Losing Vanity Weight... HELP

sfaust2196 · December 2016

Hi everyone! My name is Stephanie, I am 20 years old, and over the past 18 months, I lost about 35 pounds. My lowest weight (in the morning, after using the bathroom) was 144.4 and I am 5'10". My measurements are 38, 26.5, 38 (I am a 32G bra size which just makes me look bigger) I want nothing more than to lose 5-10 more pounds but really feel stuck!!! Over the past four days, I gained two pounds and do not know why. I do not get my period so it is not that.
Every day, I eat about 1400-1600 calories and 30-40% of these come from lean proteins like chicken or nonfat greek yogurt. I cook all my food and know exactly what goes into it so know that these numbers are accurate.
I start my day with nonfat greek yogurt and kashi protein cereal, or with two eggs, salsa, and a slice of 45 calorie bread.
For lunch, I usually have a chicken breast greek yogurt sandwich on light bread, or a salad, or a piece of protein and veggies.
For dinner, I have a mix of a protein (salmon, chicken, black beans) with a carb (sweet potato, pumpkin ravioli) and LOTS of veggies (2+ cups).
There may be a 100 calorie snack or two in the mix as well, but I NEVER consume more than 1600 calories. I was doing 1200 for a while but was told it was too little for my height.

I also go to the gym at least 6x a week for at least an hour a day. I hate running so usually use the elliptical for about 45 minutes to 90 minutes and burn AT LEAST 450 calories according to my fitbit. Then, I do muscle training on the machines for 15 minutes.
I am a college student and am walking all day to class as well.

What else can I do?! Cut more calories? Suck it up and start running instead of using the elliptical? I am lost and confused and so upset about this 2 pound weight gain! I really want to be in the 130s before Christmas but now it looks like that won't happen considering I was 146 this morning and 148.8 tonight so will probably be around 146.5 tomorrow... I AM SO UPSET! PLEASE HELP! WHAT CAN I DO?!?!?! I AM ABOUT TO RESORT TO DIET PILLS WHICH WAS MY LAST OPTION... DO THEY WORK?!

tlflag1620 · December 2016

You are already well within the normal weight range for your height. The 2 lb gain is likely a normal fluctuation. Don't use diet pills. Christmas is less than two weeks away. It would not be healthy for someone with your stats to lose 4 lbs in two weeks.

Why is it so important to you to be in the 130's (it would still be a healthy weight for your height, but definitely bordering on the underweight side)? Are you actually unhappy with how you look, or are you just married to some arbitrary number? If you want to look leaner, I'd suggest a recomp. Spend less time on cardio, more time on strength training, and eat at or just above maintenance, to try to gain some muscle. That would change the way your look, without much change on the scale.

If it is obsession over being in the 130's... Well, that is purely psychological and beyond the scope of this forum.

mila_lova · December 2016

I've heard that when you start strength training your muscles retain water so the scale won't move, so that might be contributing.

sfaust2196 · December 2016

Thanks for the answer! I definitely just want to look smaller and thought being in the 130s would achieve that but if I could look skinnier in the 140s I would take it! What is a recomp? My maintenance is 2491 calories which I CANNOT eat, I would gain five pounds in a day and 10 pounds by the end of the week. I ate 1700 by accident last week because I forgot to add a snack and gained .8 pounds. What do you suggest as a calorie intake? If I cut back on cardio can I just keep doing 1500?
Thanks!!

Nikki10129 · December 2016

sfaust2196 wrote: »

Thanks for the answer! I definitely just want to look smaller and thought being in the 130s would achieve that but if I could look skinnier in the 140s I would take it! What is a recomp? My maintenance is 2491 calories which I CANNOT eat, I would gain five pounds in a day and 10 pounds by the end of the week. I ate 1700 by accident last week because I forgot to add a snack and gained .8 pounds. What do you suggest as a calorie intake? If I cut back on cardio can I just keep doing 1500?
Thanks!!

If you would gain weight at 2491 then it isn't your maintenance, that's something that takes some long term fiddling around with, .8 lbs isn't gaining weight, it's regular weight fluctuations, weight is not linear and is not a constant, you need to remember that, it is something that varies day to day and even hour to hour throughout the day. Body recomp is eating at your maintenance calories so that you maintain your average weight over time (please note, your weight will never remain the same day to day, the body just doesn't work like that) and then following some sort of progressive resistance program, generally involving lifting weights. It results in you building muscle while losing fat and therefore decreasing inches while maintaining weight.

ccsernica · December 2016

Recomp means recomposition. The idea is to add lean mass while losing fat. Your weight will stay the same, but you'll look much more lean. There should be lots of hints about how to do that on the maintenance board. I'm not making recommendations because I don't know what I'm doing with that.

