Do you think that I am taking my weight loss too far?

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  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    Do you think you might have body dysmorphia? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_dysmorphic_disorder

    I'm in almost the exact same boat as you (5'6.5'' and was 117 lbs a fews weeks ago), and all I see in the mirror is squishy flab. I can say I'm fairly thin, but even when people tell you you look too skinny, you can't see anything but what's wrong with you. You can try toning with strength training, but a lot of that mess is in your head.
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
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    But yes the answer to your question is that I agree, I feel like I am 'skinny fat' if you know the term.

    Start lifting and adding muscle. Get strong, girl!

    From someone who's had a CRAP body image all her life ... get help/support because weight is not your issue.
  • seena511
    seena511 Posts: 685 Member
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    since you are concerned about it, perhaps it would be beneficial to speak with an MD as well as a psychiatrist or psychologist. i'm 5'8" and have lost 25 lbs in about a year and i feel like you do, like i look the same. my husband thinks that i have some sort of exercise addiction or body dysmorphic disorder. i feel like no matter what i do i just don't look "thin." of course i should probably take my own advice and talk with professional about it at some point. feel free to add me; reading your post it sounds like we're kind of going through the same thing.
  • ejay90
    ejay90 Posts: 42
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    It could be the start of something, if you had a real issue your calorie intake would be much smaller and you will have a feat of fatty foods like bacon etc etc
  • RunDoozer
    RunDoozer Posts: 1,699 Member
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    Yes I do.

    Sounds like you need to start eating more and start lifting weights.

    Also, I'd probably talk to a dr about this sometime soon if things don't change. You're borderline underweight according to BMI and this can become a problem really fast if you don't take control
  • cnelson1974
    cnelson1974 Posts: 235 Member
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    Maybe you would be happier doing strength training to look more fit and less skinny.

    this. from what you have said you do a very cardio heavy routine. maybe cut that back and focus on a full body strength routine to 'tone up', instead of just trying to lose more weight.

    i am 5ft5 and 127lbs (at maintenance), so 110 does sound too low to me.

    ^^^ This
    Because when I was in college, I was the reverse. I'm also 5'6" and I got to 140lbs. I looked sickly and boney (by everyone's standards). 153 is the high range of the BMI by the way. I was lifting weights and playing intercollegate soccer at the time and worked in a barn at minimum wage to make ends week. I had full cardio and strength training without the gym equipment. The issue is, I have a stocky build compaired to this person here.

    If I'm correct, your wanting more definition rather then to be skinnier. Use the suggestions by the other responders here. If that should not help, save up and see a physical trainer at a gym (it's expensive, but worth it) and have them design a routine for you. Have it reevaluated every 6 months (or as needed) as you begin to tone up. Explain what you want to accomplish so they can help you better.

    Just keep in mind with muscle will come more weight, but I'm hoping you'll like the toned look and accept the extra 5 to 10 lbs to achieve it. Good luck! :D
  • purplegoboom
    purplegoboom Posts: 400 Member
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    Only my family have commented but that is probably because they are used to seeing me all of the time.
    I go to the gym about 3-5 times a week. I personally find the workouts that I do really tiring but they probably seem meagre to an extremely fit person. I do a warm up and then I do 30 lunges (3 x 10 reps) and then 90 ab exercises (I forgot there names, they are slightly unusual ones designed for weak necks) I then do about 30-45 minutes of cardio depending on what I feel like I am up to that day which is power walking on the treadmill, cross trainer, bikes and the rowing machine.

    I haven't really done anything much to lose the weight though. I feel like I have thought about wanting to lose weight a whoole lot more than I have actually taken action about doing it. I eat about 1400-1500 calories a day generally and eat healthy 70-80% of the time.

    But yes the answer to your question is that I agree, I feel like I am 'skinny fat' if you know the term.

    The answer to "skinny fat" is lifing heavy. Read New Rules of Weightlifing for Women.
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
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    I'm also 5'6", started on here a year ago at 132 and dropped to 113. I was thin, but no definition. I started lifting and am now 119 and look tighter than before.
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
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    Honestly I'm 5'2'' and I look very thin at 110lbs. It's at the lower end of a healthy BMI for me. I can't imagine it's really a healthy weight at all for someone 4 inches taller such as yourself, but I think your best bet is to see a doctor about this, because I am obviously not a professional, and neither are the people who will reply to your post. Wishing you lots of luck hun.
  • prokomds
    prokomds Posts: 318 Member
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    You're obviously aware that you're veering into underweight territory - it's great that you have that awareness. Some people lose a few pounds, look in the mirror, lose a few pounds, cardio cardio cardio, and are never happy no matter how low their weight gets. Why is that? It probably has a lot to do with the fact that cardio doesn't really build muscle, so you're losing fat and also losing your muscle mass.

