What am I doing wrong? Less than 16 lbs lost in 4 months (pics)
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girlviernes wrote: »
Bad idea, if you increase your calories we would expect a little bump up on the scale just due to having more food in your system and more water in your system. That does not negate that in order to be healthy it is ESSENTIAL that you eat more. 1200 is a bare minimum for that. There is NO WAY you will gain actual fat on 1200 kcals/day.
I also think that you are at a healthy weight and look good. How distressing are you finding your current shape? Is it keeping you from doing things in your life?
I'm thinking that my way of life doesn't require energy at all. As I have previously said, I spend 15 hours a day motionlessly at the desk, weekends included. So may it be that my body doesn't requite a lot of calories and bare minimum is quite enough?
Yeah, I don't find myself beautiful and I want to become better. It doesn't keep me from doing things, but I work with models all the time and can't stop myself from comparing)
Taking a guess at your height, but......
Your TDEE (what it takes to maintain your current weight at your current activity level) = 1600-1700 cals.
Your BMR (what would sustain you in a coma) = 1300-1400.
You should be a lot closer to 1500 cals than eating less than my 6 year old does.
What it sounds like to meat your goals is to throw the scale away, eat closer to maintenance, do some cardio if you like it and get on a solid lifting program. The scale can be a poor way to judge progress when you don't have much to lose, especially if you're looking for aesthetic changes. Trust the tape measure and the mirror.
This is good advice. If you do want that fitness and stronger look, you'll also need to be lifting and eating at least a small surplus so that you can gain muscle.
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Taking a guess at your height, but......
Your TDEE (what it takes to maintain your current weight at your current activity level) = 1600-1700 cals.
Your BMR (what would sustain you in a coma) = 1300-1400.
You should be a lot closer to 1500 cals than eating less than my 6 year old does.
What it sounds like to meat your goals is to throw the scale away, eat closer to maintenance, do some cardio if you like it and get on a solid lifting program. The scale can be a poor way to judge progress when you don't have much to lose, especially if you're looking for aesthetic changes. Trust the tape measure and the mirror.
I'm 5'4 if it helps. I will be trusting the tape measure more in the future, though that today's weighing really shocked me. I was expecting to see something like 56, as that is the way I feel. I was wrong and that made me sad(0 -
You don't have much to lose and you've been losing 1 lb a week. That's pretty good.0
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Thank you very much for the support!girlviernes wrote: »
Basically, it takes a lot of energy just to keep the body alive each day. So, for example, it takes a lot of energy to run your brain, your heart, etc. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of Calories you burn just by being alive (so if you were in a coma and in bed all day you would burn this much. For most of us, the MAJORITY of what we burn is just the day to day living, and exercise or being physically active only adds a small amount to that. Being young and 5'4" your BMR is certainly above 1200 kcals per day. That is why I say there is no way you will gain fat eating that amount.
I think you are going to have to work very hard to keep your head on straight given the industry you work in. It is very hard to keep ourselves from making comparisons, and you are in an industry that is also constantly judging bodies and even the models I'm sure often have tons of insecurities. I think it is super critical that you keep a list of things that matter to you in life and continue check in with yourself that you are making contributions in those areas (e.g., relationships, volunteer work, spirituality, health, adventure, education, finances, etc) and keep an eye on whether your focus on weight and shape ends up getting in the way of those things. I'm just a little bit concerned and you work in a tough industry! Good luck!
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Lose another 5 kg, why not. But take it easy, where's the fire?
So you'll lose weight a little slower at 1200-1300 calories, big deal. It's not a race. But start a progressive lifting program like Stronglifts 5x5, if you haven't already. You should minimize muscle loss while you are still losing weight. Plus a program like that would help you lose fat too. And you'll definitely get some muscle through noob gains, which are always fun. If this really is about health and fitness and not just the way you look, then you will realize that taking it a little slower is the right thing to do. You are possibly depriving your body of nutrients, and getting healthy, fit and muscular does not happen like that.
ETA: Also, body fat percentage > measuring tape > weighing scale
Good luck!0 -
Taking a guess at your height, but......
Your TDEE (what it takes to maintain your current weight at your current activity level) = 1600-1700 cals.
Your BMR (what would sustain you in a coma) = 1300-1400.
You should be a lot closer to 1500 cals than eating less than my 6 year old does.
What it sounds like to meat your goals is to throw the scale away, eat closer to maintenance, do some cardio if you like it and get on a solid lifting program. The scale can be a poor way to judge progress when you don't have much to lose, especially if you're looking for aesthetic changes. Trust the tape measure and the mirror.
