Help! Myths vs truths, advice, and being realistic

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  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
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    At the height of 5'2" and 105 lbs your current BMI is 19.2 which is the low end of normal.
    Maybe you should talk to a professional about your goals...

    This.
    My bmi is around 19 and I'm at the low end of the healthy range. I couldn't afford to lose another 5lbs, let alone 10lbs. I'm very strict about making sure I don't lose any more weight and I eat over 2,000 calories. With what you've posted, it sounds like it may be time to get some ED counseling as well as get a referral to a dietician so you can start working towards both physical And mental good health.
  • lrmall01
    lrmall01 Posts: 377 Member
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    If that is what you have to work with, then I suggest Body Beast. It will be your best bet to build some muscle. I'm not familiar with how it suggests you calculate calories, but it is probably more than you need since you are female. If body beast has instructions for female lifters, then follow those and ignore my earlier suggestion about using MFP mainenance calories. These ladies can probably help you: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1009327-body-beast-women-s-group

    Since you have them, I think doing a round of Body Beast to bulk a little, then a round of P90x to cut would be great for you. I'd suggest you just do exactly as they say - eat according to their nutrition plans, and exercise according to the DVDs. Don't try to outsmart the programs you have already paid for and don't try to come get more advice from the MFP forum - it will only confuse the issue. That will take you about 6 months, then you can re-evaluate and go from there.

    Good luck! Of course feel free to PM me if you have any questions related specifically to my suggestions.

    To bulk muscle you need to eat at a surplus and you will gain weight, some of it fat. Based on what is needed for body beast is
    E-Z Curl Bar
    Workout Bench with adjustable back (alternative: premium stability ball)
    Chin-Up Bar (alternative: resistance bands)
    Supplements specifically developed for Body Beast:
    Shake is formulated to help maximize new muscle growth and reduce muscle breakdown—at the same time.*
    Fuel Shot kick-starts your recovery and accelerates muscle endurance, size, and strength.*
    M.A.X. Creatine gives you a blast of extra strength and muscle growth plus speeds up muscle recovery.*
    Super Suma helps amp up your body's own hormone production, muscle strength, size, and endurance.*

    No power rack? no squat rack? no standard bar?

    Yah no. but it sure does sell those supplements.

    Please notice that I said that if it is all she has to work with, then do Body Beast. I never said Body Beast was better than a barbell program. I took the approach of trying to provide advice based upon what was asked in her original question, and those options are a treadmill, P90x, or Body Beast.
  • ILoveGingerNut
    ILoveGingerNut Posts: 367 Member
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    There is so much contradictory information out there and I don't know what to do.

    Don't you think you'd only get more contradictory information on a forum? See a professional. He wouldn't give you any advice without seeing you in person and assessing you properly.
    I doubt the same diet or exercise regime advice fits young girls, obese people and bodybuilders.
  • ILoveGingerNut
    ILoveGingerNut Posts: 367 Member
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    At the height of 5'2" and 105 lbs your current BMI is 19.2 which is the low end of normal.
    Maybe you should talk to a professional about your goals...

    This.
    My bmi is around 19 and I'm at the low end of the healthy range. I couldn't afford to lose another 5lbs, let alone 10lbs. I'm very strict about making sure I don't lose any more weight and I eat over 2,000 calories. With what you've posted, it sounds like it may be time to get some ED counseling as well as get a referral to a dietician so you can start working towards both physical And mental good health.

    :heart:
  • growtinymuscles
    growtinymuscles Posts: 37 Member
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    Eat at maintenance and lift heavy. Don't worry about losing weight, worry about body composition and building muscle. That will get your where you want to be without starvation diets or being severely underweight.

    THIS!!!!!!!!!!!
  • SCV34
    SCV34 Posts: 2,048 Member
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    ate an entire bag of chips.
    I ate nothing but chocolate for two days straight.
    I ate nothing but ice cream one day.
    Ever night when I binge :c

    I found the above quote from another thread posted by OP. Gives me pause to think there is more to your story and questions. Maybe the issues are beyond MFP help and advice.
  • WhiteRabbit1313
    WhiteRabbit1313 Posts: 1,091 Member
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    Hmm...I'm 5'2" and want to be 115 lbs. Maybe, I should go on the starvation diet or the chocolate only diet, if I can get down to 105 lbs.?

    Lol!

    Seriously. You don't need to lose any more weight. Ignore weight. Strength train to gain muscle (you'll gain weight, BUT it will look better than being out of shape and weighing less), and stop starving yourself. :wink:
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    E-Z Curl Bar
    Workout Bench with adjustable back (alternative: premium stability ball)
    Chin-Up Bar (alternative: resistance bands)
    Supplements specifically developed for Body Beast:
    Shake is formulated to help maximize new muscle growth and reduce muscle breakdown—at the same time.*
    Fuel Shot kick-starts your recovery and accelerates muscle endurance, size, and strength.*
    M.A.X. Creatine gives you a blast of extra strength and muscle growth plus speeds up muscle recovery.*
    Super Suma helps amp up your body's own hormone production, muscle strength, size, and endurance.*

    No power rack? no squat rack? no standard bar?

