not sure where to go next..

victoriageorgina
victoriageorgina Posts: 41 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
When I started out I weighed 185lb, I am 5ft 7. I think my body fat % was around 26 although I could be wrong. I started out doing the jillian michaels dvds but for around two months I did not loose a single lb. I seemed to only get bigger. So I switched to cardio only at the end of jan this year. I kept to my 1200 cal intake and this is when the weight began to fall off me.
I went from 185b to 154lb in three months. Then I hit a two month wall and could not loose a single thing despite upping my cardio. I caught a stomach bug just over a month ago and lost 6lb which I have not gained back. However, appart from this I have not lost a lb through good eating and exercise.
I curently weigh 146lb and I think my body fat is 9% or 10% (again I could be wrong.. I used my sisters scales and don't understand them much lol)
Anyway I am not sure what I am doing wrong. In my head I still see myself as fat and chubby. On some photographs I think "eww I have hardly lost anything" on others I think "I wish I was as slim as I look here" so I am still dealing with how I view my self and my body. I feel like I still have a lot of fat to loose although people tell me I don't. And I really seem to be struggling to loose it at all now. I also want to tone up but I know as soon as I do any strength I bulk up so quick and loose no fat even with cardio involved.
I just really do not know where to go now. Obviously I need to change something.

Sorry my post is long.. I just thought it best to tell whole story ha!! Any advice would be great!!

Replies

  • rach4444
    rach4444 Posts: 6
    Hi Victoria,
    When I hit a phase of wall, I give my body a bit of a shock by eating nothing but protein for 2 days. Some members here may advise otherwise, but it only for a short time and you''re still eating so its not like starving or anything. I think it gives your metabolism a kick up the bum. I make sure I only do this once a month maximum.

    I buy 3 pre cooked chickens from the supermarket and a huge pot of cottage cheese and that is literally all I eat for 48 hours. Plus lots of water of course.

    Thats my way. Id be interested to see if others think this is a good or bad idea.
  • victoriageorgina
    victoriageorgina Posts: 41 Member
    I tried protein only for a few weeks and even went into ketosis and nothing.
  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
    I think that you need a day all to yourself to do something that involves rewarding yourself, instead of analyzing. It's so easy to stress when you hit that wall and even if the changes have happened, your brain sometimes stays in the past with the old you. Give yourself a little vacation. Just a day or two. Don't count calories, don't do a workout that is not PURE enjoyment (like sex or jumping on trampoline, or both at the same time), and do something that you love. Even a spa day at home or something like that. If a bad thought goes through you head, tell it to go away until tomorrow. Just do something that is a reward for yourself. You've done amazing and you have made such progress. Sometimes what your body and mind needs is just a little time to rest, regroup, and recharge. It'll also give you a chance to congratulate yourself on you journey so far even if it's not over. After that, look at what you need to do again. It's amazing what a difference a good state of mind can make.
  • SuperHeroRipped
    SuperHeroRipped Posts: 86
    have you been taking other measurement?
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Lets get some facts here. You're 5'7 and 146 pounds. That cant be too far off a healthy bmi. So any further losses will be hard fought.

    I think it highly unlikely that your body fat is 10%. For a female, around 20% is great, less than that and you're a professional athlete.

    What's your current exercise routine and how long have you been doing it?
  • 1longroad
    1longroad Posts: 642 Member
    How much cardio do you do daily? Are your calories too low? I see a big difference in your pictures. You definately look more fit!
  • GormanGhaste
    GormanGhaste Posts: 430 Member
    Lets get some facts here. You're 5'7 and 146 pounds. That cant be too far off a healthy bmi
    It IS a healthy BMI. OP, you need to adjust your body image, not your body.
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member
    You have done reallly well, pat yourself on the back! Your BMI puts you in the "normal" range, maybe you should try and just maintain that weight for a month, don't actively try to lose weight but eat healthy and keep up your exercise. If at the end of this time you still feel that you're too heavy for your frame then you start again, after a break you'll be energised and raring to go. Good luck!
  • victoriageorgina
    victoriageorgina Posts: 41 Member
    Thank you for all the advice. I know I have body image issues that I need to deal with too... finding that harder than most things. I thought I was way off with my body fat % need to figure out how to use those scales properly ha!!
    I do half an hour to an hour cardio most days... running, dancing, arobics.. anything really.

    I do want to eventually get good muscule definition and stuff but I am scared to move to strength when I feel I still have more body fat to loose.... just with how I get so big.

    My profile pic is the change in the last three months only... while I have hit the wall!! I know I have done well and I am proud of what I have achiv3d. I do think a large part of it all is in my head too.

    I have took measurments too but there is no big change here too.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Strength training will help you lose body fat.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    You started off around 35% +/-3% body fat or so (assuming the heavier pictures on your profile are before pics) and you're around 25% +/-2% now. If you want to fix your body composition, lift weight and eat at a slight deficit. .5lb/week loss would be a good goal for you. Look up starting strength and do that. Add in some pull ups and dips, too.
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member
    5lb a week weight loss would be huge, especially for someone at a healthy BMI who is building up their muscle %, but working with weights will really help to improve your body shape.
  • victoriageorgina
    victoriageorgina Posts: 41 Member
    Ok... going to dive in to some strength... how many days a week would anyone suggest? Also how much cardio too? I am so nervous of bulking up and going bigger again but I have to give it a try. I did want to wait till I got to 10 stone (my goal) but it's not happening is it. My body obvs has other ideas lol!!

    (Also think "point" 5lb was meant.. not 5lb... I wish I could loose that haha)

    I really do want to be tonned and defined I just thought I was still to "chubby" to achive it right now.

    :)
  • mwjessica
    mwjessica Posts: 5 Member
    I agree about needing to include strength training! If you've experienced getting bulky from strength training, try using lighter weights with higher number of reps. This should help tone your body while minimizing the bulkiness. Remember, though: the more muscle you build, the more fat your body will burn. Good luck!
  • shutupandlift13
    shutupandlift13 Posts: 727 Member
    You started off around 35% +/-3% body fat or so (assuming the heavier pictures on your profile are before pics) and you're around 25% +/-2% now. If you want to fix your body composition, lift weight and eat at a slight deficit. .5lb/week loss would be a good goal for you. Look up starting strength and do that. Add in some pull ups and dips, too.

    This.

    Usually women get to goal weight and realize they don't have the body composition they want. You can eat at nearly maintenance, lift heavy, maybe cut back on the cardio a bit and you will start to see some more fat loss and lean body mass retention.

    PS Women don't get bulky without a calorie surplus and A LOT of dedicated training.

    Great examples in here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/884447-do-you-lift-heavy-are-you-bulky
  • windstar57
    windstar57 Posts: 41 Member
    I think you should relax for a week…don't go crazy working out…eat as you have been. You body has plateaued and it's not always more that changes that…sometimes it's less.

    In the pictures you look great! Not sure what you are looking for, but I think you are overthinking and stressing over something that will eventually work it's way.

    Adding weight training not only builds muscle (you shouldn't bulk up unless you really train hard to) and it gives you a higher metabolism to burn more calories when you are at rest….

    Sit back, take a true look at yourself…you are not anywhere near as fat as you may think…you look like someone who has been working out and eating right…you should be proud of your accomplishment :)

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