Have I lost too much?

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Jenn3452
Jenn3452 Posts: 23 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hi my name is Jenn I have been using MFP for 5 months. I am 33 5'6 and weigh 161 lbs. I have lost a total of 45lbs since I started. Everyone keeps telling me I have lost too much weight. I have shed the fat and now my main concern is building muscle. I am however at 1200 calories per day which I always go over a little. My question is have I lost too much too quickly and what should I say to others as I tell them constantly that I have at least 10 lbs to go and they just start shaking their heads.... my goal weight is 145 but 150 is fine too.

Replies

  • rianneonamission
    rianneonamission Posts: 854 Member
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    Their comments are based on how they know you (and perhaps jealousy too). So to them yes, seeing you at 161lbs when you were topping 200lbs before must look like you've lost too much. HOWEVER:

    You haven't lost too much. My current goal is your current weight, and I'm 4" taller than you.

    Thing is: Whatever 'everyone' is thinking matters not one bit. You seem keen on building muscle and that is good, it shows that you are improving your general wellbeing, fitness, build and strength. Work on that, ignore the others. If they keep passing comment just retort that you are not willing to discuss your personal goals with them (or if like me you are a bit of a goady person then make it something along the lines of "I'm sorry, since when do you get to have a say/voice your opinion when it comes to my bodily autonomy?"). Basically, shut them down once and for all.

    And keep working, you are doing brilliantly!
  • aemsley05
    aemsley05 Posts: 151 Member
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    Hi Jenn. I know exactly how you feel - I've had people telling me not to lose any more weight since before I even reached a normal BMI! I'm 5'9" and am also aiming for around 145lb, so I don't think that's too low a goal for you. When people comment on the fact that I'm still losing weight, I explain the choice for my goal weight - it's the exact mid-point of the normal weight range for my height, so means I've got a decent protective buffer of "normal weight"-ness around me if my weight ever starts to creep up. I don't want to be in the overweight category ever again and this is a means I'm using to help avoid that. I have found that no one wants to keep talking about it once I start mentioning BMI and reasonable, logical things like that... The comments may come from a good place (your friends and family think you look fantastic as is) or it may come from jealousy over your success. In the end, it's only you who lives in your body so only you can and should make decisions about it as you're the one who has to live with them.

    It sounds like you have good fitness plans and goals - that's brilliant and I wish you all the best in achieving them!
  • TheMothership71
    TheMothership71 Posts: 29 Member
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    I have a lot more to lose but I feel this. When you start losing and it comes off in a timely manner (healthy) people started saying better be careful blah blah blah. In the states people's eating habit are AWFUL. Most people are over weight. They are sugar addicts and portions are ridiculous. So don't listen to the failing public. Do you...healthy, happy YOU! Congrats on your successful journey.
    Cheers!
  • Shawshankcan
    Shawshankcan Posts: 900 Member
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    End of the day, it only matters about how you feel. Find a spot where you are happy with you, but have a healthy mindset about it.

    Side note - somewhere along the line it became acceptable to tell someone they are too skinny or have lost too much weight. But if you tell someone it looks like they put on a few too many pounds, everyone loses their mind.
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,172 Member
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    Congrats on your weight loss progress! Continue on to your goal, it's your life.
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
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    45 lbs in 5 months was a little aggressive, and a 2 lb/week goal would be extremely aggressive now. It probably cost you some extra lean muscle mass, as *all* weight loss is a combination of fat & lean muscle and it skews more towards the lean muscle the deeper of a deficit you are in. It would have been better to pursue a less aggressive weekly goal and take steps to preserve your muscle mass to begin with. Now you've got your work cut out for you. Also, you can't build muscle as long as you are at 1200 calories.

