Arrrrrrrggg!!
555_FILK
Posts: 86 Member
So I've lost 20 pounds but the last 10 or so won't budge. Typical, I know. But I can't figure out exactly which situation I'm in.
I don't think I'm over-eating, because I'm finding myself very hungry, very often, and I'm waking up hungry overnight.
But if I'm under-eating, why isn't any weight coming off?
I'm doing 5x5 training 3 times a week (and the days after the workouts are when I'm the hungriest). I'm trying to concede and feed myself when I'm hungry, but that is not going to help the weight loss.
Maybe I have less fat to lose than I think - I'm very skinny except for my waistline, but it looks to me like I've easily got 10 pounds of blubber there. Granted I'm only 145lb (5'7 male), but I've always had very little muscle mass ("skinny fat"?)
I guess I am inadvertently falling into a re-comp, which I don't want to do because trying to lose 10 pounds during a re-comp will take an eternity. But my body seems to be giving me no choice.
Arrrggg!!
I don't think I'm over-eating, because I'm finding myself very hungry, very often, and I'm waking up hungry overnight.
But if I'm under-eating, why isn't any weight coming off?
I'm doing 5x5 training 3 times a week (and the days after the workouts are when I'm the hungriest). I'm trying to concede and feed myself when I'm hungry, but that is not going to help the weight loss.
Maybe I have less fat to lose than I think - I'm very skinny except for my waistline, but it looks to me like I've easily got 10 pounds of blubber there. Granted I'm only 145lb (5'7 male), but I've always had very little muscle mass ("skinny fat"?)
I guess I am inadvertently falling into a re-comp, which I don't want to do because trying to lose 10 pounds during a re-comp will take an eternity. But my body seems to be giving me no choice.
Arrrggg!!
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Replies
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Could you make your diary public? Otherwise you'll just get generic questions and answers.
Usually when this happens, it comes down to incomplete/inaccurate food logging. Especially if you're not using a food scale to weigh everything you eat.0 -
But in a recomp you DON'T try to lose 10 lbs. You try to stay the same weight, gaining a little muscle and losing a little fat.
Can you post a pic?0 -
Here's the link to make your diary public, in case you didn't know
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings0 -
I'm doing 5x5 training 3 times a week (and the days after the workouts are when I'm the hungriest). I'm trying to concede and feed myself when I'm hungry, but that is not going to help the weight loss.
What about upping your calories on those days and looking at a weekly deficit?0 -
christine thanks - I'm not logging here unfortunately. By my count I'm eating between 1700-1800 calories per day. Supposedly my TDEE is somewhere between 2000 and 2200. If you are suggesting I might be eating more than I think, that could be true, but the hunger I'm feeling is more than just a nagging discomfort. I really feel like my body's telling me it needs food.
arditarose - true, and actually I'd love to put on muscle and burn the fat; I couldn't care less what the scale says. I guess I'm saying that I'm trying to cut, but if it's not working, I might have to switch to a re-comp. But re-comping doesn't seem to be very well liked around here (and I understand why). Maybe I'll try to post a pic if I'm brave enough.
tomatoey - Yep that's what I'm trying lately. Thanks.0 -
Going to 135 would put you almost out of the healthy weight for your height.
And there's nothing wrong with a recomp. I'm doing one. Yes. They're frustrating.
Post a pic only if you want. It could be helpful though. I imagine you might not really want to drop to 135...I mean...that's about my weight.0 -
Maybe I'll be lucky and just 5 pounds off the tummy will make all the difference. I agree 135 seems low - my original target was 145, which is where I'm at, but I can see there's still more to go. I have very skinny arms and legs, so, that's why the overall weight is on the low side.
My waist measures 38" fully relaxed and 34" sucked in. At 67" tall, isn't the rule of thumb that I should have a 33" waist, at the most?
And good luck with your recomp!!0 -
Maybe I'll be lucky and just 5 pounds off the tummy will make all the difference. I agree 135 seems low - my original target was 145, which is where I'm at, but I can see there's still more to go. I have very skinny arms and legs, so, that's why the overall weight is on the low side.
My waist measures 38" fully relaxed and 34" sucked in. At 67" tall, isn't the rule of thumb that I should have a 33" waist, at the most?
And good luck with your recomp!!
I'm not sure what the rule of thumb is about waist measurements. Have you read both the recomp thread and the "so you want a nice stomach?" thread?0 -
Sounds like your body is telling you it's time to recomp for a while. It takes patience, but you are more likely to get the results you want that way. You are at your goal weight, right? Just not your goal composition?0
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arditarose - Yep! But it's been a while, so I'll read them again. They're excellent. Thanks.0
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Sounds like your body is telling you it's time to recomp for a while. It takes patience, but you are more likely to get the results you want that way. You are at your goal weight, right? Just not your goal composition?
Yes, it's the composition that's the problem. I need to add lean body mass and burn off the belly. I'm willing to recomp if that's the way to go, I just feel like it it's too early for that every time I see my belly.
I do log everything I eat, I just do it on a spreadsheet rather than here. I understand it's easy to under-count, but I can't imagine trying to eat less, given the hunger I'm having.0 -
Sounds like your body is telling you it's time to recomp for a while. It takes patience, but you are more likely to get the results you want that way. You are at your goal weight, right? Just not your goal composition?