Don't track your weight day-to-day in tenths of a pound. It's not meaningful. Normal weight fluctuation is much larger than that, based on water retention, unexcreted waste, food you're presently digesting, etc. If you're losing you expect to see a trend downward, not a constant drop every single time you weigh yourself.

Something may be wrong with how you computed your TDEE if you think your maintenance is over 2400 cal, unless you have a very active job. I'm a man just over 6' tall and 180 lbs, with a desk job, and my maintenance is only 2093 cal not counting exercise.

But even if that's a gross overestimate, it's impossible to gain 5 lbs of fat in a day by eating that amount of food. If you get a lot of sodium with your food you'll retain more water, and that can add to the number on the scale, but it goes away as soon as you flush out the excess sodium. 1 lb of fat is equivalent to 3500 calories. You'd have to eat over 5,000 calories just to add ONE lb of fat in a day. So unless you're chugging eggnog, that's not happening.

nowine4me · December 2016

Stephanie..... first, breathe. You are totally worked up for no good reason. First, you didn't gain 2 pounds of fat, it's just water and will drop back off within days. Second, breathe-- it sounds like you are totally on edge. Loosen the reins a little and enjoy the ride. No pills, no quick fixes--just keep doing what you're doing and you'll hit your goal. No need to run, or do anything you don't enjoy. This doesn't have to be torture if you're willing to be a little patient.

janetennet · December 2016

I agree, you need to relax. You are a healthy weight for your height, your need to lose the extra weight will be slower because of this. It is most probably water retention and will drop in a few days, on a side note; just because you do not get a period does not mean that your body does not go through the necessary changes and procedures including water retention.

misskarne · December 2016

sfaust2196 wrote: »

Thanks for the answer! I definitely just want to look smaller and thought being in the 130s would achieve that but if I could look skinnier in the 140s I would take it! What is a recomp? My maintenance is 2491 calories which I CANNOT eat, I would gain five pounds in a day and 10 pounds by the end of the week. I ate 1700 by accident last week because I forgot to add a snack and gained .8 pounds. What do you suggest as a calorie intake? If I cut back on cardio can I just keep doing 1500?
Thanks!!

This alarm anyone else, or just me?

You didn't "gain 0.8 pounds" (really? You're freaking out over 0.8 of a pound?) because you ate 1700. You had a little water weight fluctuation because you ate a little more than usual.

You would not "gain 5 pounds in a day and 10 pounds by the end of the week" if you ate at maintenance. You would probably have a few fluctuations, but maintenance is just that. MAINTENANCE. Now, yours may not be that exact number, but I doubt it's lower than 1700 either at your height.

psuLemon · December 2016

Kind of sounds like you need to take a diet break for a few weeks (for your mental sanity), and then come back with a small deficit or eating around maintenance and recomping and larger focus on weight training. And if you don't like cardio, you don't need to do it.

Since you are already at a low weight, I suspect a larger issue you have is body composition (aka, poor muscle mass) which could have been from aggressively cutting calories, low protein or inadequate resistance training. So personally, I would aim for around 140g of protein, follow a progressive overload lifting program, and eat around maintenance. BTW, if your maintenance is 2400 calories (talking actual, not theoretical/calculated), you would not gain fat if you ate that much. And for being young and 5'10, 2400 is not that unreasonable. The only weight you would gain (and it would be initially) would be from extra food waste and glycogen replenishment.

Also, diet pills wouldn't help you lose that last 10 lbs because the only ones that can, are illegal.

zorander6 · December 2016

I'm going to be blunt, you are going overboard, chill the ##@#%@#!3$! out. Do more muscle training but you are in the healthy range. This is not "make me look like model ###@#$@#%!#" but to be healthy. As the others said. Instead of worrying about minor variances (which will happen based on time of day, health, food you've eaten, water retention) and other factors. Slow down. If you want to get into the 130's you are probably going to have to set a .5lb goal as you are near what you want to target.

As for recomp you will "gain weight" doing so because you are converting fat to muscle. If you are exercising enough for your intake to be high then make sure you are eating half what you burn back. Back off the scale for a bit and chill out. If anyone has problems with your weight at this point it's their problem. If you want to lose a little more great, but don't make it into something that makes you miserable.

