At 135 lbs...Pictures don't lie and I am So Discouraged

lbetancourt

Before I started MFP, I knew I had put on some weight @ 141lbs. Clothes were not fitting right and actually a co-worker mentioned that it looked like I had put on weight.. Well that did it. I was devastated but it was a wake up call. I was running off & on but never ever counted my calories until now. I have lost 6 lbs thus far and have 9 more to go which seems possible. This morning, I decided to take a photo of me in just top and bottom and OMG it was not at all an attractive sight.. I appear heavier than what I recall before I started this whole thing. Is my mind playing tricks on me? Is it that as I lose weight, I begin to see more & more imperfections?? I am just not nowhere near where I want to be. I want to be able to put on a swimsuit and not feel uncomfortable. I would actually like to be able to go to the river and actually tube down the river. I stay away from any activities that involve a swimsuit. Ugh!

I am 5"5 @ 135lbs and now I am thinking I probably need to lose more than just another 9 lbs! I don't think the 9lbs will make that much of a difference in what I saw in that photo. I mean the mirror and photos don't lie, right??

Curious about the ladies out there that are around my height and what their goals are.

Kirsty_UK

Have you tried sticking those figures into a BMI calculator to see what falls within the "Healthy" range?

JPayne53

I actually think 135 lbs at 5'5" is a really good weight, maybe focus on some weight training and tighten up... get some muscle under that skin and see what a difference it makes.. 135 lbs of lean muscle girl your gonna be a fox!

marchegt

HEY!

I am 5'6 and currently just under 130. My goal is to get to 125 but I dont actually think it's feasible... I think it would be unhealthy for me. I am not super pleased with the way I look but I also think it has more to do with toning than actually losing weight. Have you thought of that? I am currently too busy (undergrad finals) to be going to the gym and working out everyday, but as soon as I am done on thursday that is what I will be doing.

Could that be the issue with you as well? Also, when I wax 135 I felt disgusting but everyone around me told me i looked fantastic and that i shouldnt be losing anymore weight. We are our own worst critic!

ThaiKaren

I think you are definitely in the Healthy BMI range, maybe you just need toning up, But then I think we always see ourselves fatter than we really are.

DrBorkBork

I'm 5'5" trying to get down to 135. It's healthy! I recommend weight training and toning. You'll look better nekkid
Just focus on eating clean, get some toning in.

foxxybrown

Body composition makes a difference so you are going to get all kinds of numbers.

I'm also 5'5" and 135 wouldn't work for me. My goal is 155. My weight in the swimsuit pictures in my profile is about 163.

awf2215

I'm 5'5" I started at 143. I currently weigh 137. My goal is to be 125. I don't think I will ever reach that goal. I am 34 years old and have been hanging out at 143 for several years now. Before that it was 140. I think I was 128 in high school, but even in high school 128 felt to heavy. I keep all my fat in my butt and thighs. I am not proportional. I've been dieting for 3 weeks.

DianeAuger

I agree--it just might be a matter of building muscle. You might put on a few pounds while doing weight training but it's muscle weight. Muscles require more calories to maintain so the more muscle you have even at rest your body's metabolism will be elevated.

2bFitNTrim

I am shorter than you, but yes, no matter what I weigh, I always see the flaws when I look in the mirror. I believe this is a common problem for women and men, all ages. It's just so darn hard to be objective when it comes to yourself.

5'5" and 135 doesn't sound big to me at all. I know everyone's body shapes or frames are different, but I suspect you are being much too hard on yourself!

Just my 2 cents worth, keep going with your healthy habits. :flowerforyou:

rthompson81

I am 29 years old, 5'5'' and my goal weight is 130. I started at 148, and I have lost 17 of the 18 pounds that I planned to lose.

If I were you, I would make the decision when you get closer to your goal weight. Right now, being one pound away, I realize that I could change it to 125 and look really great, but I have to consider that for me, working that hard to maintain 125 is not something I want to do, nor is it something that fits into my lifestyle and my schedule. I am very happy near 130, I feel confident in a bathing suit, and clothes fit much better than they used to.

Please don't get discouraged by what you see in the mirror (or a picture). I didn't really notice a difference until I got to about 135 (12 pounds in), and that's when other people started noticing a difference too. And honestly, I don't see the difference as much in my body as in the way clothes fit. We are our own worst critics!

If you'd like to, please add me as a friend, especially since we have such similar goals!

Good luck! You can do it!

Becky

etarre

Cameras are not always kind. Lighting can also be really unflattering!

Don't let this keep you from enjoying your success at losing weight so far. Remember how far you've come already, and then use that success to build on. Now that you're almost there, you can work on fine-tuning with weights and toning if that will make you feel better about yourself.

