Big weight loss - when to stop?

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I'm aware my profile only says I lost 9lb - but this is because I started a new profile when my phone went crazy, logged me out of auto-login and I forgot my login details :explode: As you can see from my profile picture I was a big lad and last January I decided i wanted to lose weight and have lost around 6 stone since then. I was, and still am quite rigid with my food (I do have occasional treats in moderation I'm still human and only 19 :laugh: ) My question is - I still feel like I have some body fat left to lose around my lower stomach area but I don't know whether this is actually fat or just loose skin from such dramatic weight loss? I have some stretch marks unfortunately which i'm hoping will fade? I see them as maps of my progress but would much rather not have them as they make me very self conscious and stop me from fully enjoying myself (on holidays I even leave my shirt on). My family and friends say I look "skinny" but this is an illusion by my clothes i think. Should I carry on reducing calories or change what I eat? At the moment i typically eat oats with eggs for breakfast, a fruit smoothie made with frozen summer fruits and low fat greek yoghurt for lunch and some form of lean protein (usually chicken/fish) with veggies and sometimes a carb (sweet potato or rice if anything).

height: 5' 8.5"
weight: ~153 lbs
I do every other day HIIT on a treadmill 1:2 effort to rest ratio for about 20 minutes and try to do a fair bit of walking too if that helps

thank you! :smooched:

Replies

  • gotolam
    gotolam Posts: 262 Member
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    To get rid of the excess flabbiness, I think your best bet is to eat at maintenance (continue enjoying your treats), and start lifting weights. You're probably at the point now where you just need to re-comp your body.
  • loribethrice
    loribethrice Posts: 620 Member
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    Lifting weights will help tighten up your skin. I would just make sure that you are staying within the normal BMI limits on your weight loss. You don't want to get down to underweight.
  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,514 Member
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  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    To get rid of the excess flabbiness, I think your best bet is to eat at maintenance (continue enjoying your treats), and start lifting weights. You're probably at the point now where you just need to re-comp your body.

    this!

    given your stats you dont need to lose any more.
  • eplerd
    eplerd Posts: 91 Member
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    According to the NIH BMI Calculator

    http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/BMI/bmicalc.htm

    you are at a healthy BMI of 22.9 - I'd start doing some weight training to tone things up more....
    Then again I'm at a BMI of 38.5 so I've got a ways to go till I have personal experience to go by!

    Dave
  • connorsw95
    connorsw95 Posts: 15
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    I do some bodyweight compound exercises to try and tone up but I'm not as rigid with these as I guess I could be (definitely through lack of knowledge - so much conflicting information do this don't do that). I do squats, press ups, crunches, lunges. If I was somehow hoping to tone up through building some muscle, i fear this would be difficult because I always try to eat within a deficit in hopes that I'll lose more, I look at these slim, toned guys and their weight always seems to be around the 10 stone mark for my height. I have quite muscular legs because I have been using high incline on the treadmill for over a year and walk almost everywhere. On my body you can see my ribs, so much so that if i breathe in i look unhealthily thin but still i have wobbly bits around my lower stomach and really want it gone because after so much hard work i want to feel comfortable in my skin and go swimming with my little brother and sunbathe on holiday and I just dont have the confidence to do that yet because my stomach isnt flat:cry:
  • connorsw95
    connorsw95 Posts: 15
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    I've sent this guy a friend request and a message. So jealous of him managing to avoid the stretch marks and flabbiness! haha