Hard for someone already at 115lbs to lose weight?
ellags
Posts: 5 Member
Hi
I have been struggling to notice any weight loss when eating the right amount of calories. I have heard it can be harder to lose weight when you don't weigh as much already but what can I do to combat this?
For reference, I am 5ft with hardly any muscle mass and have noticeably gained weight in the past few years so there is definitely weight to be lost.
My calorie aim is 1200 on fitness pal set at losing 1lb a week. I have checked this against TDEE and other online calorie calculators to make sure this number would work for me.
I have been struggling to notice any weight loss when eating the right amount of calories. I have heard it can be harder to lose weight when you don't weigh as much already but what can I do to combat this?
For reference, I am 5ft with hardly any muscle mass and have noticeably gained weight in the past few years so there is definitely weight to be lost.
My calorie aim is 1200 on fitness pal set at losing 1lb a week. I have checked this against TDEE and other online calorie calculators to make sure this number would work for me.
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Replies
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How long have you been struggling? Do you use a food scale to weigh your food? Do you exercise?1
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Weigh daily and use a weight trending app to track your trend when you have little to lose it can easily be hidden by natural bodily fluctuations2
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What weight trending app do you recommend?
I have been struggling for a month now not noticing a difference on the scale or in the mirror. I don't go to the gym but I exercise walking to uni and back 4 days a week which is 40 minutes total and just tend to walk a lot in general since I don't drive. I was told exercise isn't as important as diet when it comes to losing weight, do you think it would make a big difference?
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What weight trending app do you recommend?
I have been struggling for a month now not noticing a difference on the scale or in the mirror. I don't go to the gym but I exercise walking to uni and back 4 days a week which is 40 minutes total and just tend to walk a lot in general since I don't drive. I was told exercise isn't as important as diet when it comes to losing weight, do you think it would make a big difference?
Libra for Android, happy scale for iPhone I believe. Are you weighing ALL your food on a digital kitchen scale? No measuring, guessing, using cups etc condiments sauces, oils etc4 -
I track all condiments etc but sometimes don't measure things like veg if I use a quarter of the broccoli and on the packaging, it says it weighs 300g I divide it and work it out like that? Didn't want to be too strict with myself measuring things all the time but will do if it makes a difference4
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The thing is, you can really only expect to lose 0.5lbs per week "on average". When you take into consideration a woman's hormonal cycle and subsequent water weight fluctuations, you can be losing @ that 0.5lbs of fat per week but not see it on the scale for weeks at a time.
You are also aiming for the absolute bottom of the healthy weight range for your height, coming from an already median healthy weight, which is even more difficult. So you are going to need precision and patience, no matter what you do.
Have you considered trying to build some muscle? You may actually be happier with how you look at a slightly higher weight, which will make getting there and then maintaining there easier. Just something to think about!10 -
I track all condiments etc but sometimes don't measure things like veg if I use a quarter of the broccoli and on the packaging, it says it weighs 300g I divide it and work it out like that? Didn't want to be too strict with myself measuring things all the time but will do if it makes a difference
When you have little to lose you have to be super precise with everything you're eating. You said MFP gave you 1200cal to lose 1lb but 1lb may even be too much. You're looking at probably more like a 0.5lb loss which is a 250cal daily deficit which can easily be wiped out. If you don't have a food scale you might want to get one.5 -
According to the NHS the absolute bottom of my healthy weight for my age and height would be 86 pounds. I also look fat I can't describe it any other way people have actually told me I need to watch my weight and I'm not happy. I don't think gaining muscle on top of the fat I already had to make me look bigger would help me. Unless you think it is easier to lose weight whilst toning up as that is my ultimate goal? I just planned on losing fat first then gaining muscle.2
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According to the NHS the absolute bottom of my healthy weight for my age and height would be 86 pounds. I also look fat I can't describe it any other way people have actually told me I need to watch my weight and I'm not happy. I don't think gaining muscle on top of the fat I already had to make me look bigger would help me. Unless you think it is easier to lose weight whilst toning up as that is my ultimate goal? I just planned on losing fat first then gaining muscle.
I'm not familiar with the NHS range, the BMI range for 5' is 97-127. 86 seems really low, maybe it's just me.
Two people who are the same weight, but one is 30% BF and one is 20% BF, the one who is 20% will look smaller and tighter. The idea would be to lose a little weight, then recomp - where you eat your maintenance calories while strength training. Here's a thread if you're interested:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1
Ultimately, you have to decide what works best for you. I'm just concerned that you will continue having to struggle to maintain or keep yo-yoing trying to stick to that lower weight, but that's me and not you
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As someone who is 5’1 and lost from 130 to 105, maintaining at 100-105, I just want to re-emphasize what has been said above.
