Losing relatively small amounts and keeping it off

smnovosad1

I am 41 years old, am 5’5 and weigh 135 lbs. I have a muscular build through the legs, which I hate but it is what it is. I am happiest when I am in the 125-130 lb range.
Two years ago, before a cruise, I was 135 lbs and got down to 120 in three months by working out 30 min a day and eating 1200 calories a day, not eating back exercise calories. I think this was too light for me or I did something wrong, because my menstrual cycle stopped for 6 months and I had to take medicine to get it restarted. Also, I obviously regained the weight. I work out 3 times a week doing t25 or elliptical or running, and think about my calories although I don’t count them closely.
Obviously I am right back where I started. I am going to start to log my calories again and increase working out to 5 times a week. Any advice on what my goals should be? While I was quite proud of myself for losing the weight in the past, the true goal has to be being healthy and keeping it off, so I don’t want to do the same thing I did before.
Thanks!

Cherimoose

smnovosad1 wrote: »

Any advice on what my goals should be?

Finish an obstacle course race. Squat your bodyweight, and deadlift 1.5x your bodyweight. Maintain healthy body fat levels, and have blood test results that impress your doctor.

middlehaitch

Put your stats into MFP to lose .5 lbs a week.
Use a digital scale for all foods (cups and sooons for liquids).
Verify the weighed packaged food against the label.
Verify fruit, veg, meat, and some grains, with the USDA.

Make changes that are sustainable long term. I found just shrinking my portions worked well for me (30 lbs lost and maintained 8yr)

Exercise in a maintainable way also. Don't go all out, you will burn out and/or get injured too frequently. I, early on, decided 1 hr x 5 a week suited me and my lifestyle, and it does. Do a mix of cardio and resistance.

Eat your exercise calories back. I ate 100% of mine using MFP calculations. Some people like to start with 50 or 75% and adjust up or down depending on results.

Be consistent, forgive yourself when you go off track, celebrate occasions, and know you won't lose the same amount every week, weight loss is fickle like that, but you will lose over time.

Cheers, h.

Orphia

Your BMI value is 22.7 and your category is normal weight. Normal weight: BMI is 18.5 to 24.9.

https://whatismybmi.co.uk/improvedbmi.php

Are you tracking your weight in an app like Happy Scale or trendweight?

You are within the normal maintenance fluctuation range.

Just saying it's quite easy to focus too much on the number on the scale and not on how you feel, look, or fit into your clothes.

TavistockToad

I have similar stats, my goal is to maintain around 130.

I only aim to lose 0.5lb per week, and I have to be pretty accurate with my logging.

Actual weight loss often gets lost in water weight fluctuations.

GrumpyHeadmistress

I too have similar stats - 5’4” and currently 127.2lbs. I want to drop down to 120 which is the bottom of my maintenance range. I eat 1200 plus all my exercise calories back which is usually about 500 a day. I’ve actually gained 2.2lbs over the last week or so for no particular reason. Frustrating but I know to stick with the program and it will come off eventually.