    Your goals seem fine though.
  • CaptainHandsome
    CaptainHandsome Posts: 127 Member
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    You are my exact height and exact weight, and I have a penis. Generally, men usually weigh more than women when at similar heights. I get the same comments from the people in my life (I started at 211lbs back in December, was 161.9 as of this morning). I'm actually struggling a bit to maintain weight/build muscle right now. I think I like effing fantastic, but other people who aren't used to seeing you thin are going to think it's "too thin" simply because you look different.

    So no, you do you.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    People are used to seeing you larger. People are used to seeing the population as a whole larger. A whole lot of people have no clue what a healthy weight looks like. We live in a society where being over fat is the norm...
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
    edited July 2017
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    A while back my hubby went from 195 to about 160 (he's 5'9). It was awfully fast, as he is very active and was underestimating his maintenance calories. At first, it looked terrible to me, and others expressed concern for his well-being. Now I realize it was just my perception based on what I was used to seeing and that it's a perfectly healthy weight, and others are no longer alarmed by it either. But he never took offense to people's genuine concern.
  • Jenn3452
    Jenn3452 Posts: 23 Member
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    try2again wrote: »
    45 lbs in 5 months was a little aggressive, and a 2 lb/week goal would be extremely aggressive now. It probably cost you some extra lean muscle mass, as *all* weight loss is a combination of fat & lean muscle and it skews more towards the lean muscle the deeper of a deficit you are in. It would have been better to pursue a less aggressive weekly goal and take steps to preserve your muscle mass to begin with. Now you've got your work cut out for you. Also, you can't build muscle as long as you are at 1200 calories.

    Your goals seem fine though.

    What should I go up to build muscle?
  • try2again
    try2again Posts: 3,562 Member
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    I would prefer you get info on this from someone with more knowledge on the subject! Try this thread and maybe some of the more experienced bodybuilders can chime in. You may also want to do your own search in the forums... it was too much for me to take the time to sort through.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    Jenn3452 wrote: »
    try2again wrote: »
    45 lbs in 5 months was a little aggressive, and a 2 lb/week goal would be extremely aggressive now. It probably cost you some extra lean muscle mass, as *all* weight loss is a combination of fat & lean muscle and it skews more towards the lean muscle the deeper of a deficit you are in. It would have been better to pursue a less aggressive weekly goal and take steps to preserve your muscle mass to begin with. Now you've got your work cut out for you. Also, you can't build muscle as long as you are at 1200 calories.

    Your goals seem fine though.

    What should I go up to build muscle?

    You are not going to build anything but a bit of newbie gains lifting while you are still in a deficit. What you will do is increase your strength, preserve muscle and resculpt your body.

    If I were you, with so little left to lose, I would change my goal to .5 lbs a week, make sure I got .8-1 g of protein per lbs of ideal weight, again to preserve muscle, and eat back at least a portion of my exercise calories.

    Cheers, h.
    No expert :)
  • rianneonamission
    rianneonamission Posts: 854 Member
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    HI @Jenn3452! It's hard to give you a specific figure because it varies from person to person.

    @middlehaitch and @try2again have made some good suggestions. Agree in principle with the .5lb a week. My calories were set to a .5 loss and with the exercise levels I needed that extra amount (1700 cals). On that I was losing 1-1.5lbs a week anyway, but my muscle tone has really changed for the better.

    I would recommend you calculate your TDEE (many calculators online) and read up on Macros (and specifically how protein is important for muscle building). Then set your MFP targets to the calorie and macro targets you have set for yourself and away you go. There is so much info out there that a bit of reading across different sources will give you a pretty clear picture.

    And with regards to protein: Protein powders are fine to supplement your protein intake. I also find that high protein dairy (quark, Fage) are helpful sources of protein.
  • momofosho2015
    momofosho2015 Posts: 3 Member
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    Hi Jenn –
    Congratulations on your loss! I had family and friends tell me this same thing the last go around and it really hurt me with my progress and maintenance plan. I am at it again several years later and will not let them deter me this time! Set safe goals and check in your your primary care doc.

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