    Yah no. but it sure does sell those supplements.

    Sounds legit

    sounds like a recipe for long term disaster
  • mcspiffy88
    mcspiffy88 Posts: 90 Member
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    At your current weight and height I seriously discourage you to loose more.

    I would in fact rather try and GAIN. As in muscle.

    That being said you need to create a caloric surplus + muscle training.

    Treadmill running is healthy alright for your cardiovascular system (and you should keep doing it) but remember to eat back what you loose on it. My advice hit the gym and start building muscle.
  • bookworm_847
    bookworm_847 Posts: 1,903 Member
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    Eat at maintenance and lift heavy. Don't worry about losing weight, worry about body composition and building muscle. That will get your where you want to be without starvation diets or being severely underweight.
    This. ^ Need more proof? Read These awesome threads:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1169184-don-t-lift-they-said-you-ll-look-like-a-man-they-said
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/977538-halp-heavy-lifting-made-me-supah-bulky
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1045433-women-lifting-heavy-with-pics
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/987513-lifting-is-the-most-horrible-thing-to-a-woman-since-twiggy

    Thanks for posting these. I was going to look them up & post, but you saved me time!

    OP, I agree with the others who have suggested focusing on body composition as opposed to losing more weight. I've been working on that the last few months after learning a lot about it on here. My original goal was to weigh what I did when I got married in 2007, but I weigh about 13 pounds more than that now and look & feel much better than I did then.

    Also, if you feel you have an unhealthy relationship with food due to your past efforts, it would probably be a good idea to go talk to a professional.

    Good luck to you!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    OP sounds like you need to do a recomp...at 105 pds you do not need to lose weight...here is what I would suggest.

    1. Figure out your maintenance level calories where you do not gain or lose and eat at this level.
    2. Pick up a copy of starting strength and new rules of lifting for woman.
    3. Once you have read these books..develop a program build around compound movements - squats, deadlifts, rows, overhead press, pull ups/chin ups, and bench press. Starting strength is a good one or 5x5 ...or you can build a program around the compound movements and lift heavy for you in the 6-10 rep range. Just make sure you have good form....As you progress make sure that you are increasing the weights on the bar.
    4. set your macros at 40p/30c/30f
    5. Once you have eaten at maintenance and developed said program do this for about 4-6 weeks..at the end of six weeks up your calories by about 100 a day and do a slight bulk....

    this is as about straight forward as it gets...

    don't get sucked into any BS fad diets, low carb, bla bla...

    I would also recommend following the 80/20 rule...80% healthy, 20% whatever you want - pizza, ice cream, cookies, etc...
  • GretaGirl8
    GretaGirl8 Posts: 274 Member
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    no judgment from me. but your weight is just fine for your height. understand that losing more weight will bring on some pretty nasty side effects (potential malnutrition, loss of energy, binge episodes, increased body and food obsession). Working on a more toned body is certainly understandable--but you need to maintain or increase weight to create muscle. (Note: this is coming from someone who has yet to tone, so I am no expert.)
  • merlinfan5
    merlinfan5 Posts: 9
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    Thank you everyone! This is really helpful.
    Also, I understand your concern for my health and I appreciate that, but weights are very much an individual based thing.
    I have a very petite frame. My wrists are very small (I've heard this is the way to determine body type/frame size?). I'd like to add that my post about eating all that chocolate and ice cream was me "confessing" my past bad choices, sort of like leaving it here and moving on. When the comment was made that I have a woman's body now, I'd like to point out that I gained 5 lbs in one month because of my unhealthy tactics. This is not a natural gain. Obviously I will not lose beyond when I am fit just to reach a number. But as I stated before, my weight at 105 is at a point when all of my muscles are gone :/ If I weighed 105 with a lot of lean muscle, we can assume I'd look very fit and i wouldn't want to lose weight either.
    Otherwise, the healthy eating should be great, as I love health food! It looks like I should do jogging a couple days a week and strength train on the others.
    Again, I appreciate all of your advice and concerns, and I'm glad to have a support system like this :)
  • awtume9
    awtume9 Posts: 423 Member
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    Chocolate diet? How do I sign up???
  • Stage14
    Stage14 Posts: 1,046 Member
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    Thank you everyone! This is really helpful.
    Also, I understand your concern for my health and I appreciate that, but weights are very much an individual based thing.
    I have a very petite frame. My wrists are very small (I've heard this is the way to determine body type/frame size?). I'd like to add that my post about eating all that chocolate and ice cream was me "confessing" my past bad choices, sort of like leaving it here and moving on. When the comment was made that I have a woman's body now, I'd like to point out that I gained 5 lbs in one month because of my unhealthy tactics. This is not a natural gain. Obviously I will not lose beyond when I am fit just to reach a number. But as I stated before, my weight at 105 is at a point when all of my muscles are gone :/ If I weighed 105 with a lot of lean muscle, we can assume I'd look very fit and i wouldn't want to lose weight either.
    Otherwise, the healthy eating should be great, as I love health food! It looks like I should do jogging a couple days a week and strength train on the others.
    Again, I appreciate all of your advice and concerns, and I'm glad to have a support system like this :)

