When is it too much?

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girlonfire190
girlonfire190 Posts: 2
edited February 2015 in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hello! I finally made my goal weight, which I didn't really think possible, but ever since then I've found myself still wanting to lose weight in order to get the six pack I've always wanted. However I feel that if I lose any more than I will be underweight.. And I don't want to run into health problems associated with that. I don't know what to do. I'm very close to achieving the 'perfect body' but I don't want to do it if it puts my health at risk. At the same time I don't know how to stop. There's a guilty feeling of eating sweets no matter how small and I don't know how to stop it. Is there any way to cope with this?

Replies

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    Well done on reaching goal - now it's time to work on body composition to get that six pack. ..try circuit training and strength training, both excellent for tightening everything up.
    Forget about trying to lose more weight if it would leave you too thin.
    Up your calories by 100 a week til your at recommended maintenence cals.

    Wishing you every success on achieving your perfect body ☺
  • Sydking
    Sydking Posts: 317 Member
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    You going to have to Squat and deadlift your *kitten* off if you want a 6 pack, and be low BF% too.

    Otherwise they will only show when your really skinny and lean, which is pointless unless your going for that gaunt/sick look

  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    Congratulations! A good healthy wonderful attractive weight won't get you six pack abs. To do that you need an extremely low body fat and work like a dog. I've got two tall skinny muscular kids (young adults) with BMIs of 18. They are as thin as those Abercombie & Fitch models. But only one had obvious abs, and that was when he did situps every day and worked on a farm. When he went into the Peace Corp he came back so thin I could see the bones in his nose but he didn't have obvious abs because he'd given up situps. (Great shoulder muscles though from carrying water.)

    Guys who look like that are paid to look like that - it's their full time job. Or they aren't paid and they make it a serious hobby.

    You need to make a decision about where to put your time. I think it's really easy when you hit your goal to think you should go further and lose more. But your true goal may be to maintain a healthy weight over a lifetime. Or it may be to lift and look fantastic. But for a while, why don't you try maintaining and learn more about the way you want to move forward with your long term fitness goals?

    Just my two cents.

    And congratulations!
  • mirrim52
    mirrim52 Posts: 763 Member
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    For a woman to have 6-pack abs, it will take a lot of work. It isn't impossible, but it takes dedication. It isn't just losing weight, you will need to build muscle which you won't do much of in a deficit. You won't get a 6-pack being underweight, as you will need to build a lot of muscle to get there. You will likely weigh more, but look fit.

    Personally, I would enjoy your weight loss for a while and work your way up to maintenance. See how you feel and decide whether you want to put the work in to get that 6-pack, or are comfortable at your initial goal weight. Give yourself a break before starting your next journey.
  • Spiderkeys
    Spiderkeys Posts: 338 Member
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    When I reached my goal weight I was thrilled, then came the massive weight flucations that go with maintaince, it was annoying me, so I decided to slowly a dozen more pounds, so I'm always at least just below my goal instead of at my goal.

    I believe being too thin causes miserabley, irriaitibly and depression, if you think you been like that lately more often than normal, then your probably close to it.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Spiderkeys wrote: »
    When I reached my goal weight I was thrilled, then came the massive weight flucations that go with maintaince, it was annoying me, so I decided to slowly a dozen more pounds, so I'm always at least just below my goal instead of at my goal.

    I believe being too thin causes miserabley, irriaitibly and depression, if you think you been like that lately more often than normal, then your probably close to it.

    not everyone has massive fluctuations in maintenance.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Hello! I finally made my goal weight, which I didn't really think possible, but ever since then I've found myself still wanting to lose weight in order to get the six pack I've always wanted. However I feel that if I lose any more than I will be underweight.. And I don't want to run into health problems associated with that. I don't know what to do. I'm very close to achieving the 'perfect body' but I don't want to do it if it puts my health at risk. At the same time I don't know how to stop. There's a guilty feeling of eating sweets no matter how small and I don't know how to stop it. Is there any way to cope with this?

    giving your stats would probably help, but it sounds like it may well be that you dont have the muscle mass to have a 6 pack.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    A "perfect body" should be as much about health as aesthetics and this attitude isn’t healthy:
    “At the same time I don't know how to stop. There's a guilty feeling of eating sweets no matter how small and I don't know how to stop it. Is there any way to cope with this?”

    Really suggest you spend a few months at maintenance until your mind has caught up with your weightloss. You should be feeling a sense of achievement from getting to goal and not feeling guilty about eating.
  • Treadmillmom1st
    Treadmillmom1st Posts: 579 Member
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    I was similiar. I reached my goal weight and like you was so effective at it I thought lets loose another 5 pounds, good lawd, what I saw in the mirror was horrying, I could not believe the difference 5 pounds could make, I looked emaciated and couldn't wait to gain those 5 pounds back. I've been maintaining for 2 years now and alternate my days between cardio and strength. I'm actually 5 pounds heavier than my original goal but my body has never looked better, healthy, strong, defined, toned and only today after my morning run my 9 year old said, '...mom you've got a six pack showing...', I was elated. It's not all in the scales!
  • girlonfire190
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    Thanks everyone! All of this feedback and helped a lot, I really appreciate it :)