Introduce myself
ExistingFish
Posts: 1,259 Member
I'm 30, I have 3 kids (5, 3, and 11 months) and when my smallest LO was 6 months I realized I'd gained too much and needed to get fitter, for myself and my kids. I've been going to the gym and lifting moderately heavy weights since February. In April I started logging my calories and eating better, and started a newer program.
I was using NROL (the original). I bought Strong (by the same authors) and have been using it since April. I go to the gym 3 times a week, do weight lifting and interval training.
SW: 156lbs
GW: 125lbs
CW: 134lbs
5'0"
I've got less than 10lbs to go to my goal weight. But since I've gotten here, and I've been lifting the whole time, I still feel like I have a lot of fat left on my body, like over 10lbs worth. I am trying to decide to readjust my goal to 115 (which isn't unreasonable given my height) or to work on muscle for a while once I hit 125 and then next February try to go back down to 115.
I've gone from a 12/14 to a 6/8, I'd really like to be in a 4-6 size range. Maybe next summer though. I feel like I've done really well, but I'm not where I want to be yet. I just don't know if I should keep trying to lose weight, or try to add more muscle once I get to a more intermediate goal.
And I'm still breastfeeding my LO, which screws up my metabolism and may make those last 10lbs a little hard to lose.
I was using NROL (the original). I bought Strong (by the same authors) and have been using it since April. I go to the gym 3 times a week, do weight lifting and interval training.
SW: 156lbs
GW: 125lbs
CW: 134lbs
5'0"
I've got less than 10lbs to go to my goal weight. But since I've gotten here, and I've been lifting the whole time, I still feel like I have a lot of fat left on my body, like over 10lbs worth. I am trying to decide to readjust my goal to 115 (which isn't unreasonable given my height) or to work on muscle for a while once I hit 125 and then next February try to go back down to 115.
I've gone from a 12/14 to a 6/8, I'd really like to be in a 4-6 size range. Maybe next summer though. I feel like I've done really well, but I'm not where I want to be yet. I just don't know if I should keep trying to lose weight, or try to add more muscle once I get to a more intermediate goal.
And I'm still breastfeeding my LO, which screws up my metabolism and may make those last 10lbs a little hard to lose.
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Replies
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Welcome to the group!1
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Welcome! There's nothing wrong with taking a break and maintaining once you reach your initial goal. Keep up the lifting and then see how you feel down the line.
For what it's worth, I was one of those people that couldn't lose the extra weight until I weaned with my second child. 15lbs just dropped off once I weaned him.2 -
I have never stopped breastfeeding since my first was born! I will just have to wait and find out.0
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Welcome! We are pretty similar! I'm 5'1" and started out at 195lbs. I'm down to 130 and my baby is almost 15 months old. I've been breastfeeding for almost 11 years straight with five children (save for a few months during my pregnancies) but this would be the first time I've ever consistantly used it to my advantage for losing weight. I'm down to my last 10 pounds and also strength trained the whole time. I've followed a few different programs over the years but I'm doing Strong by Bret workouts now and really enjoying them. Looking forward to seeing your progress!0
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Wow! You have made great progress! I am using Strong: Nine workouts...by Lou Schuler & Alwyn Cosgrove. I did their New Rules of Lifting book back when I was young, no kids, and just getting serious with my now husband. We loved it and were in great shape, but we had youth and hormones on our side.
I've finally settled on 120 and seeing how I feel there. I think another 10lbs and I'm probably going to lose the fat in the places its bothering me. It's mostly the back fat around my bra straps, you'd think that be gone by now. I don't have a lot of excess fat, but man that back fat.0 -
ExistingFish wrote: »Wow! You have made great progress! I am using Strong: Nine workouts...by Lou Schuler & Alwyn Cosgrove. I did their New Rules of Lifting book back when I was young, no kids, and just getting serious with my now husband. We loved it and were in great shape, but we had youth and hormones on our side.
I've finally settled on 120 and seeing how I feel there. I think another 10lbs and I'm probably going to lose the fat in the places its bothering me. It's mostly the back fat around my bra straps, you'd think that be gone by now. I don't have a lot of excess fat, but man that back fat.
I'm aiming for 120 also! Once you get down to a lower weight you really start to notice what's left but even 10 pounds makes such a huge difference. I have the upper back fat still, too.0 -
Well I expect the belly. I've had 3 kids and that skin is never going to be super taunt. I am waiting to see if a mini tummy tuck will be in the picture. After watching some youtube videos, I think I'll buy me some cute underwear that hides it for now. Wait to see if it goes.
But the back fat baffles me. Haha. What do you do for that if it doesn't go? Lipo? I guess I'll have to keep losing to see if it goes. I've lost 25, and I keep having to remind myself how much of a difference 25 has made, so 10 will still make a big difference. It seems like such a small number but googling pictures of 5lbs of fat helped.
On the other hand, I'm super thrilled with the way the rest of my body looks, so there is that. My legs? Fab. My bum? Fab. My boobs even? Fab. My arms? super fab.0 -
I see long-term recomp in my future once I make it to my goal weight. I don't see losing even more weight being the solution because at some point I will just need to work on growing muscle in order to get to where I want to be composition-wise. I have the paper thin loose skin on my lower stomach and it doesn't bother me. I also have diastasis recti that I'm hoping will improve to some degree with time. I have a small section of fat left on my stomach, and I lost fat really oddly from my butt so I hope that resolves itself lol.1
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Same here. I am lifting weights now, but at a deficit. I am really excited to actually build muscle on the long term. But everything I read says lose first!0
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DomesticKat wrote: »I see long-term recomp in my future once I make it to my goal weight. I don't see losing even more weight being the solution because at some point I will just need to work on growing muscle in order to get to where I want to be composition-wise. I have the paper thin loose skin on my lower stomach and it doesn't bother me. I also have diastasis recti that I'm hoping will improve to some degree with time. I have a small section of fat left on my stomach, and I lost fat really oddly from my butt so I hope that resolves itself lol.
Oh and mine isn't paper thin, there is definitely a layer of subcutaneous fat there. You've been at this longer than me though. But it's all deflated and just skin with a layer of fat, not like deposits of fat just hanging out like there used to be. I don't think I had diastasis recti, have not seen any signs.
My butt apparently loses fat well. It has shrunk more than I wanted it too. For the first time in my life, when I've paid attention, I'm now an inverted triangle and not an hourglass, because my butt has shrunk faster than my chest (which is also shrinking) and waist. I'm hoping the chest and waist will catch up because I have always called myself an hourglass.0
