People specially women who have been in the same situation, I really need your opinion!!

0Leena0

Hello everybody!

I'm stuck right now and I don't know what I should do. here are my stats:

Female (29 turning 30 in a month), height: 164 cm, weight: 59-60 kg ( Pear Shape). Training 3 times a week for approx (45 minutes) and walking 8K to 10K steps a day.

I have been on a weight loss journey since 2020, however, I don't like how my body looks since I became ( skinny fat), after researching I heard about body recomposition and eating at maintenance, i encountered 3 problems.

1/ since August 2021 ( weight was:66) my weight loss has been so SLOOOOOOOOOOW!

2/I heard a lot of conflicting opinions about my situation, some said since you are in a normal weight range but have a high body fat percentage you should be eating around 1300 calories a day, while others said no you have to eat at maintenance to build muscle and tighten your skin. which leads to my 3rd problem.

3/ I don't mind feeling hungry but I noticed that it interrupts my sleep. when I go to sleep I don't feel hungry but I will wake up one or 2 hours after I fell asleep and cannot go back. (still do not feel hungry) but the next day when I ate more I slept without a problem. the problem is, my original plan was to stick to 1600 a day, however, because of the sleeping issues I record that I'm eating around 1900-2100 a day !! , how can I lose weight when I cannot decrease my calories:'(((

- I used an In body machine on the 4th of December and here is the result: https://postimg.cc/SJ8qbPwJ, and https://postimg.cc/sM4rvhfz

_ then I bought a smart scale and had a different result, especially the BF% so I don't know which one should I believe., results: https://postimg.cc/23L332sf, and https://postimg.cc/HrzkFKyb

Lietchi

Neither InBody scans or smart scales mesure fat, they just estimate based on how fast an electrical current goes through your body. They aren't reliable, not for absolute numbers (although perhaps with frequent measurements they can show a trend).

I'm your size and weight, more or less, and 1300 is dreadfully low for someone young and active.
IMHO, you don't really need to lose weight, you just need to focus on building muscle while eating at maintenance (true maintenance, based on what your scale says (weight staying the same), calculators are just a starting point).
Alternatively, you could eat at a slight calorie surplus (easier to build muscle) and then lose weight (fat) again, in cycles until you're body composition satisfies you.

Recomp is inherently a slow process. But bulk and cut cycles can be.... scary since it requires gaining a bit of weight first, and then slimming back down.

0Leena0

Lietchi wrote: »

Neither InBody scans or smart scales mesure fat, they just estimate based on how fast an electrical current goes through your body. They aren't reliable, not for absolute numbers (although perhaps with frequent measurements they can show a trend).

I'm your size and weight, more or less, and 1300 is dreadfully low for someone young and active.
IMHO, you don't really need to lose weight, you just need to focus on building muscle while eating at maintenance (true maintenance, based on what your scale says (weight staying the same), calculators are just a starting point).
Alternatively, you could eat at a slight calorie surplus (easier to build muscle) and then lose weight (fat) again, in cycles until you're body composition satisfies you.

Recomp is inherently a slow process. But bulk and cut cycles can be.... scary since it requires gaining a bit of weight first, and then slimming back down.

then how do people determine their BF%? .. I feel I'm in the middle in addition, i think i will be relaxed a little bit when i reach 50 kg, thats why bulking and recompositon is a scary step for me i don't wanna to gain weight /fat

ghrmj

0Leena0 wrote: »

Hello everybody!

I'm stuck right now and I don't know what I should do. here are my stats:

Female (29 turning 30 in a month), height: 164 cm, weight: 59-60 kg ( Pear Shape). Training 3 times a week for approx (45 minutes) and walking 8K to 10K steps a day.

I have been on a weight loss journey since 2020, however, I don't like how my body looks since I became ( skinny fat), after researching I heard about body recomposition and eating at maintenance, i encountered 3 problems.

1/ since August 2021 ( weight was:66) my weight loss has been so SLOOOOOOOOOOW!

2/I heard a lot of conflicting opinions about my situation, some said since you are in a normal weight range but have a high body fat percentage you should be eating around 1300 calories a day, while others said no you have to eat at maintenance to build muscle and tighten your skin. which leads to my 3rd problem.

3/ I don't mind feeling hungry but I noticed that it interrupts my sleep. when I go to sleep I don't feel hungry but I will wake up one or 2 hours after I fell asleep and cannot go back. (still do not feel hungry) but the next day when I ate more I slept without a problem. the problem is, my original plan was to stick to 1600 a day, however, because of the sleeping issues I record that I'm eating around 1900-2100 a day !! , how can I lose weight when I cannot decrease my calories:'(((

- I used an In body machine on the 4th of December and here is the result: https://postimg.cc/SJ8qbPwJ, and https://postimg.cc/sM4rvhfz

_ then I bought a smart scale and had a different result, especially the BF% so I don't know which one should I believe., results: https://postimg.cc/23L332sf, and https://postimg.cc/HrzkFKyb

If you "don't mind feeling hungry" what about not eating in the morning and loading up your calories later in the day, closer to bed time? Maybe that would help with the sleep issue even if your calories are lower.