I'm 5'4 if it helps. I will be trusting the tape measure more in the future, though that today's weighing really shocked me. I was expecting to see something like 56, as that is the way I feel. I was wrong and that made me sad(
That's a big problem. You are saying that you felt good about yourself and now that you have seen a number on your scale you don't feel good about yourself anymore. That, despite multiple people on this thread saying that you look great and clearly don't need to lose weight. That's disordered thinking.
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A pound a week is pretty much perfect weight loss for someone as small as you right now, it's actually rather speedy. In high school you hadn't finished puberty yet, you probably won't look the same even if you hit 115. I reached my high school weight as an adult and it wasn't the same at all.
But I totally understand wanting to change the way your body looks. You need to eat substantially more and at the same time get fitter. You say you want muscles but you won't get there at 900 calories a day. I think what you are looking for is "body recomposition" or recomp. I don't know anything about that since I've been obese and in weight loss only mode for years, but a lot of people around here do.0 -
Taking a guess at your height, but......
Your TDEE (what it takes to maintain your current weight at your current activity level) = 1600-1700 cals.
Your BMR (what would sustain you in a coma) = 1300-1400.
You should be a lot closer to 1500 cals than eating less than my 6 year old does.
What it sounds like to meat your goals is to throw the scale away, eat closer to maintenance, do some cardio if you like it and get on a solid lifting program. The scale can be a poor way to judge progress when you don't have much to lose, especially if you're looking for aesthetic changes. Trust the tape measure and the mirror.
I'm 5'4 if it helps. I will be trusting the tape measure more in the future, though that today's weighing really shocked me. I was expecting to see something like 56, as that is the way I feel. I was wrong and that made me sad(
Reading comp fail....
So you were upset you lost 9lbs instead of 18 in the passed 4 months....even though you felt like you did?0 -
GreenIceFloes wrote: »Lose another 5 kg, why not. But take it easy, where's the fire? So you'll lose weight a little slower at 1200-1300 calories, big deal. It's not a race. But start a progressive lifting program like Stronglifts 5x5, if you haven't already. You should minimize muscle loss while you are still losing weight. Plus a program like that would help you lose fat too. And you'll definitely get some muscle through noob gains, which are always fun. If this really is about health and fitness and not just the way you look, then you will realize that taking it a little slower is the right thing to do. You are possibly depriving your body of nutrients, and getting healthy, fit and muscular does not happen like that.
ETA: Also, body fat percentage > measuring tape > weighing scale
Good luck!
Yes, Professor! I'll look it up, the Stronglifts you say. Though I'm quite limited with my exercises as I have no access to the gym and work out at home.0 -
That's a big problem. You are saying that you felt good about yourself and now that you have seen a number on your scale you don't feel good about yourself anymore. That, despite multiple people on this thread saying that you look great and clearly don't need to lose weight. That's disordered thinking.
Well, I can't just switch my thinking, can I...
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If what you're doing isn't working for you then why are you so hesitant to try something new and give it a good 90 days?0
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galgenstrick wrote: »If what you're doing isn't working for you then why are you so hesitant to try something new and give it a good 90 days?
90 days? Why so much?0 -
BTW I would welcome anyone into my friends, so you can give me a virtual punch when I'm doing something wrong
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galgenstrick wrote: »If what you're doing isn't working for you then why are you so hesitant to try something new and give it a good 90 days?
90 days? Why so much?
Because our bodies don't always respond instantly to changes in routine.0 -
You said you felt good when you looked in the mirror, but then you were disappointed when you weighed yourself.. Why is the number on the scale more important than looking at yourself and liking what you see? Just because the number said something else than you thought, doesn't mean that you look any different.
I think you look great btw!
Since you still want to lose more though, good luck! You're doing great so far! 0 -
You said you felt good when you looked in the mirror, but then you were disappointed when you weighed yourself.. Why is the number on the scale more important than looking at yourself and liking what you see? Just because the number said something else than you thought, doesn't mean that you look any different.
I think you look great btw! Since you still want to lose more though, good luck! You're doing great so far!
Thank you! 0 -
Didn't you say you lost inches? That's wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more important than a number on the scale.0
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janejellyroll wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »
What are you afraid of?
Gaining more weight, of course(
A fear that you will gain weight if you eat more than 900 calories is a sign that something is wrong.
Yes. This. Perhaps it's not the scale that is the issue-have you thought about talking to a therapist? Have you considered you may need to speak to someone about anorexia? I don't mean it in a bad way by any means but speaking to a therapist is something I have considered even for my own relationship with food. I don't want to be "scared to eat". Consuming 900 calories is not healthy, nor is the fear, anxiety, control etc. It may not be now (anorexia) but can you recognize some of the patterns that may be following down that path? Hoping you find some comfort, and happy soon 0 -
I think you look like you've toned and put on muscle! You look great, and so close to your goal weight it is going to be slow. I don't think it seems like you're doing anything wrong.0
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