Opinions on how much more weight I should lose *PICS*

shorty35565

I said I wouldn't post this, because I was afraid of what people would say & I thought I would get my feelings hurt. I don't think any of you will believe I weigh what I do in the picture. But anyways, I am 5'5 and currently weighed127.4lbs 29.6% BF (per calipers)
I weighed 129lbs in these pics.




I want these opinions, because I have never been this low before & honestly, I feel like I see a much bigger person in the mirror. I've been told this many times. So i want fresh, unbiased eyes.
I know I need to lose body fat. I have been trying my hardest to do that, but I only lose 1% last month
I lift weights 3 days a week, intervals once a week, cardio once a week and on the 6th day I either do cardio or some kind of resistance exercise. I do ab work twice a week as well. One day off.
My plan was to get down to 115 or 120. I have a small frame, so I figure it is ok do so, then bump my cals up and figure out a way to lose body fat while eating maintenance maybe? Idrk. When I get my body fat low enough, I planned on trying to bulk a little. I hate how I've ended up with low weight/high body fat. I'm just trying to figure out what to do.

onyxgirl17

I think you really don't need to lose anymore. Just do more resistance training

lawmama_

Yeah, just a little resistance training and ab work and you will be just fine. It'll trim you down in all the right places and you'll be satisfied with the results.

phynyxfyre

What she said. Toning is all you need to do. You are at a great weight, maybe even leaning slightly toward the low end.

shorty35565

If I upped my cals, do you guys think I would lose inches faster?

geekyjock76

Focus more on body composition and ignore the scale. Weight becomes irrelevant at a certain leanness.

vodkoffee

Your weigh is just fine. Work on the body fat percentage. You're doing great!

ryansgram

I don't think you need to lose any weight. Just keep exercising and you will notice a difference in the way you look..

DawnEH612

In all honesty, you look ok, but you could make HUGE physical changes if you began to lift weights... REALLY lift weights, not Barbie doll weights. Pick up some heavy weight where you can only do 6-10 repetitions and try doing between 3-5 sets. No need to loose any more pounds, per say, but adding muscle will help give you the shape I think youre hoping to get. Did you know for every pound of muscle you gain you burn an extra 45-50 calories a day! Muscle is amazing and looks great! Try checking out scoobysworkshop.com for some sound advice and ideas.

shorty35565

Focus more on body composition and ignore the scale. Weight becomes irrelevant at a certain leanness.

So should I eat at maintenance or just a smaller deficit? I'm been eating close to 30% of my TDEE, maybe a little less at times (not more than 100 off tho)

shorty35565

In all honesty, you look ok, but you could make HUGE physical changes if you began to lift weights... No need to loose any more pounds, per say, but adding muscle will help give you the shape I think youre hoping to get. Try checking out scoobysworkshop.com for some sound advice and ideas.

I said my workout routine up in the post. I lift 3 times a week, sometimes 4. Been doing this for almost 7 wks now.

DawnEH612

In all honesty, you look ok, but you could make HUGE physical changes if you began to lift weights... No need to loose any more pounds, per say, but adding muscle will help give you the shape I think youre hoping to get. Try checking out scoobysworkshop.com for some sound advice and ideas.

I said my workout routine up in the post. I lift 3 times a week, sometimes 4. Been doing this for almost 7 wks now.

See my post agin, I edited it.

flynnfinn

we have very similar measurements. i am 5'6" and i weigh 127 but my BF% is just under 20%. i think you should focus on body compostion rather than losing more weight. losing more weight just results in a smaller version of the way you look now. what would really make a difference...more than dieting...is strength/resistance training. then you will start to see some shape and muscle definition. good on you though for posting these pics on here! it takes a lot of courage to open yourself up to criticism. and if you are strong enough for that, you can do anything you set your mind to! best of luck!

shorty35565

In all honesty, you look ok, but you could make HUGE physical changes if you began to lift weights... REALLY lift weights, not Barbie doll weights. Pick up some heavy weight where you can only do 6-10 repetitions and try doing between 3-5 sets. No need to loose any more pounds, per say, but adding muscle will help give you the shape I think youre hoping to get. Di you know for evdry pound of muscle you gain you burn an extra 45-50 calories a day! Muscle is amazing and looks great! Try checking out scoobysworkshop.com for some sound advice and ideas.

