Relatively light people trying to get leaner

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Replies

  • Kdp2015
    Kdp2015 Posts: 519 Member
    Bump to read later :)
  • CynCynzz
    CynCynzz Posts: 4 Member
    edited October 2016
    "Personally, I don't ever weigh. I own a gym that has 3 scales in sight and I step on one of them maybe 5 times per year. I just don't care what I weigh. I care what I can do (big on mountaineering) and how I look. But I train for performance and how I look follows suit."

    I quoted you because, like you, I don't ever use a scale and have never even owned one. I've always felt, at a very young age, that people obsess way too much about their weight, and constantly weighing oneself is counter-productive to the mind. The only time I've ever stepped on a scale was at a doctor's appointment or to prove someone wrong (that I actually weigh more than they believe me to weigh). Some people have said I don't need to because I'm not, nor really have been overweight; however, I reply that just because "my weight isn't hitting the roof, doesn't mean I feel OK in my body".

    A little history about me ... I am on the leaner side and lbs aren't as important to me than my BMI. At present it is 28.5 % with my weight @ 136 lbs. I'm wanting to bring my BMI down to at least 23%. My thought process is this ... my main goal for fitness is to reduce stress and carry a healthy body. For me, the "body molding" is a plus that comes along with being physically active. With the BMI in mind, the other goal is toning. Just because my weight is ideal (I'm 5' 7 1/2"), I can see the lack of muscle tone and it bothers me tremendously.

    Currently I am participating in a 6-week xfit challenge with 6 other beginners (started on 10/17/16). Our coach is teaching us as if each one is a true beginner, which I like, because I am 51 and want to learn proper form of lifting, etc. I also don't have a car at the moment (gave mine to my daughter) so I take buses to/from work and ride my bike Mon, Wed, Fri for xfit (which totals approximately 5-6 mi on those days).

    Eating is where I'm most frustrated, because my nature is to eat when I'm hungry. Most times when I am hungry I'm not in the position to eat or don't have food available. By the time I can eat, I'm no longer hungry (plus, I don't have a sweet-tooth). And so the vicious cycle goes. Basically in a nut shell ... eating for me is simply survival. My coach wants us to eat 5 small meals per day keeping nutrients in mind. As a specific instruction to me, he says I should eat more fat. UGH!!! This eating process (calories, macro nutrients, etc.) is driving me crazy!!!

    Now, as far as my question (or maybe even questions) to you. What would you suggest food wise (PLEASE make it simple), xfit, weight lifting, etc., so I can attain my goal of lowering my BMI and toning my body to be what it should for my body frame?

    Thanks for your time,
    Cyndy

    P.S. Is there any way we could communicate outside this forum should you be willing to mentor me somewhat?
  • frankiesgirlie
    frankiesgirlie Posts: 669 Member
    Why is this being answered 6 years later?

    Sometimes even when we know, we need to be reminded.
    Your user name is unfortunate because I come on MFP to get away from all that noise and crap.***sigh***




  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
    CynCynzz wrote: »
    "Personally, I don't ever weigh. I own a gym that has 3 scales in sight and I step on one of them maybe 5 times per year. I just don't care what I weigh. I care what I can do (big on mountaineering) and how I look. But I train for performance and how I look follows suit."

    I quoted you because, like you, I don't ever use a scale and have never even owned one. I've always felt, at a very young age, that people obsess way too much about their weight, and constantly weighing oneself is counter-productive to the mind. The only time I've ever stepped on a scale was at a doctor's appointment or to prove someone wrong (that I actually weigh more than they believe me to weigh). Some people have said I don't need to because I'm not, nor really have been overweight; however, I reply that just because "my weight isn't hitting the roof, doesn't mean I feel OK in my body".

    A little history about me ... I am on the leaner side and lbs aren't as important to me than my BMI. At present it is 28.5 % with my weight @ 136 lbs. I'm wanting to bring my BMI down to at least 23%. My thought process is this ... my main goal for fitness is to reduce stress and carry a healthy body. For me, the "body molding" is a plus that comes along with being physically active. With the BMI in mind, the other goal is toning. Just because my weight is ideal (I'm 5' 7 1/2"), I can see the lack of muscle tone and it bothers me tremendously.

    Currently I am participating in a 6-week xfit challenge with 6 other beginners (started on 10/17/16). Our coach is teaching us as if each one is a true beginner, which I like, because I am 51 and want to learn proper form of lifting, etc. I also don't have a car at the moment (gave mine to my daughter) so I take buses to/from work and ride my bike Mon, Wed, Fri for xfit (which totals approximately 5-6 mi on those days).