It is going to be slow, very slow. Expect losses of under 0.5lbs a week. (It took me 6+month to lose the last 10lbs.)
Accurate logging, using a digital food scale and the correct entries, helps tremendously. When the scale looks as though it isn’t moving, you know it is waterweight, and less likely to be intake errors.
As well as walking, do incorporate some kind of strength training, otherwise you will look like a smaller version of you. Strength training will help you retain, and strengthen, the muscle you have, and re-sculpt your body. Don’t wait until you reach your goal, do it now.
If you are short on time, equipment. Or have no gym access, look at Nerdfitness for bodyweight, Hasfit for beginner weights, or a host of other programmes on YouTube, including Pilates, and yoga.
If you add in exercise, eat back your exercise calories (that is the way MFP is designed). 1200 cals does not support an exercise routine.
I don’t have a problem with you wanting to reach a weight at the lower end of the BMI scale, I would just encourage you to do it intelligently, and realize that you can decide to maintain your weight at any time.
Cheers, h.10 -
According to the NHS the absolute bottom of my healthy weight for my age and height would be 86 pounds. I also look fat I can't describe it any other way people have actually told me I need to watch my weight and I'm not happy. I don't think gaining muscle on top of the fat I already had to make me look bigger would help me. Unless you think it is easier to lose weight whilst toning up as that is my ultimate goal? I just planned on losing fat first then gaining muscle.
I would give no thought at all to what "people" say about your weight unless those people are your doctors. People have opinions. Not all of those opinions are valid ones.
Since you're already in an optimal BMI range for your height, I would strongly recommend recomp rather than focusing on weight loss. Recomp involves following a structured strength training program to build muscle and reduce body fat, which make many people happier with their appearance.8 -
I would give no thought at all to what "people" say about your weight unless those people are your doctors. People have opinions. Not all of those opinions are valid ones.
Since you're already in an optimal BMI range for your height, I would strongly recommend recomp rather than focusing on weight loss. Recomp involves following a structured strength training program to build muscle and reduce body fat, which make many people happier with their appearance.
QFT especially if we take under consideration your potential age group based on the information you've given (uni).
If you feel you've recently "softened" losing weight without strength training is unlikely to change that "softer look" you are perceiving.
And yes it will be incredibly hard and time-consuming to change your weight giving your starting position well within the normal weight range.
And definitely, especially without strength training and even with, a goal of more than half a pound a week will probably be counterproductive.
Counterproductive without strength training because your risk unnecessary loss of lean mass. and counterproductive with strength training because you are under fueling your workouts.5 -
According to the NHS the absolute bottom of my healthy weight for my age and height would be 86 pounds. I also look fat I can't describe it any other way people have actually told me I need to watch my weight and I'm not happy. I don't think gaining muscle on top of the fat I already had to make me look bigger would help me. Unless you think it is easier to lose weight whilst toning up as that is my ultimate goal? I just planned on losing fat first then gaining muscle.
Start lifting now.
See how she looks fitter on the right, which is 18 pounds heavier than the picture in the middle?
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According to the NHS the absolute bottom of my healthy weight for my age and height would be 86 pounds.
According to the NHS BMI calculator here, the absolute bottom of your healthy weight range is 6 stone 10, which is 94 lb.
I don't know where you got the number 86 from, but it's definitely wrong.5 -
MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »I track all condiments etc but sometimes don't measure things like veg if I use a quarter of the broccoli and on the packaging, it says it weighs 300g I divide it and work it out like that? Didn't want to be too strict with myself measuring things all the time but will do if it makes a difference
When you have little to lose you have to be super precise with everything you're eating. You said MFP gave you 1200cal to lose 1lb but 1lb may even be too much. You're looking at probably more like a 0.5lb loss which is a 250cal daily deficit which can easily be wiped out. If you don't have a food scale you might want to get one.
^^^^this1 -
According to the NHS the absolute bottom of my healthy weight for my age and height would be 86 pounds.
According to the NHS BMI calculator here, the absolute bottom of your healthy weight range is 6 stone 10, which is 94 lb.
I don't know where you got the number 86 from, but it's definitely wrong.
Maybe they are using the "children's BMI" calculation. 86 pounds seems to be the start of the green area for her height. They would have to be at the oldest 17 to use that measurement on that calculator though.5
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