I am healthy...now what? (Repost!)

svanhoecke

I posted this in the Fitness topic section and it went off the recent posts so fast! I think that is too popular of a forum. So I am retrying on this one!

I am 5'4" and 139 Pounds. Once I reached 145 I went into the "healthy" weight range according to BMI charts and whatnot. And they are right- I do feel healthy. BUT, I am now feeling like I want to be FIT. I want to get down to 135...then 130 (by Halloween!)...and if I feel like I could still trim up after that I would love to end up and maintain at 125. (Seems like a distant dream...but I want it!)

So now that I am in a healthy weight range, what are some steps I can take to becoming more fit/athletic. I want to look tone and have a flat tummy. Well...at least flatter.

Currently I exercise 6-7 times a week, even if it is just a walk with my mom for an hour. I each 1200-1300 calories a day...sometimes less on accident. I have heard of increasing calories but I am too afraid to do that yet. I don't feel like I should until I am maintaining. I also have bad knees and bad hips (I say this in all of my posts sorry if you are sick of hearing it!) so my exercise has to kind of revolve around not injuring myself! :ohwell:

I really want this and I could use some encouragement/support! happy My parents haven't been a healthy weight since I can remember...I want to inspire them to lose their weight too. If I can do it, so can they.

Is anyone in a similar situation? Healthy but not super fit and toned?

Add me as a friend. :flowerforyou:

svanhoecke

Ello? :yawn:

JDMPWR

BMI does not determine what healthy is, that system is so incorrect as it uses everyone with a certain height and weight to all have the same muscle/skeletal structure. Best way to truly determine if you are healthy is by body fat percentage.

svanhoecke

That is a good point. How would I go about figuring that out? :huh:

joejccva71

That is a good point. How would I go about figuring that out? :huh:

Do you belong to a gym? If so, they have a bodyfat% calculating tool, or they should. It's one where you hold your arms out straight and hold the device gripping the sensors. It's not 100% accurate but it's about 92% or so.

Sparksfly

If you have been steadily losing, keep at what you are doing. If you are stalled , I suggest upping your base calories, and eating some exercise calories back.

I am the same height as you, and when I went from 140 down to 130 I was eating a base of 1400 calories a day. Also I was eating half to 3/4 of my exercise calories.

kimmerroze

Becoming FIT doesn't necessarily mean losing another 10 pounds either...

I would suggest that you start working on your body composition, building muscle and burning fat

The more muscle you have the faster your body will burn fat, and that will lower your Body fat percentage... BUT be aware that as you build muscle you might not see that BIG 10 pound loss on the scale. But what you will see is a HUGE decrease in inches. You may not weigh 10 pounds less but you could be 10 inches smaller, be more tight, have that super flat stomach, legs to die for. ETC!

to do this i would up your calories by only about 200-300 calories (not all the way to maintainece) and up your protein, and start lifting weights (dont worry about becoming bulky, women really cant do that without supplements (roids)

melsinct

I can relate. According to BMI, I became "normal" at 159 pounds (I am 5'7" and currently 152 pounds). I know BMI isn't the end all be all, but I FELT healthy at 155. Ideally I will get down to 145 but that's neither here nor there.

So, like you, I walk and do a couple miles a day and am looking for something to increase my strength and tone up more. Joining a gym is not interesting to me (used to belong to one, I think the machines are boring). I decided to sign up for a Pilates mat class and see what that's like since it focuses on core strength (core = midsection, i.e. abdomen, back). If I like it, I'll increase to more than one class a week.