    Eating is where I'm most frustrated, because my nature is to eat when I'm hungry. Most times when I am hungry I'm not in the position to eat or don't have food available. By the time I can eat, I'm no longer hungry (plus, I don't have a sweet-tooth). And so the vicious cycle goes. Basically in a nut shell ... eating for me is simply survival. My coach wants us to eat 5 small meals per day keeping nutrients in mind. As a specific instruction to me, he says I should eat more fat. UGH!!! This eating process (calories, macro nutrients, etc.) is driving me crazy!!!

    Now, as far as my question (or maybe even questions) to you. What would you suggest food wise (PLEASE make it simple), xfit, weight lifting, etc., so I can attain my goal of lowering my BMI and toning my body to be what it should for my body frame?

    Thanks for your time,
    Cyndy

    P.S. Is there any way we could communicate outside this forum should you be willing to mentor me somewhat?

    A few random thoughts:

    1. BMI can be somewhat misleading when applying it to active people who are carrying meaningful muscle mass. I wouldn't hold it out as the be all end all metric that defines health. I'm overweight per BMI standards. I'm also pretty damn healthy and fit.

    2. You're right... your lack of muscle tone likely has more to do with your body fat levels than it does your muscle mass. That said, it's nice to hear that you're doing some lifting. That'll only help matters - on the physique front and the health front.

    3. What makes it that you're not in a position to eat when your'e hungry? Better yet... what could you do to improve your ability to honor your hunger when it arises?

    4. How do you lower your BMI through nutrition? That's a huge question that doesn't really have a blanket answer that I can put in a neat little box. I wrote an all-encompassing article about nutrition fundamentals that you can find here: www.body-improvements.com/eat. You can give that a look and if you have any specific questions, let me know.

    5. Outside of the forum I do coaching, which you can learn more about on my bio.

  • healthkickkath1
    healthkickkath1 Posts: 40 Member
    Bump
  • Cylphin60
    Cylphin60 Posts: 863 Member
    I'm a "relatively light" person trying to get a bit leaner. Thanks for bumping this, I have some reading to do. :)
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    CynCynzz wrote: »
    lbs aren't as important to me than my BMI. At present it is 28.5 % with my weight @ 136 lbs. I'm wanting to bring my BMI down to at least 23%. My thought process is this ... my main goal for fitness is to reduce stress and carry a healthy body. For me, the "body molding" is a plus that comes along with being physically active. With the BMI in mind, the other goal is toning. Just because my weight is ideal (I'm 5' 7 1/2"), I can see the lack of muscle tone and it bothers me tremendously.

    BMI is just weight divided by height, do you mean body fat, body composition?

    I feel like we are probably built similarly; I'm 5'9" and don't get fat or heavy, but have at times gotten dumpy, misshapen due to being, well, out of shape. Skinnyfat.

    ANYTHING you do, exercise-wise, should work fine. Just work out more often. Did the 6-week challenge get you back on board?
  • pamcuster
    pamcuster Posts: 770 Member
    What qualifies as 'relatively light?!' LOL!
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    edited December 2016
    pamcuster wrote: »
    What qualifies as 'relatively light?!' LOL!

    Meaning, is close to goal weight or losing a little more body fat. Those last bits and pieces.
  • kkress92
    kkress92 Posts: 118 Member
    Bump
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Ancient first post, but it could use a bump.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    Ahhh this is great.. forgot about this thread. I feel like this comes up so often, definitely worth a read
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,526 Member
    Y'all are saying what I have been thinking! Only I have gained this winter, and now I need to lose 10-15 lbs! But seriously, this is supposed to enhance our lives, not make them worse!
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    I was just thinking about this thread the other day. Reminding myself that I'm already lean, I shouldn't feel guilty about not being motivated to get ulta-lean again right now.

    +1 yes lets cut ourselves some slack :smile:
  • mommarnurse
    mommarnurse Posts: 515 Member
    When trying to lose weight, weightlifting is valuable. It creates a buffer for people trying to lose a good amount of body fat. However, you only have 10 lbs to go. I'd focus everything on your diet and add in some cardio. You can easily tone/lift heavy after, but keep in mind there's an art to that, and from what I've read, you could end up adding a few pounds at that point, but it's lean body mass (muscle) so that should be taken into account. What is in the number 120 anyway, if it's not healthy lean body weight?
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    I was just thinking about this thread the other day. Reminding myself that I'm already lean, I shouldn't feel guilty about not being motivated to get ulta-lean again right now.

    Me, too. I'm lean enough and I'm enjoying eating maintenance calories. I may do a small cut in May but I have not been motivated to try and stay sub-20% body fat for the last few months.
  • wellthenwhat
    wellthenwhat Posts: 526 Member
    I needed this post today, however old it is, lol. Gotta just keep my head down and keep biking into the wind.
  • finzi1981
    finzi1981 Posts: 12 Member
    edited August 2017
    Hi

    I've found this thread really helpful although I must admit I haven't read every post... In my defence it is quite a big thread now! :D I need a bit of help please, if anyone has any time.

