Might be TMI... but I need help

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DeeBerning
DeeBerning Posts: 131 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So, I've lost 35 pounds so far and have another 55 to go. I am so excited and motivated.

BUT, here is my problem.....

As I am losing weight, my body is getting very 'squishy' and soft. I feel like I looked better naked BEFORE I lost the weight. :noway:

I fast walk for an hour on the treadmill 5 days of the week and do a full body mini-circuit plus three ab machines every other day.

Is this normal for me to be all squishy and soft? Do I need to be doing more or different exercises? HELP....

Replies

  • ironmonkeystyle
    ironmonkeystyle Posts: 834 Member
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    lift weights.
    http://bit.ly/XypVtV
  • Adc7225
    Adc7225 Posts: 1,318 Member
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    During my weight loss I would go through phases of being very squishy with some sagging skin, but this would pass and get much better.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    I would highly encourage/recommend a weight lifting routine.
    3 - 4 times / week.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    I would highly encourage/recommend a weight lifting routine.
    3 - 4 times / week.

    This. Need some muscle.
  • lizzybathory
    lizzybathory Posts: 229
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    Yep, weights. Sounds like you could be doing more resistance training. Just losing the weight alone won't reveal awesome muscles underneath if you're not working on those muscles! Even if you're not wanting huge muscles, you should still be doing some weight training - don't worry about bulking up if that's not your thing. it takes body builders months and months of near-daily grueling routines to get bulky; you won't do it by lifting 10-20 pound weights a few times a week.

    As a bonus, building up your muscle mass a bit will also help with calorie burn! Some of the before/after pictures I've liked the most here at MFP are from ladies who mostly just lift and don't concern themselves much with cardio. Muscle will help you burn fat.
  • Brolympus
    Brolympus Posts: 360 Member
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    The best time to have started weight lifting with your fat loss program was yesterday. The next best time is today. You should have been lifting the whole time, muscle helps every part of a fat loss program, and also gives you something nice to look at when you hit your goal.
  • enzosmama
    enzosmama Posts: 134 Member
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    I take barre classes 3 times a week, and though it's not traditional weight lifting, it's major toning. I love it. My muscles are getting stronger and as I lose the inches I see more defined muscle coming through. Something like that or pilates would be a good segway to start toning if you're unsure about jumping into lifting right away. Eventually I will start lifting, but for right now this is working really well for me and I love the classes!
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
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    Yep, weights. Sounds like you could be doing more resistance training. Just losing the weight alone won't reveal awesome muscles underneath if you're not working on those muscles! Even if you're not wanting huge muscles, you should still be doing some weight training - don't worry about bulking up if that's not your thing. it takes body builders months and months of near-daily grueling routines to get bulky; you won't do it by lifting 10-20 pound weights a few times a week.

    As a bonus, building up your muscle mass a bit will also help with calorie burn! Some of the before/after pictures I've liked the most here at MFP are from ladies who mostly just lift and don't concern themselves much with cardio. Muscle will help you burn fat.

    This!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    GO HAWKS (sorry WA here). I agree, start weight training! I do it 5 days a week and sometimes I still feel squishy, or feel like I look squishy. I know I'm rocking it though, so it passes!
  • GibbsGirl13072
    GibbsGirl13072 Posts: 156 Member
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    I take barre classes 3 times a week, and though it's not traditional weight lifting, it's major toning. I love it. My muscles are getting stronger and as I lose the inches I see more defined muscle coming through. Something like that or pilates would be a good segway to start toning if you're unsure about jumping into lifting right away. Eventually I will start lifting, but for right now this is working really well for me and I love the classes!

    Yes! Yoga and pilates are both great muscle toners. Youtube has a lot of videos so you can try out different styles and see what you like.
  • doctorregenerated
    doctorregenerated Posts: 188 Member
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    I recently started the program in the book The new rules of lifting for women." I very much enjoyed reading the book as well.
    Definitely recommend some more strength training!
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Are you squishy all over or just in your fattest areas?

    I lift 4x a week and run 2-3x a week. My arms and legs and upper torso is good. My stomach is pretty much squish zone central. That's where I carry a lot of fat. Now that there is less fat, and because my skin hasn't shrunk as fast as the fat has burned off, it's much more squishy/jiggly than it was back when my abdomen had a lot more fat in it. If that's what you are experiencing, the only thing you can really do is just keep losing the fat, working out, and wait to see how your skin recovers.
  • 55044TeamJoy
    55044TeamJoy Posts: 134 Member
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    Incorporate more squats and dead lifts in to your routine.
  • MsJulielicious
    MsJulielicious Posts: 708 Member
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    lift weights.
    http://bit.ly/XypVtV

    ^^THIS
    I :heart: this so very much
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
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    I experienced the same "squishy" too. It was almost like the fat had turned to liquid and I was all waterbed jiggly. and I DO lift heavy weights, it's all I did for two years and it helps. Anyway, the more fat I lose the less squishy I am :-) Keep at it
  • _sirenofthesea_
    _sirenofthesea_ Posts: 117 Member
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    Incorporate some strength training - it will help :)
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
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    I think this is really common. And it probably more pronounced the faster you lose the weight. I'm sure part if it is you're body's muscle tightening up if you're doing a heavy lifting regime and part of the reduction of your body fat (and the skin tighening up just hasn't caught up). When i started losing weight, I was quite fascinated by it -- it really did feel like I was wearing a fat suit, and I didn't even have that much to lose to begin with compared to some others. There is also a theory out there about the fat cells taking up water as you lose weight then experiencing a big whoosh when your body finally releases water -- why some people can see no lose for a while and then drop several pounds over a couple of days.

    www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/of-whooshes-and-squishy-fat.html

    I definitely second all the folks that recommend doing a heavy lifting program (Starting Strength, Strong lifts, etc.), but you may feel this way anyway as the muscles underneath pull in and tone up from the increased usage. So, don't be surprised if that doesn't alleviate it. It's a normal part of the weight loss process.
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    I'd agree with the advice to lift but it likely won't alleviate what the OP is talking about. As fat storage becomes less dense, that area of your body is going to be softer/jigglier than it was previously. Just push through it, and as the fat continues to disappear, you'll become less and less "squishy."

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