Losing hope, healthy weight but still look chubby

concetta1123
concetta1123 Posts: 28 Member
edited November 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I've lost about 50lbs total over the year. I currently am 5'3 and 125lbs. I'm still losing weight but I'm also very discouraged. I thought I'd look more lean by now, yet I still have pouches of fat around my body that aren't very flattering. I don't know where to go from here, I feel like no matter how much weight I lose, I'll never look trim or fit.

Anyone else experience this?

Replies

  • GlassAngyl
    GlassAngyl Posts: 478 Member
    I second Roxie. You are at your ideal weight.. the chubby needs toning now.
  • concetta1123
    concetta1123 Posts: 28 Member

    I don't do any strength training, but I was worried that it wouldn't benefit me, since I'm told that toning doesn't remove fat, and there is still some fat on my problem areas.
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Yes.. and for me this is called skinny fat! Do you do any strength training? I think you should reassess losing any more weight and consider recomp. Check out this link.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    eta: This link contains strength training programs

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

  • MsMaeFlowers
    MsMaeFlowers Posts: 261 Member
    This is where I am at. I am working on dropping down to 120, and then going to try to either recomp, or bulk and build muscles.

    You might be interested in recomping, basically eating at maintenance while weight lifting, and your body will slowly get rid of the remaining fat while building muscle. I've read it can take a while to see changes though, which is why I am choosing to drop the extra 5lb first.
  • melissaulmen
    melissaulmen Posts: 123 Member
    What exercise's do you currently do?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    concetta1123 wrote: »
    I don't do any strength training, but I was worried that it wouldn't benefit me, since I'm told that toning doesn't remove fat, and there is still some fat on my problem areas.
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Yes.. and for me this is called skinny fat! Do you do any strength training? I think you should reassess losing any more weight and consider recomp. Check out this link.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    eta: This link contains strength training programs

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    If you haven't yet, definitely check out the recomp thread that was linked to you. Recomp is specifically for burning fat while maintaining weight and changing the shape of your body. If you think that recomp won't burn fat then either you haven't looked into it enough or you're doing it wrong.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    concetta1123 wrote: »
    I don't do any strength training, but I was worried that it wouldn't benefit me, since I'm told that toning doesn't remove fat, and there is still some fat on my problem areas.
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    Yes.. and for me this is called skinny fat! Do you do any strength training? I think you should reassess losing any more weight and consider recomp. Check out this link.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    eta: This link contains strength training programs

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Strength training is very beneficial while you are losing weight as it will help preserve the muscle you have as you lose.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    In addition to what everyone else said, you are never going to remove all the fat from your body, nor should you want to!
  • concetta1123
    concetta1123 Posts: 28 Member
    edited September 2017
    I took a look at the body recomp thread and it seems like a good thing for me currently. I suffer from a rare illness and sometimes eating is difficult, I actually lost 15lbs over the summer from not being able to eat, even though I rarely worked out. Thankfully I'm doing better now, but even so, I don't think I'd be able to 'bulk'. I'm glad recomp doesn't require that!

    When I did workout, I used to only do the elliptical throughout the week. I never was consistent with lifting.

    Does anyone know lifting programs that can be done from home? Due to my illness, leaving home has been hard lately. One day, I'll get to that point, but for now, I'm somewhat home bound!
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    there are online videos you can stream from youtube - I like fitnessblender - they have a whole range of stuff; if you want bodyweight work - you could look at convict conditioning
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    +1 on people talking about body recomposition. That said, I personally like my body best when my BMI is 19.5-19.9, which, for you, would be 110-112 lbs. It's personal preference. I also was lifting, so I also had that going for me.

    Another factor--- some of what you may be calling fat could be loose skin. Some of that will bounce back a little on its own, in time. When I lost 72 lbs in 14 months I had some areas that I later lost inches from without changing my weight or lifting. Yay skin!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited September 2017
    concetta1123 wrote: »
    I've lost about 50lbs total over the year. I currently am 5'3 and 125lbs. I'm still losing weight but I'm also very discouraged. I thought I'd look more lean by now, yet I still have pouches of fat around my body that aren't very flattering. I don't know where to go from here, I feel like no matter how much weight I lose, I'll never look trim or fit.

    Anyone else experience this?

    Losing weight doesn't make someone look fit...exercising to include resistance training is what makes people look fit.
    I don't do any strength training, but I was worried that it wouldn't benefit me, since I'm told that toning doesn't remove fat, and there is still some fat on my problem areas.

    Bummer...yeah, it doesn't remove fat...your calorie deficit does that...but resistance training preserves muscle so that as you cut the fat you start to get that "toned" look...you get be "toned" without muscle. When you diet, you lose both muscle and fat...in the absence of resistance training and adequate protein, you lose more muscle than you otherwise would...

    Time to start eating maintenance and get on an established lifting program...don't willy nilly do your own thing...start a proper program.
  • melissaulmen
    melissaulmen Posts: 123 Member
    See what you like on YouTube. I like Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30. It is a 4 week program.
    I would suggest doing the week program for only 2-3 days out of the week, instead of the 5 days per week.
    On the off days I do ab exercises.
    Check out Tone It Up, they have a lot of videos as well.
  • luckywizard
    luckywizard Posts: 71 Member
    Hi Concetta,

    As you build lean mass (muscles!) your newfound muscles will burn more calories than your previously smaller, less efficient muscles, so strength training is a fantastic way to increase your metabolism. If you have hit a 'plateau' in your body fat loss and you are down to your last bits of non-essential bodyfat, then you will probably have to work harder to dial in your nutrition and start including resistance training and interval training. Those last percentage points of body fat can be a pain in the butt to lose!

