I just don't care anymore.

JMarigold

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ninerbuff

I gained. And I don't care. I don't care what I weigh. I don't care if I gain or lose. It just doesn't matter.

Nope. I'm not discouraged or quitting. The complete opposite. I know that the scale is not a good way to gauge my fitness. And I know that eating exercise calories works for me. And strength training absolutely ROCKS.

I've said before... how a few years ago, starting around 150#, I ate under 1000 calories a day, and got down to 130#. I wore a size 8, STILL had a muffin top, back fat rolls, and a double chin. Progress was painfully slow... usually less than a half pound a week, but I just thought I lacked discipline, had a bad metabolism, or just just not meant to be thin any more. I was thin, skinny even, for most of my life, and thought that it all caught up with me like my family always said it would.

Eating about twice that amount this time around (1350-1500 plus most of my exercise calories, averaging between 1800-2000), starting at 160#, I got down to 130# losing an average of one pound a week, even though I was aiming to lose .5# a week for the last 10# of it. I blogged about it - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/LorinaLynn/view/eat-more-why-very-low-calorie-sucks-201462 - including a photo of the jeans I wore then compare to the jeans I wear now, which are a size 2 or 4. My waist and hips are each about 2" smaller than I was when 130# years ago. I'm able to fit into jeans I wore in high school more than 20 years ago when I weighed 110#.

I found a photo from about 5 years ago when I was around 130#, and put it side by side to a photo taken this morning at 133#.



Too bad I didn't know then that I could eat twice as much and get better results.

There's no big magical mystery about why eating exercise calories work. It's math. I ate less than I burned, because I understood that my body is always burning calories, not just while I was exercising. I had enough of a calorie deficit to lose the weight I wanted to lose, and I had the right nutrition to prevent muscle loss. At 1000 calories a day, I had too large of a deficit, didn't have the right nutrition, and lost a disproportional amount of muscle, thus, I looked bigger than I do now.

After going on maintenance, increasing my strength training, getting more protein, and then recovering from an injury that kept me from exercising ( and required chocolate as medication! :laugh: ), I gained a little. Don't care. Here's me in September at 128# vs 133# now.



Not seeing any difference. Not from the front, anyway.



Now, there, I see a difference! A higher, rounder bum. And the jeans I bought then are too loose on me now. So I weigh more, but I'm smaller and have a cuter butt. Not going to sweat that five pounds!

And as long as I'm gloating about my butt, this is a photo that really brings it. My 27 year old butt, weighing probably about 125# vs my 39 year old butt. Seriously... who the hell ever thinks they're going to like their butt better at almost 40 than in their mid-20s?! Not to mention that I'm not sickly pale (though still pale) with dark undereye circles.



Good nutrition and regular exercise. Who'da thunkit?!

Yep. So many people live and die by the scale. It's like the young teenage boy's at the gym who gauge how good you are by your bench press numbers. I don't give a crap about bench press numbers. I care about how my chest looks and not how much I can bench. Same should go with the scale. If you look good and are leaner but the same weight or more, then something is being done right!

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Switty_Kitty

:flowerforyou: You look amazing! I don't think Ive ever had an *kitten* like that lol Thank you for the inspiration.

im_Ayla

Wow!

I've read on other sites that huge calorie deficit isn't good for the body but I never realized it until I read your post.

I'm 29yo mom, 5'1", weighs 108lbs. I'm currently trying to stay below the 1200 calorie intake because I was afraid that if I eat more, I won't lose weight at all. And I know I'm not sedentary at all. I only do this calorie deficit because even though I know feel that I'm already building muscles from daily exercise, it's still hidden under those bulges and belly fat.
1000 cal diet I think, makes me lethargic at times.

I'd definitely try your approach. Up my intake to 1300-1500 and weight train more & hope I'd see better results like you do.

Thanks!

jbizzle523

simply amazing!!

ryvenna

i LOVE this post

emrys1976

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cowlover22

Well I have to say you really look great and i am so glad that you are not focused on the number thing. Once you start playing that game it is hard to get off of it. You have to go by how you feel and what you are comfortable with. Funny though most of us think if we decrease our calories we will loose weight, but after so long your body knows you are starving yourself so it slows your entire metabolism down to a crawl. I have an eating disorder so my thinking is never clear but when I was trying to gain weight I just couldn't figure out why or how I was loosing weight when I was eating 3600 calories(yes I was getting that much in since I was in a control environment..the hospital where they watch you every second). Our bodies are complex machines and basically we just need to be healthy..which you look like you are doing an awesome job. Keep up the good work and I commend you for not going with the whole number thing..because really in the whole scheme of things..does it matter?