Ming1951 · December 2016

What they said. I weigh everyday, its quite normal for me to weigh 2 lbs more or less one day, then in a day or two its gone. I normally wait a week to see what my actual loss was, still knowing how the pounds fluctuate on me. I don't worry about it, I just keep plugging along. Relax

kenyonhaff · December 2016

sfaust2196 wrote: »

Hi everyone! My name is Stephanie, I am 20 years old, and over the past 18 months, I lost about 35 pounds. My lowest weight (in the morning, after using the bathroom) was 144.4 and I am 5'10". My measurements are 38, 26.5, 38 (I am a 32G bra size which just makes me look bigger) I want nothing more than to lose 5-10 more pounds but really feel stuck!!! Over the past four days, I gained two pounds and do not know why. I do not get my period so it is not that.
Every day, I eat about 1400-1600 calories and 30-40% of these come from lean proteins like chicken or nonfat greek yogurt. I cook all my food and know exactly what goes into it so know that these numbers are accurate.
I start my day with nonfat greek yogurt and kashi protein cereal, or with two eggs, salsa, and a slice of 45 calorie bread.
For lunch, I usually have a chicken breast greek yogurt sandwich on light bread, or a salad, or a piece of protein and veggies.
For dinner, I have a mix of a protein (salmon, chicken, black beans) with a carb (sweet potato, pumpkin ravioli) and LOTS of veggies (2+ cups).
There may be a 100 calorie snack or two in the mix as well, but I NEVER consume more than 1600 calories. I was doing 1200 for a while but was told it was too little for my height.

I also go to the gym at least 6x a week for at least an hour a day. I hate running so usually use the elliptical for about 45 minutes to 90 minutes and burn AT LEAST 450 calories according to my fitbit. Then, I do muscle training on the machines for 15 minutes.
I am a college student and am walking all day to class as well.

What else can I do?! Cut more calories? Suck it up and start running instead of using the elliptical? I am lost and confused and so upset about this 2 pound weight gain! I really want to be in the 130s before Christmas but now it looks like that won't happen considering I was 146 this morning and 148.8 tonight so will probably be around 146.5 tomorrow... I AM SO UPSET! PLEASE HELP! WHAT CAN I DO?!?!?! I AM ABOUT TO RESORT TO DIET PILLS WHICH WAS MY LAST OPTION... DO THEY WORK?!

I think you're trying to reach the ideal of the model at this point...you're going to drive yourself insane trying to "look like 130" when that's not really a thing. This is a body image problem, not a diet problem per se.

crzycatlady1 · December 2016

I can 'gain' 5lbs in a day and it has nothing to do with actual fat gains. Your weight will fluctuate day to day for all sorts of reasons -sodium intake /water retention, hormones, digestion timing, constipation, batteries on scale getting old, water retention from exercise etc etc.

xmichaelyx · December 2016

sfaust2196 wrote: »

My maintenance is 2491 calories

My maintenance is lower than that, and I'm a 6' tall, 180-pound guy.

Are you weighing all your food, or guesstimating portion sizes? Because if you were really eating what you claim to be eating, you'd absolutely be losing weight.

I think most people here are hung up on the fact that you're 20 and seem to be freaking out, which implies a potential eating disorder. There's nothing wrong with your weight loss goal (130s is fine for your height), you just need to do a better job of counting calories.

sfaust2196 · December 2016

Hi- thank you all so much for your help!
Maybe I do want to look like a model, or at least smaller, but for all of the hard work I do I don't think that's a bad thing! I know how to lose weight- I lost 35 pounds in the last year and a half. I'm not dumb. It just is harder now because my metabolism is messed up. I will try the recomp thing but really have no idea how. I already spend hours researching diet and recipe tips so I will just move those hours into the recomp instead. Thanks...

crzycatlady1 · December 2016

sfaust2196 wrote: »

Hi- thank you all so much for your help!
Maybe I do want to look like a model, or at least smaller, but for all of the hard work I do I don't think that's a bad thing! I know how to lose weight- I lost 35 pounds in the last year and a half. I'm not dumb. It just is harder now because my metabolism is messed up. I will try the recomp thing but really have no idea how. I already spend hours researching diet and recipe tips so I will just move those hours into the recomp instead. Thanks...

How is your metabolism messed up?

sfaust2196 · December 2016

xmichaelyx wrote: »

sfaust2196 wrote: »

My maintenance is 2491 calories

My maintenance is lower than that, and I'm a 6' tall, 180-pound guy.

Are you weighing all your food, or guesstimating portion sizes? Because if you were really eating what you claim to be eating, you'd absolutely be losing weight.

I think most people here are hung up on the fact that you're 20 and seem to be freaking out, which implies a potential eating disorder. There's nothing wrong with your weight loss goal (130s is fine for your height), you just need to do a better job of counting calories.

