At target weight but still flabby, please help.

J3n85

Hi all,

I started losing weight in January with a start weight of 216 pounds, I joined mfp and began consuming 1200 cals per day and doing cardio, mainly tae bo, I rarely ate back my exercise cals. Having now researched and read a lot on here I know that was pretty daft. In trying to regain some lean muscle mass I stopped doing cardio and began 30 day shred, still eating 1200 cals plus a protein shake daily, during this time I didn't lose any weight but lost 5 inches round my belly. Since then, for the past few weeks I have been alternating banish fat boost metabolism with no more trouble zones on 1200 calories plus protein shake and eating back my exercise calories, I am losing weight again but not inches and seem more flabby than ever in my stomach, when I am on all fours it just hangs there, looks ok standing up and my arms, legs, bum look great and have definition. I now weigh 135 pounds but think my body fat must still be quite high due to this flabbiness, I don't want to carry on losing weight and getting even flabbier though nor do I want to eat too much to try and gain muscle and but more fat on. Can anybody help me out on how to fix this please? Thanks.

chiera88

hi,

congrats on your success so far


i would try more strength training. do have access to a gym or weights? if so, look up a routine to try for a few months. you will probably gain a few pounds from muscle and water but you will start to change the composition of your body.

are you counting the calories in your protein shakes? make sure to!

BackTatJIM

this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

mamasmaltz3

216 lbs to 135 lbs since January is a significant weight loss. What you are describing sounds more like loose skin to me. That is going to take time to tighten back up. If you want to build muscle you will probably have to up your calories to at least a maintenance level and start some serious strength training. Congratulations on your weight loss that is really amazing!

elisa123gal

Give you skin time to snap back...moisturize...try dry brushing and or using a loofa ...it does help..takes time but works. Just keep working out ...and eating right.. you just lost a lot fast..and you're on the home stretch... great job!!!

J3n85

I was using the protein shake calories as free calories if you like as I thought I should probably be eating more than 1200 with exercising, but making sure they are good calories, ie the whey protein. So should I still only have 1200 including the whey protein and do more strength or up my calories too, what about the cardio as I've read that can be counterproductive? I reckon I lost too much too quickly, but it seemed to be going fine then bam, flabby dabby, it's really gutting to have worked so hard and dislike what you see in the mirror more than ever. The skin quality still seems good on the stomach area, boobs are another story but they can always be bought so not so concerned about those :laugh: thanks for replying, on a real downer about it today

spiralgirl71

I agree with strength training. Good luck!!

mamasmaltz3

Wondering if this could possibly be what is going on?


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

TXHunny84

Wow That's incredible weight loss!! I need your motivation!!!! I lose and regain the same ten of the last 20 I want to lose over and over!!

nataliexxxx

216 lbs to 135 lbs since January is a significant weight loss. What you are describing sounds more like loose skin to me. That is going to take time to tighten back up. If you want to build muscle you will probably have to up your calories to at least a maintenance level and start some serious strength training. Congratulations on your weight loss that is really amazing!

This^^ I think it could be lose skin you have lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time if you had been doing exercise whilst losing the weight then you wouldnt be that flabby but well done on the weight loss you have done great:)

StephyTheGreat

I was in the same boat, same weight and goal weight. Looked flabbier after weight loss. I was working out like a maniac with strength training, I really don't think muscles are the problem. I was super tones with flab over it.

In my research I found out that what you eat during your weight-loss will affect your skin. Those on a raw vegan diet had no loose skin or flabbiness even with losing 100 pounds in a year. If you were giving your body the nutrients it needs for cell health, and collagen production, it really does help.

But even at my goal weight it wasn't just loose skin, it felt like this leftover fat that just wouldn't go away. Now that Im losing weight again, I'm trying to go about things differently and eat differently. My diet changed drastically over the years and now I eat mostly vegan, no processed foods, no table salt and no table sugar, only honey. No fried foods. Organic when I can. Less cooked and more fresh. No bread. I make an exception for pizza every now and then. I use besan to make gluten free tortillas and other bready things.

I eat foods for thyroid health, and do skin brushing. I make homemade skin lotions, and don't put anything on my body I wouldn't put in my mouth. I feel internally the best I've ever felt. I didn't know I felt bad before. But every time I change something in my diet I felt better.

What I seemed to learn is that certain foods just clog up your body, and keep it from carrying out its functions the best, even if you're eating them in moderation. Our bodys can keep our skin tighter if it didnt have to deal with the crap we put in it. It's like your boss giving you work to do when you have more important things to finish.

Vitamins for skin health/tightening: Biotin, zinc, copper, A, B, C, E, healthy oils rich in omegas and selenium.