    If you are new to strength training, joining a circuit training class could be a great way to learn in a safe environment if your instructor is good. I think going into a gym can be overwhelming if you don't really have a plan in mind (I still get overwhelmed when I show up without a plan!).

    Good luck to you!
  • sandy_taylor13
    sandy_taylor13 Posts: 194 Member
    concetta1123 wrote: »
    I took a look at the body recomp thread and it seems like a good thing for me currently. I suffer from a rare illness and sometimes eating is difficult, I actually lost 15lbs over the summer from not being able to eat, even though I rarely worked out. Thankfully I'm doing better now, but even so, I don't think I'd be able to 'bulk'. I'm glad recomp doesn't require that!

    When I did workout, I used to only do the elliptical throughout the week. I never was consistent with lifting.

    Does anyone know lifting programs that can be done from home? Due to my illness, leaving home has been hard lately. One day, I'll get to that point, but for now, I'm somewhat home bound!

    I do P90X at home. It is an awesome program and there are different variations to help. You can order videos on line.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    concetta1123 wrote: »
    I've lost about 50lbs total over the year. I currently am 5'3 and 125lbs. I'm still losing weight but I'm also very discouraged. I thought I'd look more lean by now, yet I still have pouches of fat around my body that aren't very flattering. I don't know where to go from here, I feel like no matter how much weight I lose, I'll never look trim or fit.

    Anyone else experience this?
    I've experienced this - in fact I am 5'3 and 125lbs and I lost about 50lbs in one year and I too thought I'd look more lean at this weight, but I do have fat pouches here and there.

    I have chosen to accept this. Some of the flab is loose skin. Some of it is perception - I tend to compare myself with the images of women that are all around us - apparantly healthy looking, but in fact underweight. Women are supposed to have subcutaneous fat, some padding on hips and thighs, our stomachs are more round than men's, and we have breasts. The way BMI is constructed may also create a slight skew towards us shorties "really" being "fatter" than we think, compared to taller individuals - at 125 pounds, someone 5'3 will have a BMI of 21.87 using the old formula, but 22.41 with the new formula.

    Then there is the question of whether I look fit or not. What if I am, and the problem is that I think I should look athletic? I have no ambitions of being an athlete, I dislike sports and hate competitions, but I enjoy being fit, strong and healthy. I also enjoy the lifestyle, the attitudes and routines that leads me to stay that way. Trying to pursue athleticism will make me lose motivation to continue what I am already doing, which is enough, for me, at this point in my life.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    If you want to "look trim and fit" you'll need to become "trim and fit" which includes exercise and especially strength training. Just because you don't look trim and fit today doesn't mean you "never will". You need to put in the work. I lost 150, have been maintaining 1 year, but "look" much better than a year ago because of workouts and strength training. Depending on your ideal of trim and fit it could take years. Not to sound discouraging, just realistic. It takes time and the best looking people have been working at it for a long long time.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    lorrpb wrote: »
    If you want to "look trim and fit" you'll need to become "trim and fit" which includes exercise and especially strength training. Just because you don't look trim and fit today doesn't mean you "never will". You need to put in the work. I lost 150, have been maintaining 1 year, but "look" much better than a year ago because of workouts and strength training. Depending on your ideal of trim and fit it could take years. Not to sound discouraging, just realistic. It takes time and the best looking people have been working at it for a long long time.

    I would also note that trim and fit people never stop working at it, either. Fitness requires maintenance just like weight loss.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    concetta1123 wrote: »
    I've lost about 50lbs total over the year. I currently am 5'3 and 125lbs. I'm still losing weight but I'm also very discouraged. I thought I'd look more lean by now, yet I still have pouches of fat around my body that aren't very flattering. I don't know where to go from here, I feel like no matter how much weight I lose, I'll never look trim or fit.

    Anyone else experience this?

    When we lose weight we lose fat+lean muscle. You can spare (some) muscle loss with strength training, a moderate deficit, and adequate protein.

    Recomposition is eating (almost) at maintenance and strength training. You will encourage more fat loss while preserving lean muscle.
  • Biker_SuzCO
    Biker_SuzCO Posts: 54 Member
    Congrats on your weight loss! I'm in the same boat! Lost about 20 pounds to get down to 125 (also 5'3'') in a year. I have consistently exercised (running and popsugar body weight exercises) and still look pretty flabby at this weight. I'm now focusing more on body weight exercises to tone up (insanity and popsugar fitness). Also going to slowly try to get down to 120. At some point I'm going to have to learn to love my bat wings and mommy belly because I don't think I want to commit to another year of counting calories or an insane exercise regime!
  • Johncalvinfields
    Johncalvinfields Posts: 179 Member
    Don't look at what you still wanting to lose, look at what' you have loss
  • Johncalvinfields
    Johncalvinfields Posts: 179 Member
    Progress is by taking actions , you are doing that
  • Rickster1967
    Rickster1967 Posts: 485 Member
    Resistance training is the key
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    Also remember that once you maintain for a while things will tighten up a bit.
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