossfit 2 weeks ago and I'm already trending towards the end of my range (114-115)

DO NOT lock onto a number on the scale, you do yourself no favors by tying in how you look to your weight on a scale....BIG mistake. Look at mybodygallery.com put in your height weight and age range, you will see how differently people look while still having the same height and weight, purely based on what their body composition is. My friend is 160lbs and looks thinner and more toned than you.....for an example.

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quiksylver296

turtlemt20 wrote: »

Hm.. maybe I had unrealistic expectations and yeah I guess I should tone up but I'm afraid of gaining weight and going outside of my maintenance range

I started Crossfit 2 weeks ago and I'm already trending towards the end of my range (114-115)

When you start lifting weights and get more muscle, you will look better at a higher weight. Don't let an arbitrary number on the scale stop you.

livingleanlivingclean

turtlemt20 wrote: »

Hm.. maybe I had unrealistic expectations and yeah I guess I should tone up but I'm afraid of gaining weight and going outside of my maintenance range

I started Crossfit 2 weeks ago and I'm already trending towards the end of my range (114-115)

Starting new exercise will more than likely lead to water retention, and subsequent weight increases.

Remember that you can weigh more, but be leaner (and tighter/smaller) when you are more muscular. If weight increases freak you out, perhaps go by pics and measurements instead of the scale.

Grimmerick

Here is a good example, look at this girl at 122lbs then at 140lbs, which looks better to you?

collectingblues

turtlemt20 wrote: »

Hm.. maybe I had unrealistic expectations and yeah I guess I should tone up but I'm afraid of gaining weight and going outside of my maintenance range

I started Crossfit 2 weeks ago and I'm already trending towards the end of my range (114-115)

I think some of us also just carry our fat in our torsos/abdomens more. You've got a similar build to me, and I share your concerns with how I look in pictures.

Spliner1969

turtlemt20 wrote: »

Hm.. maybe I had unrealistic expectations and yeah I guess I should tone up but I'm afraid of gaining weight and going outside of my maintenance range

I started Crossfit 2 weeks ago and I'm already trending towards the end of my range (114-115)

Water weight can account for up to 5 lbs gain at any one time, especially when starting a new exercise program. I can gain 5lbs of water weight in a single day easily eating BBQ and doing a hard workout. It takes 2-3 days to start seeing it drop off after that. You're going to have to give yourself a range that you want to stay within, because muscle weighs more than fat, and in the end you'll likely end up weighing a little bit more but looking better. Oh, and I see no fat, what you're talking about is called 'skinny fat'. It's from not having enough muscle to compliment the lower weight. Switch to recomp eat at or slightly (up to 100 cals or so) above maintenance calories and stay away from the scale except maybe 1 time a month. Just my .02