Am I doing this right?

Eve_e

Hello! I've seen a lot of threads/posts about people who have been using MFP for weeks, even months, before they were told that they were doing something wrong. I would really like to be doing this right from the start. I'm almost done with my first week of counting, and it actually feels a lot more manageable than I expected. Anyways. I don't have much weight to lose. I'm not overweight, I just have a little excess fat on certain parts of my body that I want to get rid of.

I'm 18 years old, 5'1", and I currently weigh 100 lbs. I'd like to get down to around 92 lbs., and tone up my abs. I've read on here that the less weight you have to lose, the harder it is.

My calories are set at 1200 a day. I work out for about a half hour, not always every day, but I try to, and then I eat most if not all of my exercise calories back. I don't want to accidentally misuse the terms 'net' and 'gross,' so I'll just say that I get my 'calories remaining' close to zero every day.

I don't eat completely clean. Some days are better than others, but there's definitely a decent amount of crap and processed food in my diet. It stays within my calorie deficit, though.

So, opinions? Am I doing anything wrong? What can I do better? Thank you all. xx

EDIT: Also, I don't weigh my food, because it makes my parents uncomfortable when I'm home, and I don't have that luxury in the dining halls at school. If I keep this up, I'll be living in a house and buying my own groceries next year for school, so I'll start weighing my food then.

kgeyser

Do you want to lose weight, or do you want to change your body to have more muscle definition aka the "toned" look? Give us an idea of what you goal body looks like rather than a goal weight, since you're at a perfectly acceptable weight for your height. We can give better recommendations that way.

Francl27

You're doing it right, but obviously without weighing your food it won't be as effective.

Eve_e

I want to lose weight and though I don't necessarily want to look mega-toned, my big goals are a flat stomach, maybe some abs, and a thinner face.

CaraRahl

for the abs work your core...as for a flatter stomach, unfortunately you can't spot-reduce fat, you're just going to have to let it come off with your deficit...the same goes for a thinner face. fortunately, with effort and dedication, these goals are within your reach

cafeaulait7

You'll be under the healthy range of weight at that goal.

You should try weight lifting to help with your body composition if you aren't satisfied with it. At your weight now, chances are you won't look better by getting officially underweight. Maybe you need more LBM to make things look more the way you want (including a flatter stomach, depending on how/if you work those muscles now).

avocadoshaped

So 100lbs looking to go to 92 at 5'1". Scary thoughts there.

But as for changing body composition, you can cut the fat, which you don't have, or make more muscle. So perhaps it is time to put some Iron in your diet, and lift. Women cannot get bulky so have at it. The treadmill is not your friend the squat rack is. Be warned though you will get heavier but not chubbier. Find a battle buddy, it makes the whole thing easier.

Eve_e

I know 92 sounds too low, but trust me. I'm a small boned girl and was around 85 lbs. until the end of my senior year of high school, when my metabolism slowed down. I was not unhealthy at 85, I'm just very small. I don't want to go back to that weight by any means. Anyways, thanks for all the advice. Lifting weights/the squat rack terrify me, because I feel like I look so stupid. I've gotta get over that.