Sugar_Apple

I'm 5'5" and my initial goal is 140 pounds....at 135 you are within the healthy range but you might not like what you see because you might need to tone up some more...so ditch the scale and bring on the measuring tape and introduce more strength training exercises into your workout especailly for the trouble areas....

BTW which area was it that you didnt like was it the tummy, hips etc??

Sweetcheeks278

I'm 5'5 and currently at 142lbs. My goal is 125. I weighed this before I had my little girl and felt good. Was a size 4/6 then so thats what I'm shooting for.

whiskey9890

i'm 5'5" currently 160lbs and would like to be between 130-135lb

ahanson6

I am 5'5, and I started on here at 145.5 lbs. The whole reason I started this process was because my husband wants to go on a cruise to the Bahama's for his birthday at the end of May. I have not worn a bathing suit in public in at least 5 years, and I didn't want to go on this cruise feeling so embarassed that I couldn't get into the water. I am now at 138, and I already think I look pretty good. Yes, I want to lose the rest of the weight, but I definitely look alot better now than I did a few weeks ago. Maybe you are focusing too much on the tiny issues and not letting yourself see the whole picture. You should be so proud of what you've already done, and it should serve as inspirartion to keep going.

paperbagprincess

Your right, photos don't lie. When I noticed I gained weight the big wake up call to me was pictures I saw. I could see it in my face, arms and stomach. Those were all places that were generally my thinnest before.

I'm not the same height as you, I'm 5'7" and at 135lbs I would be SUPER thin... so I crave to be ur weight right now lol but I know how you feel. The best thing you can do is keep everything up. Try to find an activity that's a major calorie burner and go from there. For me, that's running. I LOVE to run and almost get a high from it. I can now run 5k and I'm working to my next goal which will be running 5k in a half hour. I love the challenges!

I've only lost 8 lbs but I know it will take some time. You ever watch those weight loss shows? The Last 10 Pounds with Tommy Europe? Those ppl are working with highly trained professionals to see amazing results and they still don't drop just 20 lbs in the course of 4 wks. It takes time and A LOT of effort. It sucks, but if we aren't so hard on ourselves great things can happen. We just have to have patience and great control.

Good luck with everything!

poustotah

I actually think 135 lbs at 5'5" is a really good weight, maybe focus on some weight training and tighten up... get some muscle under that skin and see what a difference it makes.. 135 lbs of lean muscle girl your gonna be a fox!

I agree!!!

6Janelle13

I'm 5'3 or 5'4 with horrible posture. I can squeeze into size 4 jeans but even after losing 2 pants sizes and almost 20 pounds i still look chubby. I had one weekend when 4 different people thought i was pregnant. It has been rough. I remember in highschool that i focused on my fatty areas even when i was wearing a size zero and could go back to shopping in the little girls department. I wasn't tone of "skinny fat" as i was described in college.
i am down from 152 to 132 but i still hate to work out. I would love to be 115 or less but I readjusted that expectation since we hope to start trying for a family in the near future. You may not be overweight as much as out of shape. If you focus on toning you will not only lose weight but have it look good while you do.

sweetiepie31612

I'm 5'5" and 135lbs. I started at 145 lbs. My goal is to get down to 125lbs. More importantly, I want to tone up so i'm losing weight only a little at a time. Feel free to friend me if you want!

marci355

I'm 5'5" too. My perfect weight is 165. I've as low as 145 and truly looked WAY underweight. People thought I was anorexic! I have a large frame, so 165 is perfect for me. (makes me a solid size 10) I'm also older than you I bet, I'm 56, if that matters.

DrBorkBork

Y'all are lightweights. I feel your pain, but from where I'm sitting y'kinda sound whiney "I started at 145, and I'm faaaaat"
LOL, I get it (and I'm teasing)

I started at 248. SUCK IT UP, BUTTERCUPS!

Suzannejl

I hear you. I'm 5'6" maybe a little on the higher side(wishful thinking, I used to be 5'7" in my younger days). I got up to 155, and was always around 125(at least that's what my drivers licesnse has always said). So that's what I'm shooting for 125. Cuz the BMI say's I'm just on the high side of healthy, and me not fitting my clothes is not healthy. I would look at your past. What were you at your personal peak(You thought you looked the best)? I know once I dropped down to 117 and kept getting sick, so I'm not even gonna try to go that low. I have found that clothing manufacturers lie too! Sometimes I have to go try on my old clothes to know how I have changed!