    105 is at the very bottom of or under the healthy/normal end for a small frame at your height on most charts. Yes, weight is an individual thing to an extent, such as frame size, how it is carried, etc. But underweight is underweight and there is no medically sound source on the planet that would say you could lose 10lbs without being underweight.

    Chances are really good that with a lot of muscle and "looking very fit" you will weigh MORE than your current weight. Stop thinking that less weight equals less flabby because that is not a direct correlation, especially if you get into/under a healthy weight and still feel flabby.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    OP, you've gotten some pretty good advice here. EAT. Please do not try to lose weight at this moment. According you your first post here - it is more important, right now, for you to gain muscle.

    Read this - this sounds a bit like you, IMHO.

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • michail71
    michail71 Posts: 120 Member
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    Thank you everyone! This is really helpful.
    Also, I understand your concern for my health and I appreciate that, but weights are very much an individual based thing.
    I have a very petite frame. My wrists are very small (I've heard this is the way to determine body type/frame size?). I'd like to add that my post about eating all that chocolate and ice cream was me "confessing" my past bad choices, sort of like leaving it here and moving on. When the comment was made that I have a woman's body now, I'd like to point out that I gained 5 lbs in one month because of my unhealthy tactics. This is not a natural gain. Obviously I will not lose beyond when I am fit just to reach a number. But as I stated before, my weight at 105 is at a point when all of my muscles are gone :/ If I weighed 105 with a lot of lean muscle, we can assume I'd look very fit and i wouldn't want to lose weight either.
    Otherwise, the healthy eating should be great, as I love health food! It looks like I should do jogging a couple days a week and strength train on the others.
    Again, I appreciate all of your advice and concerns, and I'm glad to have a support system like this :)

    Don't be fooled by thinking your frame is too delicate. It does have some impact but I'd bet you are far from getting to your strength limits.

    I'd guess you may have fear and anxiety if you started eating what you should and strength train. But trust that it's really hard to get fat with dietary tracking and a good resistance training program.
  • Smashley1947
    Smashley1947 Posts: 129
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    Eat at maintenance and lift heavy. Don't worry about losing weight, worry about body composition and building muscle. That will get your where you want to be without starvation diets or being severely underweight.

    Agree,

    I also agree with meeting with a doctor, dietician and counselor.

    I does sound like you are trying to be smart about the body choices you are making.

    As you strength gain you actually may end up weighing more, but you will look much much better.
    Keep in mind that your body weight can fluctuate as much as +/- 5 lbs a month.
  • merlinfan5
    merlinfan5 Posts: 9
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    Ok, I have finals this week, but after they are over, I'll do either p90x or bodybeast. I would like to be strong, but my main goal is just to be lean and fit. Which program do you think would be best?

    Also, I'm going to try not counting calories. I was naturally skinny until I took a health class and worried about gaining weight, which is why I started counting calories. I was scared because people kept telling me "Oh, that's going to catch up to you one day and you're going to get fat." I was an impressionable freshman, I guess...
    I wish I could just undo that health class and all the emotional mess it caused.
    So, I'm going to go back to eating only when hungry and stopping when full. I'm just going to eat healthy foods.
    Thank you again.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    Ok, I have finals this week, but after they are over, I'll do either p90x or bodybeast. I would like to be strong, but my main goal is just to be lean and fit. Which program do you think would be best?

    Also, I'm going to try not counting calories. I was naturally skinny until I took a health class and worried about gaining weight, which is why I started counting calories. I was scared because people kept telling me "Oh, that's going to catch up to you one day and you're going to get fat." I was an impressionable freshman, I guess...
    I wish I could just undo that health class and all the emotional mess it caused.
    So, I'm going to go back to eating only when hungry and stopping when full. I'm just going to eat healthy foods.
    Thank you again.
    You can undo that class. People meant "one day" as in when you're 40 and sedentary!

    And gaining 5 lbs. is something most of us adult women can do within a day or two, just due to normal fluctuations of water and food. It's nothing to worry about. Just quit counting and listen to your body.

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