I just got my maintenance from putting my height, weight, and activity level on a website from google. I know it's not accurate as I would blow up on that!
I am ABSOLUTELY not eating more than I say I am eating. I measure everything and then round up further. My chicken may be off day to day, but I make one pound at a time so it definitely averages out over the course of the few days I eat the chicken. Everything else- sweet potatoes, rice, cereal, veggies- I measure with cups. Even yogurt I measure with measuring cups every morning- my roommates all think I'm crazy. But I want to make sure I can accurately log!
I'm not naive or making anything up. I really never ever eat over 1600 except in a case like last week where I made a mistake. I'm so frustrated and know it should not be this hard... my roommates eat like crap it's disgusting and many of them are thinner than me. It's so not fair for my age I should look great without trying this hard! It has consumed my life and I am still not happy.

crzycatlady1 · December 2016

sfaust2196 wrote: »

xmichaelyx wrote: »

sfaust2196 wrote: »

My maintenance is 2491 calories

My maintenance is lower than that, and I'm a 6' tall, 180-pound guy.

Are you weighing all your food, or guesstimating portion sizes? Because if you were really eating what you claim to be eating, you'd absolutely be losing weight.

I think most people here are hung up on the fact that you're 20 and seem to be freaking out, which implies a potential eating disorder. There's nothing wrong with your weight loss goal (130s is fine for your height), you just need to do a better job of counting calories.

I just got my maintenance from putting my height, weight, and activity level on a website from google. I know it's not accurate as I would blow up on that!
I am ABSOLUTELY not eating more than I say I am eating. I measure everything and then round up further. My chicken may be off day to day, but I make one pound at a time so it definitely averages out over the course of the few days I eat the chicken. Everything else- sweet potatoes, rice, cereal, veggies- I measure with cups. Even yogurt I measure with measuring cups every morning- my roommates all think I'm crazy. But I want to make sure I can accurately log!
I'm not naive or making anything up. I really never ever eat over 1600 except in a case like last week where I made a mistake. I'm so frustrated and know it should not be this hard... my roommates eat like crap it's disgusting and many of them are thinner than me. It's so not fair for my age I should look great without trying this hard! It has consumed my life and I am still not happy.

If you're using measuring cups you're not accurately weighing your food-use a food scale set to grams.

Nikki10129 · December 2016

sfaust2196 wrote: »

xmichaelyx wrote: »

sfaust2196 wrote: »

My maintenance is 2491 calories

My maintenance is lower than that, and I'm a 6' tall, 180-pound guy.

Are you weighing all your food, or guesstimating portion sizes? Because if you were really eating what you claim to be eating, you'd absolutely be losing weight.

I think most people here are hung up on the fact that you're 20 and seem to be freaking out, which implies a potential eating disorder. There's nothing wrong with your weight loss goal (130s is fine for your height), you just need to do a better job of counting calories.

I just got my maintenance from putting my height, weight, and activity level on a website from google. I know it's not accurate as I would blow up on that!
I am ABSOLUTELY not eating more than I say I am eating. I measure everything and then round up further. My chicken may be off day to day, but I make one pound at a time so it definitely averages out over the course of the few days I eat the chicken. Everything else- sweet potatoes, rice, cereal, veggies- I measure with cups. Even yogurt I measure with measuring cups every morning- my roommates all think I'm crazy. But I want to make sure I can accurately log!
I'm not naive or making anything up. I really never ever eat over 1600 except in a case like last week where I made a mistake. I'm so frustrated and know it should not be this hard... my roommates eat like crap it's disgusting and many of them are thinner than me. It's so not fair for my age I should look great without trying this hard! It has consumed my life and I am still not happy.

Just so you know, measuring solids in cups is definitely not an accurate way to measure, and especially with things like rice or cereal you might be surprised how off the measurements are. If you really want to be accurate you'll need a food scale. The cups may have worked before because you had more to lose, you have less to lose and less wiggle room for getting your daily calories wrong.

Now especially at 5'10", I still don't think those last 10 lbs are going to make the difference to your appearance you think they will and a body recomp is probably more what you're looking for. Don't worry about the lack of knowledge, everyone has to start at the beginning at one point or another. While you're researching and checking different lifting programs I would also trying to find that magic maintenance number.

leajas1 · December 2016

Hi Stephanie! Your metabolism isn't messed up unless you have some sort of thyroid disorder, I promise! If you feel the need to weight yourself every day (I do) then use an app like Happy Scale where you can follow your weight trend. It takes the stress out of figuring out the daily weight fluctuations. I love the app. Also, take a look at this article about "why the scale lies." Your period and fat gain aren't the only reasons you will see the number on the scale go up. As you said, you've got the skills, but I think you're putting too much pressure on getting things done in a short amount of time. Speaking from personal experience, once I took the time constraints off meeting my goals, I was a much happier person. I wish you the best of luck in reaching your goals.
http://www.healthdiscovery.net/articles/scale_lies.htm

Losing Vanity Weight... HELP

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