    If you're at a low weight but still think you don't look thin/fit, it's because your body fat % is too high and your lean muscle mass is too low.

    To give you a bit of a comparison, I am also 5'6", and pretty small framed (tiny shoulders/hands/feet, etc). I started out at around 150 pounds, now I'm at 140, and I'm fairly certain that if I dropped to 130 I would be way too thin. My stomach at my belly button has dropped from 36.5" to about 31" through a combination of a small calorie deficit, weight training, and occasional cardio (I eat 1500-1700 when I don't exercise, more when I do).

    Some things you could look into - the 30-day shred isn't strictly a weight-training tool, but it can be a great place to start (especially if you use 5+ pound weights and not the 2-3 pound baby weights you see people using). The New Rules of Lifting for Women is a great book with workouts included. And perhaps this woman should be your new hero:

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    Basically, take some measurements, and throw the scale away! Your body fat percentage and lean body mass are what really matter, not a few pounds on a scale. Good luck!
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
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    I think you are already thin enough. If you don't have body you want by now, I don't think losing more weight is going to get it for you. You should try strength training/heaving lifting to build muscle. That will give you a more shapely look and muscle burns fat. Of course you will have to eat MORE. I'm only 5'0" tall and I eat 1500-1700 calories a day to lose weight.

    Check out this group

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/10067-eat-train-progress-

    I also recommend you read "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" by Lou Schuler. Even if you decide not to do lifting, the nutrition section of the book would be very enlightening.

    Good luck to you.
  • mareeee1234
    mareeee1234 Posts: 674 Member
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    You may stall on too much cardio tooo! And you are eating too low. I like everyones advice on eating enough and doing more weights!

    watch this.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYi9xjIRvbY

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEDM9t-sjDE
  • drchimpanzee
    drchimpanzee Posts: 892 Member
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    I am still not satisfied when I look in the mirror

    Will you ever be? What do you want to see? Is it realistic? If so what is it worth the sacrifice? Only you can really answer these questions.
  • christy_frank
    christy_frank Posts: 680 Member
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    Sounds to me like you are 'Skinny Fat' which means you are skinny but don't have any muscle tone to you. Throw away the scale and start lifting weights.
  • Rissyroo513
    Rissyroo513 Posts: 79 Member
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    I am 5'6 and at my smallest I weighed about 145 wearing size 6 jeans. I personally hate the BMI scale because according to it I am obese while wearing size 9 jeans. Everyone's body is different and I agree that this is something you should talk to your doctor about. It may just be a matter of toning up and adding more muscle.
  • Elle408
    Elle408 Posts: 500 Member
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    You've got some great advice here, and I don't have much more to add other than the fact that I can relate massively. I'm exactly the same height as you (but have quite a large frame) and my goal was always 125lbs, I did it, and hit goal but still hated the way I looked, I was flabby and unfit and still looked fat. Because the scales were telling me I was skinny, but the mirror was telling me I was fat, the only solution I thought I had was to lose more weight, so I dropped my goal to 120.

    It was only after taking advice to start lifting that things changed. I started to eat more protein and healthy fats and continued to work out 5 times a week, but changed the focus to strength training as opposed to cardio. Within about 4-6 weeks I had the body I always wanted, I lost 2 dress sizes (from a UK14 TO UK10) had definition, a pretty nice set of abs and could eat more without seeing a change on the scales. Just be prepared for the fact that you'll probably gain some weight (which won't be a bad thing at your weight) but you'll look so much better!
  • prokomds
    prokomds Posts: 318 Member
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    You've got some great advice here, and I don't have much more to add other than the fact that I can relate massively. I'm exactly the same height as you (but have quite a large frame) and my goal was always 125lbs, I did it, and hit goal but still hated the way I looked, I was flabby and unfit and still looked fat. Because the scales were telling me I was skinny, but the mirror was telling me I was fat, the only solution I thought I had was to lose more weight, so I dropped my goal to 120.

    It was only after taking advice to start lifting that things changed. I started to eat more protein and healthy fats and continued to work out 5 times a week, but changed the focus to strength training as opposed to cardio. Within about 4-6 weeks I had the body I always wanted, I lost 2 dress sizes (from a UK14 TO UK10) had definition, a pretty nice set of abs and could eat more without seeing a change on the scales. Just be prepared for the fact that you'll probably gain some weight (which won't be a bad thing at your weight) but you'll look so much better!

    Your pictures are awesome! :) One of these days I'll get up the nerve to post some, maybe. I've dropped from US size barely-fitting-in-8s (in denial that I was needing to size up) to comfortably fitting in a size 6. Yay for weight lifting, no question. I'd still like to go further, but I'm really proud of the progress I've made

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