Low - 111. Now -114. Set point or maintenance failure?

eso2012

I have been trying not to freak out over the few pounds gain, but I am getting curious how much I am supposed to weigh!

I went from 134 to 110.5 in 2.5 years, little pains, just log, exercise etc. In other words, no starvation. BUT I did start with 1200 cal/day....then 1300/day....then 1500/day....so there was some serious cal deficit to kick it off, tapering off to "normal" eating. I am 5'3" BTW.

I did not plan my maintenance per se. But it coincided with a bad period of binge eating relapse, resulting in some pounds gain. Some water, some not.

Now I have settled back down to a good diet/exercise routine for 3-4 weeks - I am around 114.

Can this be my ideal weight? was 111 too low for me? I was more active then, but I was officially "logging to lose weight", which I do not intend to do forever...

Do you allow yourself a range?

acogg

Yes, I think a five pound range, especially for an under 50 woman is ideal. Visualize a gallon of water or milk. Not very big or heavy. Yet a gallon of water weighs eight pounds. So a half gallon of water weight is very easily absorbed by the body when needed.

eso2012

Yes, I think a five pound range, especially for an under 50 woman is ideal. Visualize a gallon of water or milk. Not very big or heavy. Yet a gallon of water weighs eight pounds. So a half gallon of water weight is very easily absorbed by the body when needed.

Good visual! Thanks.

Graelwyn75

114 Ibs is fine. Maybe your body is simply happier at this weight?
And sometimes, binge eating can be triggered by striving for a weight that is below a place your body is comfortable at. I have that experience. The lower I went, the harder it became to resist the urges to overeat.
I would focus more on keeping a healthy, balanced diet and remaining active if I was you. And just monitor your weight and make changes if it continues to rise (unless you aim to build some muscle in which case it would obviously go up a little).

eso2012

114 Ibs is fine. Maybe your body is simply happier at this weight?
And sometimes, binge eating can be triggered by striving for a weight that is below a place your body is comfortable at. I have that experience. The lower I went, the harder it became to resist the urges to overeat.
I would focus more on keeping a healthy, balanced diet and remaining active if I was you. And just monitor your weight and make changes if it continues to rise (unless you aim to build some muscle in which case it would obviously go up a little).

My body and mind were quite happy at 111...but that was also the time I had NUMBERS in my head all the time, due to tracking cals-in-cals-out! I know that cannot be healthy in the long run.

Quite a few of us have discussed that tracking can trigger BED.

THe logical part of me totally knows that I should focus on health, workout etc. The vain/illogical part misses the lower number on the scale!

Thank you for the reminder.

SLLRunner

111-114 is a weight range. You won't weigh the same every single day. My weight range is 141-143. I love salt, so I expect some retention when I eat more salt.

SLLRunner

Quite a few of us have discussed that tracking can trigger BED.

I think I know what you're trying to say, but....

I have a recent past in binge eating (I have not binged since I started tracking a year ago), and a distant past with bulimia,, and tracking has taught me I have control over what I eat, and if I eat it I log it. Binge eating disorders come from an unhealthy relationship with food, and they are triggered by that unhealthy relationship, not by simply logging your food.

wjstoj

You've weighed basically the same +/1 2 pounds for around a year and a half...sounds like you've got maintenance figured out.

DancingMoosie

We weigh about the same, and I am also 5'3". I don't really look any different when I weigh 111 compared to 114, and my clothes fit the same. Use your clothes and measurements as a guide with the scale as another tool. Its a range, really, you aren't going to weigh the exact same every day. Water weight can fluctuate daily as well as throughout the day. I noticed you made a comment about working on your muscles. Are you strength training? If so, you can eat a little more, build lbm, and gain a little weight. Exercise can also result in some water retention. If you do a slow recomp, you might be able to increase muscle and lose bf%, basically staying around the same weight, but becoming leaner. This is what I do, and I have gained from 110 to 114, but stay lean with a combination of weights and cardio. It depends on your goals.

eso2012

Quite a few of us have discussed that tracking can trigger BED.

I think I know what you're trying to say, but....

I have a recent past in binge eating (I have not binged since I started tracking a year ago), and a distant past with bulimia,, and tracking has taught me I have control over what I eat, and if I eat it I log it. Binge eating disorders come from an unhealthy relationship with food, and they are triggered by that unhealthy relationship, not by simply logging your food.

Yes, absolutely, I agree! It was a very brief and generic statement I have made.

BED or any ED runs deep and not a matter of simple tracking or not tracking. People who have attended support groups/formal therapies have also reported conflicting schools of thoughts re: track/not track to manage BED.

I am in the same boat as you, both in terms of history and attitudes towards logging.

eso2012

You've weighed basically the same +/1 2 pounds for around a year and a half...sounds like you've got maintenance figured out.

Wow, I NEVER looked at it this way. I just focused on having reached 111...and now not anymore.

THANK YOU for a wise reminder!

eso2012

I found a better way to describe my confusion...

(1) Am I just using fluctuation or set point as an excuse to not re-lose those pounds?
(2) Am I too married to the "perfect number" mindset?

eso2012

We weigh about the same, and I am also 5'3". I don't really look any different when I weigh 111 compared to 114, and my clothes fit the same. Use your clothes and measurements as a guide with the scale as another tool. Its a range, really, you aren't going to weigh the exact same every day. Water weight can fluctuate daily as well as throughout the day. I noticed you made a comment about working on your muscles. Are you strength training? If so, you can eat a little more, build lbm, and gain a little weight. Exercise can also result in some water retention. If you do a slow recomp, you might be able to increase muscle and lose bf%, basically staying around the same weight, but becoming leaner. This is what I do, and I have gained from 110 to 114, but stay lean with a combination of weights and cardio. It depends on your goals.

Hi there,

I was about to start a recomp when (a) I had a relapse of 2-months-long binge eating (b) knee injury and flu so reduced workout.

So, sad to say, the weight gain is not muscle-related. However, it is water-related due to the antibioltic course I am on plus lack of lymphatic drainage (intensive workout).

I do not weigh myself everyday and when I do, like once a week, it is always in the morning after bathroom.

Thank you for all the reminders. I thijnk I know the answer but am so married to the "happy number" that I am freaking out ..hence the post.

Otherwise, I think I am a professional and logical person

DancingMoosie

I know what you mean. What I know logically, and what I actually do, can be very different things!

sarafischbach9

Yeah, I know! It is frustrating! But 114 lbs isn't that much higher than 111 lbs to put things in perspective. You can probably wear the same clothes and jeans. Could be a tad tighter depending on your body, but definitely wearable. Also I don't think you failed at maintaining.... our bodies have ranges and our weights can go up and down. You could be at 111 randomly in a couple of weeks so who knows?

SLLRunner

A weight range is good, and not freaking out every time the scale moves up is even better.

At your height and 114 pounds, you either have a teeny frame or you are underweight. Either way, you don't need to lose any more weight, and I see you are trying to get to 110.

sshintaku

My goal was 130, and I got down to 128. I gained a couple pounds and freaked out a little, but now I sort of look at it that as long as I am AT 130 or below, I'm ok. If I jump up to 131 or 132 after a night out, I don't freak out but I watch myself more closely for the next few days until I'm back down closer to 129-130.