Lietchi

0Leena0 wrote: »

Lietchi wrote: »

Neither InBody scans or smart scales mesure fat, they just estimate based on how fast an electrical current goes through your body. They aren't reliable, not for absolute numbers (although perhaps with frequent measurements they can show a trend).

I'm your size and weight, more or less, and 1300 is dreadfully low for someone young and active.
IMHO, you don't really need to lose weight, you just need to focus on building muscle while eating at maintenance (true maintenance, based on what your scale says (weight staying the same), calculators are just a starting point).
Alternatively, you could eat at a slight calorie surplus (easier to build muscle) and then lose weight (fat) again, in cycles until you're body composition satisfies you.

Recomp is inherently a slow process. But bulk and cut cycles can be.... scary since it requires gaining a bit of weight first, and then slimming back down.

then how do people determine their BF%? .. I feel I'm in the middle in addition, i think i will be relaxed a little bit when i reach 50 kg, thats why bulking and recompositon is a scary step for me i don't wanna to gain weight /fat

Some trainers have a good eye (maybe even some here on MFP), and bodyfat can also be estimated using calipers (provided the person using them knows what they are doing). A DEXA scan is a bit more reliable, but not easily accessible for most.
Your goal is 50kgs? That's really on the lower end of a normal BMI - any reason for going that low?

westrich20940

So...based on you being 'lightly or moderately' active...your TDEE is likely somewhere between 1800-2000 calories per day. So you are eating the right amount probably. recomp is slow...sorry.

What percentage of your daily calories are coming from fat? Are you trying to cut that a bit more than normal?

Michaelfloe

Do you somewhat consistently follow a macro split for your calories?

Many things to talk about here but for the hunger part there is probably something you can do. For example 400 calories in olive oil gives absolutely no satiety, but 400 calories in broccoli will fill you up quite well. This means that you can look to swap things around so you feel less hungry for the same calories. This is a longer topic, but high fiber, slow carbs, low fat meats will get you a long way. Casein protein powder for your post dinner /last meal will give a slow protein release and slower protein synthesis which will give your muscles protein fuel during the night and extend the period it takes for you to get hungry again. And then of course there is training. Three times a week for 45 minutes is enough for you to be and look normal and healthy, but its nowhere nearly enough to grow big muscles and especially not fast. I realize not everyone can be in the gym many hours a week, but if it means enough to you and you can go up to 4x1hour that would mean a lot. That way you can also use a standard upper/lower/upper/lower split. I dont know how you train but I will say that it is extremely common to see people not training efficiently and hard enough to progress, especially with low volume like 3x45 per week. To progress you MUST train harder every week. A perfect workout is only perfect once. Muscles grow because of NEW stimulus. Long topic, but I probably consider a 1 on 1 with a nutritionist and a personal trainer to look deeper into your specific situation. Best of luck!

Michaelfloe

Forgot to mention that it is of course super hard to build a lot of muscle while being in a caloric deficit. And remember 250-500g of fat loss a week is perfectly fine. If you stay at the same weight for several weeks in a row, you need to cut your net calories, meaning either burning more or eating less. 1300 sounds crazy low if you ask me. Make sure you are counting properly, 100-200 calories can be dealbreaking at sub 2000 per day.

AnnPT77

Michaelfloe wrote: »

Do you somewhat consistently follow a macro split for your calories?

Many things to talk about here but for the hunger part there is probably something you can do. For example 400 calories in olive oil gives absolutely no satiety, but 400 calories in broccoli will fill you up quite well. This means that you can look to swap things around so you feel less hungry for the same calories. This is a longer topic, but high fiber, slow carbs, low fat meats will get you a long way. Casein protein powder for your post dinner /last meal will give a slow protein release and slower protein synthesis which will give your muscles protein fuel during the night and extend the period it takes for you to get hungry again. And then of course there is training. Three times a week for 45 minutes is enough for you to be and look normal and healthy, but its nowhere nearly enough to grow big muscles and especially not fast. I realize not everyone can be in the gym many hours a week, but if it means enough to you and you can go up to 4x1hour that would mean a lot. That way you can also use a standard upper/lower/upper/lower split. I dont know how you train but I will say that it is extremely common to see people not training efficiently and hard enough to progress, especially with low volume like 3x45 per week. To progress you MUST train harder every week. A perfect workout is only perfect once. Muscles grow because of NEW stimulus. Long topic, but I probably consider a 1 on 1 with a nutritionist and a personal trainer to look deeper into your specific situation. Best of luck!

Generally seems like OK advice . . . but from reading a bunch of posts around here, I think that bolded is pretty individual. I'm on team broccoli (and volume via veggies generally), but there are people who say they find fats very filling, but veggie satiation fades fast for them, and I can't think of any good reason to doubt their word. When it comes to satiety, it's the subjective perception that matters.