HiKaren

LorinaLynn,
I like your attitude.. And I'm taking your fitness/nutrition advise.... And hopefully I can do as you do... And the exact # doesn't bother me either. Its the way I feel that matters. And if I know in my heart I am treating myself decently by my eating habits. Thank you for being a great example to follow. And for taking your time to help me. I think your great. And I'm a picky person... Very picky....

gritsinct

Thank you for posting such great motivational photos for the power of weight lifting and how much better it is to be fit - not just focused on skinny!

Mrswheels01

Nice booty!!

good2bthaking

you are a knockout, screw the numbers, you look great and if you feel good, then outstanding!!

rfarinha

Amen!

LorinaLynn

Thanks, everybody! I like spreading the message that the scale sucks. :laugh: And that weight lifting doesn't turn you into a hulk unless you REALLY make an effort to look like a hulk.

I might as well add these photos here, since this tends to be the thread I reference the most. Keep it all in one spot.

How weight lifting made my arms smaller, not bigger:



I started weight lifting in July. Not upset that the scale has gone up since then!!!



And just a jive old before & after. I'm not really sure what my exact weight was in May 2010 and July 2010. I was avoiding the scale... but I know I gained between the end of that summer and when I started here at 160#, so it's a good estimate.

dontforgetcat

awesome!!!! you go girl!!!

JustLena75

Love this post!

plushkitten

Love this!! you look amazing

candace_ndiaye

Love it. Amazing results. I've just really gotten started (this time around anyway, hopefully the last). I'm eating alot healthier and not having cravings NEARLY like I was, but I've noticed I tend to go over my calorie limit on the days I exercise (not including the calories I get back from exercising mind you).

I had felt kinda bad about this until I read your post, so thanks for the reality check

charliesmagic

Bump to bookmark and to remind me that it IS possible!!! Thank you so much for sharing!! Congrats to you! :flowerforyou:

penny39

Tottally amazing! I want results like this!

DayAtATime

Enjoyed your post. You look great. Thanks for sharing.

Mel2626

What a gorgeous body you have!! It really is great to remind ourselves that the scale isn't the only victory. Your dedication to fitness has truly paid off~ you look absolutely incredible!!!!

knrob

I absolutely LOVE this...thnak you so much! and great job btw!

cdusanka

"There's no big magical mystery about why eating exercise calories work. It's math. I ate less than I burned, because I understood that my body is always burning calories, not just while I was exercising. I had enough of a calorie deficit to lose the weight I wanted to lose, and I had the right nutrition to prevent muscle loss. At 1000 calories a day, I had too large of a deficit, didn't have the right nutrition, and lost a disproportional amount of muscle, thus, I looked bigger than I do now. "

:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

Thank You! I never understood why MFP would change my calorie intake goal on my exercise days, until I read this post and your blog post explaining "eating your exercise calories". I had to read it a few times before I really understood it. I also didn't know that I could customize all my daily goals...even carb grams...until I read that blog post!

I realize now that I've been eating WAY too little calories! I've even been eating less calories than my goal on non-exercise days too, and not understanding why I haven't lost a decent amount of weight. Now I get it! Now when I see that I should be eating 2000+ cal/day when I exercise, I will eat 2000+ cal!

Thank You VERY much! You have just completely changed my belief system around calories...and changed my path towards weightloss!
:flowerforyou:

2hmom

You just totally rocked my world. I knew I was getting stronger and my stomach was flatter,the weight wasn't coming off. I don't care. I feel better than I have felt in a long time.

LemonBurns

I am starting to see, in my own life, with my own 'weight-loss' journey, that is really IS NOT about the scale... For me, it's all about how my clothes fit. Seeing your success story in pictures, I have come to the conclusion that I need to start lifting! You look ABSOLUTELY FABulous! Thanks for sharing

C00lCountry

Great work and great information.
I have to say that the 133 pics looks better then the 130 pics.
I can understand what you mean by saying the scale is not accurate ( evil in my words).

DarrellHodge

I seriously don't get it. You look good in all the photos; and this is not me flirting. Looks to me that you are one of those people who looks good at a range of weights. That being said, I know you have to do what feels right for you so I praise you in your success!

LorinaLynn

Thank you. I never thought I looked BAD, just not like I wanted to look. I'm much happier with the improvements in how I feel than it how I look, but it's a lot easier to show the physical change.

ilike2moveit

Very interesting, thanks for sharing. I'm thinking it's the strength training that is making the big difference!