Yes, it's the composition that's the problem. I need to add lean body mass and burn off the belly. I'm willing to recomp if that's the way to go, I just feel like it it's too early for that every time I see my belly.
I do log everything I eat, I just do it on a spreadsheet rather than here. I understand it's easy to under-count, but I can't imagine trying to eat less, given the hunger I'm having.
Does this feel at all sustainable to you? Eat 2000 or 2200, at least. That's my maintenance for 135 lbs, and I'm a lightly active 5'7 woman.
Even a LITTLE bit of resistance is going to give you a little pump that might help you get through these next few months, vanity wise. And the more muscle you have, the more your belly will burn at rest. Think of it that way. And because you're a man, it'll be faster for you.0 -
Are you getting enough fiber? It can help with feeling sated. Protein and fat, too0
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Does this feel at all sustainable to you? Eat 2000 or 2200, at least. That's my maintenance for 135 lbs, and I'm a lightly active 5'7 woman.
Even a LITTLE bit of resistance is going to give you a little pump that might help you get through these next few months, vanity wise. And the more muscle you have, the more your belly will burn at rest. Think of it that way. And because you're a man, it'll be faster for you.
Well, all the TDEE calculators I've used say my TDEE is 2100 at the most, so I'm trying to go at least 10% below that. Previously when I dropped 20 lbs, that TDEE and my calorie counting seemed accurate, as I was losing 1 lb per week, as aimed for. But now the math seems to have stopped working.Protranser wrote: »Are you getting enough fiber? It can help with feeling sated. Protein and fat, too
I'm not counting fiber, but my guess would be no, I'm probably not getting enough (but the protein and fat macros seem to be fine). I can certainly try to satiate myself better, but if my body wants food this badly, I don't want to ignore it. I don't want to get malnourished if I'm underestimating my TDEE.
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Well, all the TDEE calculators I've used say my TDEE is 2100 at the most, so I'm trying to go at least 10% below that. Previously when I dropped 20 lbs, that TDEE and my calorie counting seemed accurate, as I was losing 1 lb per week, as aimed for. But now the math seems to have stopped working.
I'm not counting fiber, but my guess would be no, I'm probably not getting enough (but the protein and fat macros seem to be fine). I can certainly try to satiate myself better, but if my body wants food this badly, I don't want to ignore it. I don't want to get malnourished if I'm underestimating my TDEE.
If i understand you right, "the math is not working" means you're not losing weight? So you may be eating more calories than you think, and if you're not feeling full then you may need to change up some of your calorie sources to give you more fiber. Mfp suggests 38 grams a day as the goal, so perhaps this is something you may find helps you feel fuller while trying to work out your deficit0 -
Protranser wrote: »If i understand you right, "the math is not working" means you're not losing weight? So you may be eating more calories than you think, and if you're not feeling full then you may need to change up some of your calorie sources to give you more fiber. Mfp suggests 38 grams a day as the goal, so perhaps this is something you may find helps you feel fuller while trying to work out your deficit
Thanks, I'll try that. I've dropped a pound in the last month, but the issue is the hunger makes me think I have too much of a deficit. I didn't have this hunger when I was dropping a pound a week previously. The 5x5 workouts are probably a bit more intense than my previous weight lifting (and perhaps my muscles are holding water or glycogen, masking fat loss?)0 -
Thanks, I'll try that. I've dropped a pound in the last month, but the issue is the hunger makes me think I have too much of a deficit. I didn't have this hunger when I was dropping a pound a week previously. The 5x5 workouts are probably a bit more intense than my previous weight lifting (and perhaps my muscles are holding water or glycogen, masking fat loss?)
I don't know how glycogen works or how it's used etc so i can't offer much insight there :-( but not feeling full while on a deficit can be a recipe for disaster. Tip the odds in your favor and try to get at least 38 grams of fiber a day0 -
Here are some recent photos. It looks to me like there's at least 10 pounds to lose, and it's too soon to consider a recomp. Losing 10 pounds would get me to 135, which seems light for 5'7", but, fat is fat and it needs to go. Guessing at least 25% body fat pct?
First with clothing. This is what friends and family see when they say "why you are trying to weight? You're so skinny! Eat a sandwich! You're wasting away!"
Now here's the truth. First, tucked in:
Not so tucked in:
Tucked in:
Not so tucked in:
Skinny fat for sure, no?0 -
Sit ups and no beer drinking.
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misitaly1025 wrote: »Sit ups and no beer drinking.
I haven't done a sit up in over a year. And I drink beer. That's not what he needs.
I will remember to come back to this in the morning.0 -
OP I wouldn't say you're skinny fat. You just have a bit of a belly podge to lose. Keep eating at a deficit and exercising/weights, and you will get there.0
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misitaly1025 wrote: »Sit ups and no beer drinking.
Not big on sit ups, and I don't drink beer!christinev297 wrote: »OP I wouldn't say you're skinny fat. You just have a bit of a belly podge to lose. Keep eating at a deficit and exercising/weights, and you will get there.
Thanks, I'll keep at it. I just don't know how many more pounds I need to drop, and I'm worried I'll end up losing too much lbm along the way (I am doing weight training 3 times a week to try and help with that). I just never thought I'd have to go so far below my original goal. Am I going to need to reach an unhealthy weight in order to flatten the tummy?
By the way, I've seen some of your other posts and it sounds like you've been highly successful, both at losing and then maintaining - congrats! It's people like you that inspire the rest of us.
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