With the program I'm doing, in the 1st month (which I've already completed) We lifted heavy enough to fail at 10-12 reps. The 2nd month, which I'm on now, we fail at 6-8 reps. I lift as heavy as I can Which probably isn't very impressive to sum, but I'm still a newbie to weight lifting, gotta start somewhere right? Will tht place help me figure out how much I should eat so I can lose body fat faster?

shorty35565

we have very similar measurements. i am 5'6" and i weigh 127 but my BF% is just under 20%. i think you should focus on body compostion rather than losing more weight. losing more weight just results in a smaller version of the way you look now. what would really make a difference...more than dieting...is strength/resistance training. then you will start to see some shape and muscle definition. good on you though for posting these pics on here! it takes a lot of courage to open yourself up to criticism. and if you are strong enough for that, you can do anything you set your mind to! best of luck!

Thank u! I want to be below 20% ! I posted my exercise routine under the pictures.
How much do you think I should eat? Maintenance or just a smaller deficit? I really struggle with how much I should eat. Right now I eat close to 30% of my TDEE

DawnEH612

Yes, it's a great site. Helps calculate TDEE and lots of good tools and information. Maybe you need to add another day of cardio or HIIT (high intensity interval training) and perhaps increase your protein intake. I'd aim for between 20-30 % of your calories to be protein. You may not be eating enough, honestly, if you began lifting hard. It's very expensive, calorie wise, to maintain muscle mass. Keep it up. It takes time to build muscle Nd see the results. Also,make sure you aren't lifting the same muscle groups two days in a row. They need a day in between, atleast, to recuperate and heal.

applewrm

I think you look great and just need to tone. Toning is the hard part. Just don't put weight on again. Good luck.

shorty35565

Yes, it's a great site. Helps calculate TDEE and lots of good tools and information. Maybe you need to add another day of cardio or HIIT (high intensity interval training) and perhaps increase your protein intake. I'd aim for between 20-30 % of your calories to be protein. You may not be eating enough, honestly, if you began lifting hard. It's very expensive, calorie wise, to maintain muscle mass. Keep it up. It takes time to build muscle Nd see the results. Also,make sure you aren't lifting the same muscle groups two days in a row. They need a day in between, atleast, to recuperate and heal.

Went there and I used them to calculate my TDEE before! I thought the site looked familiar. They were the ones where I got 1530 as 30% of my TDEE.
I have recently (like past 2 week or so) been making sure my protein was 30% or really close of my cals My TDEE is like 1900 something I believe. Someone told me to eat 1700 once. I'm just super paranoid, u kno? I don't wanna gain anymore fat, because I already feel so horrible ab myself. I just wanna lose & be thin. I been losing for a yr now. I want some amazing results, some muscle & abs. I'm just a little scared. Even if I tell myself it would b ok so up them, I'm still a little nervous.
There is always a day between my lifting. It goes lift+abs/cardio or lower body work/rest/lift/intervals/lift+ab/cardio

Mdin1029

I agree that you look great and should not lose any weight. I am in a similar position, right weight but not ideal shape, want to be more toned. I know everyone says lifting heavy makes it happen so I am starting that, but I also notice a difference in my body when I run regulalry. What do you do for your cardio? I know you said it is 1-2 days a week, but how long, and what type? I find that when I am running 3 times a week, strength 3x, and rest one day, I start looking more toned. I jog outdoors, 30-40 minutes, making sure there are hills in there. Hope this helps. Good luck, keep up the good work. I would set your calorie goals on mfp to maintain and then try to stay about 100 calories under whatever it tells you to be on the safe side

shorty35565

I agree that you look great and should not lose any weight. I am in a similar position, right weight but not ideal shape, want to be more toned. I know everyone says lifting heavy makes it happen so I am starting that, but I also notice a difference in my body when I run regulalry. What do you do for your cardio? I know you said it is 1-2 days a week, but how long, and what type? I find that when I am running 3 times a week, strength 3x, and rest one day, I start looking more toned. I jog outdoors, 30-40 minutes, making sure there are hills in there. Hope this helps. Good luck, keep up the good work. I would set your calorie goals on mfp to maintain and then try to stay about 100 calories under whatever it tells you to be on the safe side

I do Chalean Extreme, so it has it's own cardio. The intervals is just like I can't even explain, like burpees, jumping rope, jumping jacks, plyo lunges, kick boxing drills & in between each cardio drill we lift light weights to recover and build endurance. And the cardio is like toning cardio, if that makes any sense at all. Fast lunges, burpees, screamers, jacks with the thigh toning band. it's really good stuff. I can feel the burn even in cardio. And if I do another day, it's normally Brazil Butt Lift, which is like a little dancy thing. It's pretty fun, that's why I like it & I get a good burn out of it.
I've done 1 run before. I did a mile in like 12 mins or so, outside in the heat on a trail with hills. My legs hurts for DAYS after & I LOVED the soreness. I mean every inch hurt. My heart rate got a little out of control though. Running is tough stuff man lol I never got back out there & tried again though.

Hendrix7

Lifting 3 times a week is not a routine, what do you actually do in these sessions, what exercises?