    I am trying to lose 5lbs, but I want to do it sensibly and without neglecting strength training. I'm 5'6.4", 131lbs, my scales estimate that my body fat % is 17.7%. I do full body strength training three times a week. Once I can comfortably perform 12 reps at a certain weight I move up a weight. I mix in some HIIT and SIT, once or twice a week but some weeks I give myself a week off the cardio. I train with my Polar watch and I wear a Fitbit One, the Fitbit is out of curiosity really, but I love my Polar watch, I'm a bit of a geek and it's all about the numbers for me! It allows me to track what I'm doing and compete against myself. ;)

    As far as food is concerned, I tried using calculators like IIFYM. My general life is sedentary because of various restraints but I do like being active. I was concerned that using the rather generalised terms in the calculators (define 'moderate' and 'heavy' exercise by heart rate percentage?!) I set up the calculator to find out my BMR and TDEE based on a sedentary lifestyle with NO workouts. It gave me 1319 and 1517. Now originally I thought that I should reduce from 1517 to about 1400 because I was aiming to lose weight. The IIFYM calculator told me to cut 15%-20% to lose weight but if I cut that much I am quite a way below the given BMR, which of course I didn't want to do. Working on the basic principle of eating a little more to weigh a little less (sic) I took 1517 as my baseline, and added any exercise calories (taken from my Polar watch) onto the 1517 to give me the total number of calories for that day. For two weeks I did try taking 1408 as my daily basic intake and adding exercise calories onto that but I was so tired that I was concerned I was being counterproductive. Going back to 1517 as my base I am still quite tired and low a lot of the time so I'm worried that I'm either not eating enough or just having a low patch, hard to tell, it's been a stressful few months. I watch my protein levels but I'm not trying to skip carbs or anything like that, I'm trying to keep a sensibly balanced diet, no guilt and no excess, just a little of everything with snacks that include some protein.

    I've been training like this for about six weeks. My weight and body fat haven't budged but I am much stronger and I'm pleased with my strength training progress. I would still like to reduce my body fat percentage a touch, I want to get a little leaner. Not much, just a little. Based on all the above, what would you recommend I do with my calories? Should I be eating more as my baseline? Is it alright to cycle the calories this way, eating more on my exercise days and less on my rest days?

    Any thoughts you have would be welcomed. <3

    ***********


    ETA: P.S. I don't know if it's worth mentioning but the one macro I am quite strict about is my sugar intake. I watch my sugars carefully and try to make sure that I keep them below 15g. I don't like many fruits so I don't really eat them I eat veggies instead.
  • cs2thecox
    cs2thecox Posts: 533 Member
    These same people come to me claiming they've been in a plateau for nearly a year, feel like crap, have nagging injuries, zero motivation, etc. Turns out that if they'd just sit down, stay out of the damn gym, and eat some food... things would be much better.

    This! So glad I found this thread!!

    After years of being a cardio slave, I'm now a 3-weights-sessions-a-week-and-2,000-calories person, and in some of the discussions here I start to feel like I'm doing it wrong because I'm way more about macros, protein and gains than pure CICO :(

    Big up to the leanies who like lifting heavy things! :D<3
  • finzi1981
    finzi1981 Posts: 12 Member
    edited August 2017
    cs2thecox wrote: »

    After years of being a cardio slave, I'm now a 3-weights-sessions-a-week-and-2,000-calories person...

    For some reason my reply wasn't posted with this quote!

    This is my question - based on the info I gave in the post above yours, should I be eating the same number of calories on my rest days as I eat on my exercise days? When I exercise I eat 1580 cals + exercise cals, usually around 1900-2000 calories. On my rest days I eat 1580. Am I wrong?
  • cs2thecox
    cs2thecox Posts: 533 Member
    finzi1981 wrote: »
    cs2thecox wrote: »

    After years of being a cardio slave, I'm now a 3-weights-sessions-a-week-and-2,000-calories person...

    For some reason my reply wasn't posted with this quote!

    This is my question - based on the info I gave in the post above yours, should I be eating the same number of calories on my rest days as I eat on my exercise days? When I exercise I eat 1580 cals + exercise cals, usually around 1900-2000 calories. On my rest days I eat 1580. Am I wrong?

    If it's working, then no!

    I'm 1,930 on rest days and 2,000 on training days, with slightly different macro splits. I've basically negotiated my way to this with my trainer, as I don't find lifting makes me as hungry as cardio used to so I can take a flatter profile. It also doesn't burn all that many calories per session - the benefit is in increasing muscle mass and hence increasing your background burn all the time.
    I might do a bit of a cut when barbecue season is over, but this split makes me happy, so...