Michaelfloe

AnnPT77 wrote: »

Michaelfloe wrote: »

Do you somewhat consistently follow a macro split for your calories?

Many things to talk about here but for the hunger part there is probably something you can do. For example 400 calories in olive oil gives absolutely no satiety, but 400 calories in broccoli will fill you up quite well. This means that you can look to swap things around so you feel less hungry for the same calories. This is a longer topic, but high fiber, slow carbs, low fat meats will get you a long way. Casein protein powder for your post dinner /last meal will give a slow protein release and slower protein synthesis which will give your muscles protein fuel during the night and extend the period it takes for you to get hungry again. And then of course there is training. Three times a week for 45 minutes is enough for you to be and look normal and healthy, but its nowhere nearly enough to grow big muscles and especially not fast. I realize not everyone can be in the gym many hours a week, but if it means enough to you and you can go up to 4x1hour that would mean a lot. That way you can also use a standard upper/lower/upper/lower split. I dont know how you train but I will say that it is extremely common to see people not training efficiently and hard enough to progress, especially with low volume like 3x45 per week. To progress you MUST train harder every week. A perfect workout is only perfect once. Muscles grow because of NEW stimulus. Long topic, but I probably consider a 1 on 1 with a nutritionist and a personal trainer to look deeper into your specific situation. Best of luck!

Generally seems like OK advice . . . but from reading a bunch of posts around here, I think that bolded is pretty individual. I'm on team broccoli (and volume via veggies generally), but there are people who say they find fats very filling, but veggie satiation fades fast for them, and I can't think of any good reason to doubt their word. When it comes to satiety, it's the subjective perception that matters.

Of course. I cant read anybody's mind. I only know the basic science, which is a good starting point. Fats can be fine as well, they slow down digestion. All I am saying is that there are options to experiment with that can change perception of hunger for the better perhaps.

Michaelfloe

You might also want to check out this video by phd dr mike israetel on the subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKZwY2_n1uQ

0Leena0

Lietchi wrote: »

Some trainers have a good eye (maybe even some here on MFP), and bodyfat can also be estimated using calipers (provided the person using them knows what they are doing). A DEXA scan is a bit more reliable, but not easily accessible for most.
Your goal is 50kgs? That's really on the lower end of a normal BMI - any reason for going that low?

i don't think is that low, I thought when I reach 60 I will be happy about my body and how it looks but no, I still hold a lot of fat, especially in my belly and thighs. My weight is taking months right now to drop a few grams

0Leena0

westrich20940 wrote: »

So...based on you being 'lightly or moderately' active...your TDEE is likely somewhere between 1800-2000 calories per day. So you are eating the right amount probably. recomp is slow...sorry.

What percentage of your daily calories are coming from fat? Are you trying to cut that a bit more than normal?

it is Frustrating, the little flab on my arms (triceps) barely changes:neutral. I guess I just don't want to make mistakes and gain weight again.

I don't like fats a lot, last year I introduced fat ( in a few quantities) in my meals a little bit.

0Leena0

Michaelfloe wrote: »

Three times a week for 45 minutes is enough for you to be and look normal and healthy, but its nowhere nearly enough to grow big muscles and especially not fast. I realize not everyone can be in the gym many hours a week, but if it means enough to you and you can go up to 4x1hour that would mean a lot. That way you can also use a standard upper/lower/upper/lower split. I dont know how you train but I will say that it is extremely common to see people not training efficiently and hard enough to progress, especially with low volume like 3x45 per week. To progress you MUST train harder every week. A perfect workout is only perfect once. Muscles grow because of NEW stimulus. Long topic, but I probably consider a 1 on 1 with a nutritionist and a personal trainer to look deeper into your specific situation. Best of luck!

so in other words, I won't get any results with my routine right now? not enough hours or days or calories?

Lietchi

0Leena0 wrote: »

Lietchi wrote: »

Some trainers have a good eye (maybe even some here on MFP), and bodyfat can also be estimated using calipers (provided the person using them knows what they are doing). A DEXA scan is a bit more reliable, but not easily accessible for most.
Your goal is 50kgs? That's really on the lower end of a normal BMI - any reason for going that low?

i don't think is that low, I thought when I reach 60 I will be happy about my body and how it looks but no, I still hold a lot of fat, especially in my belly and thighs. My weight is taking months right now to drop a few grams

Well, to be fair, that is what recomp is: weight staying the same or decreasing slowly, while you work on building muscle and losing fat. If you want to lose a bit more quickly, perhaps lower your intake by 100-150 calories per day.

10kg is a LOT of fat volume wise, even using your highest bodyfat estimate, losing 10kg (provided most of that loss is muscle) would give you a bigger percentage of 15% which is very many for a woman (and potentially not sustainable long-term).

This is what 5lbs (2.25kg) of fat looks like in volume, 4 times that is a lot for someone already at a healthy weight.



I would just take it slow and keep on monitoring results instead of fixing such a low weight goal immediately.