Underweight with "love handles"?

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  • Kim55555
    Kim55555 Posts: 987 Member
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    I've recently dropped about 15lbs in total over about 5-6 months. I rarely eat junk food (maybe one ice cream every couple of weeks) I also eat a low-carb, high protein diet. I do cardio 3-4 times a week (20 min HIIT and 40-60min very brisk walking) and I do Jillian Michaels 30 day shred daily along with 15 minutes of callanetics (not calisthenics). Right now I'm under weight at 5"9 and 115lbs with a BMI of 17. However I still have these pesky love handles and saddlebags paired with some bingo-wings. I'm a little worried about losing more weight seeing as I'm already underweight and I can see some of my bones.

    I'm really confused about what to do and I was looking for some input? All answers will be appreciated!

    Reading this again imo i think you would have been better off not losing those 15pounds and instead lifted heavy weights whilst eating at maintenance or slightly above maintenance so as to put a bit of muscle on. This would have sculpted your body into the shape you desired. You would have lost fat whilst adding a little muscle.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    I'm really trying to be supportive of everyone- guys, girls, all different shapes and sizes, because, so often we are going through much the same struggle, just in a different way. when you are close to a healthy weight it is very hard to lose, so I try to have empathy for them too.

    However, apparently we are dealing wtih different definitions of having extra hips or saddle bags issues.
    I'm dealing with a 12 inch difference between the smallest part of my waist and hip measurements.
    I can understand how people of any size can need to firm up, but saddle bags is not the word for a couple of inches
    of anything.

    I second the weight lifting. Do 1 rep max for all your exercises if possible.

    1RM will result in myofibrillar hypertrophy. OP need sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. Do 8-12 reps per set. If you can do 15 reps at that weight, you're not doing enough weight. Lift every other day, eat 20% above TDEE on lifting days and 20% below TDEE on rest days if you want to maintain your weight.
  • louisvillejg
    louisvillejg Posts: 17 Member
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    DYEL, bro?

    http://static3.fjcdn.com/comments/Bro+do+you+even+lift+_9b8ad438f00cce8d87e209b048f2bec8.jpg
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    I'd gain back the 15 pounds you lost for starters while also lifting heavy weights so that a significant portion of the weight regained is as muscle.
  • katy_trail
    katy_trail Posts: 1,992 Member
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    I second the weight lifting. Do 1 rep max for all your exercises if possible.

    Nope 1 rep is not enough!! It's not enough to put on muscle!!

    Lift heavy between 5-7 reps!!

    1 rep max is a type of test, to see how much weight you can lift.
    there's no point doing bicep curls with 3lbs weights if you can lift 20lbs.
    and you won't know how strong you are until you try.
  • Kim55555
    Kim55555 Posts: 987 Member
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    This feels like sooooo long ago, but I was pretty underweight at one point, and despite that I still had some padding on my hips and upper thighs. It's just how I'm shaped. Strength training might have changed some things, but overall body shape is genetics.

    Yes I agree, your overall body shape is genetics and some things you will not be able to change but heavy weights will make you the best version of yourself. As ou progress with your weights program some parts of your body you may even be surprised at how good you can look with the right lifestyle & application in the gym.

    For example with me I have nicely defined legs, arms and everywhere else except my tummy. I'm trying to get as close to a 6 pack as I can. I dunno if I'll get there as i might not have the genetics for it. I'm going to keep at to see how far I can go. I'm 5 '2 57 kg, heavy frame with muscle (athletic type)

    At my reappraisal I learnt since August i had put on 3.5 cm on each leg and that's whilst eating at a moderate defecit! I have the genetics for putting on muscle! I also lost 4 cm off my waist, lost 2 off my hips 5 off my chest, 1cm off my arms and am still the same scale weight. So I lost fat in my waist, chest hips & arms and added muscle to my legs. That's why the scale didn't move
  • Kim55555
    Kim55555 Posts: 987 Member
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    I second the weight lifting. Do 1 rep max for all your exercises if possible.

    Nope 1 rep is not enough!! It's not enough to put on muscle!!

    Lift heavy between 5-7 reps!!

    1 rep max is a type of test, to see how much weight you can lift.
    there's no point doing bicep curls with 3lbs weights if you can lift 20lbs.
    and you won't know how strong you are until you try.

    Well yes for sure do a 1 rep test but this shouldn't be the weight lifting program if you want to make significant changes in composition! :)


    Edited to say: please ensure you have a spotter present when attempting a 1 rep strength test!

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