R_is_for_Rachel

possibly you need to tone up but more importantly, i think you need to get some self esteem. Body dysmorphia is very common but soul destroying. You need to learn to love yourself a bit more - you look lovely in your picture. Also, if you really do have another 9lbs to lose-then i imagine that will make a huge difference on someone with a small frame.

myofibril

I am 5"5 @ 135lbs and now I am thinking I probably need to lose more than just another 9 lbs! I don't think the 9lbs will make that much of a difference in what I saw in that photo. I mean the mirror and photos don't lie, right??

I suggest you read this thread and get some advice from Steve (username: stroutman81)

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/211420-relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner

It could be that how you perceive yourself in the mirror is skewed. Alternatively, it could be that you diet and exercise routine is set up to lose lean mass / muscle in favour of body fat. Typically this happens when calories are cut drastically and coupled with high levels of exercise, usually but not exclusively, cardio. This seems to be the case with you.

Therefore while you will see a change on the scale your appearance will not change in the way you want. You end up still looking fat, just a smaller version of the shape you were before. A 135lbs woman with 20% body fat will look dramatically different from a 135lbs woman with 35% body fat.

The scale is not your friend at your level but good quality diet, sufficient calories, resistance / weight training and appropriate amounts of cardio, both HIT and LISS are your allies.

Silky815

Let me wish you luck with losing the weight. I hear a lot of people use the term.."DIET". So, if you go on a diet, and lose the weight you want to lose, what do you do after wards, so you don't get that way again? Some people get upset at us people, that use the term.."Lifestyle change". I say that because, I refuse to go back to where I was, before i started with this change. I think, if you keep your mind set on where you want to be, and not want to go back after, you can make this happen. Before I started thinking about changing, I was 169 pounds. I started walking and working out, but not watching what I was eating. Since I really started paying close attention, and I joined MFP, I really have done pretty good. I am down from a size 10 to a size 4..and only have about 6 pounds more to lose. Stay strong, and never get discouraged, and you can accomplish anything. Best of luck to you.

carrie_lebel

I am 5'5 and 138lbs and while I would like to drop a few more pounds I think I look tight. I have been doing Jillian Michael dvd's and they tighten you up. Now I have lost weight before and I have still felt sloppy you know what I mean? I think you are at a great weight and what you see isn't always true.

joilet

Don't get too down on yourself. 135 is a healthy weight for 5'5". But I know what you mean... A couple years ago, I worked really hard, started at 140, and got down to 127. At 127 I looked in the mirror and still thought I was jiggly and fat, while everyone around me was telling me that I looked fantastic, some even said I looked too thin. At that weight, with clothes on, I looked too thin, but with clothes off, I looked untoned... I had done a lot of dieting, but no exercise to get there, and I had no muscle tone.

I started ChaLEAN Extreme at that point, hoping to lose more because my self image still told me I was FAT! (even though I fit into size 3/4) I actually gained 5 pounds or so doing ChaLean, but still fit into the same clothes, and toned up quite a bit. I was STILL unhappy because I had GAINED weight, but in reality, I had a healthier, firmer body that was lean. And actually, I maintained that for quite a long time... probably because of all the muscle in my body, I was able to eat without thinking too much about it. But it was all in my head because of the numbers on the scale. After that I got pregnant, and now 1 year post baby I'm at 148. (I actually got back down to 138 or so after baby, but it has crept back up again since then.) When I look back at the pictures of me before I got pregnant, I would give ANYTHING to look like that again. I realize now that my little battle with myself over those 8 little pounds (127 vs 135) was unhealthy MENTALLY and inaccurate.

Moral of the story: someone at your size really cannot go by the scale as a TRUE measure of how healthy you are. It is a GUIDELINE, but what it really comes down to is body composition. But on top of that, work on looking at yourself, and pointing out what you DO like. It's ok to say "I want to work on this..." but you should also be saying... "but look at this... that looks GREAT!"

lbetancourt

Thanks all!! For the words of motivation, inspiration and information. It's always nice to know that there are folks out there going thru the same ups & downs as I am. I think I probably do need to focus on toning. I started 30 Day Shred but I am not sure if that will give me the toning that I need. I used to lift weights several years back but I just got burned out. Plus, hitting the gym takes up more of my time than just popping in a DVD at home. I will see what this 30 day shred does for me... and just maybe, maybe after 30 days I can post before (the one I took this morning.. ugh) & after pic!

Oh, several mentioned body image. And, I think that is also a source of my issue. I am just stuck with this image in my head of what fit looks like and I see myself so far away from that. It's a struggle, but I am really trying to learn how to embrace me the way that I am now and celebrate the ways that I continuously improve both inside and out!

Thanks again!