Should I Keep Losing Weight?

foreverblissful
foreverblissful Posts: 50 Member
edited October 2019 in Health and Weight Loss
I know the title seems a bit strange(and even concerning to some), but ever since I started my weight loss journey about a little under a year ago, I have since lost roughly 28lbs. I work out 3 times a week combining cardio and weight training. My problem is, I thought my stomach would have been obilterated by now, but it hasn't completely. I have a slight pudge now versus a full blown stomach(pictures of my stomach now are below). I am asking this because I have never been down by so much, and I don't want to compromise muscle gain for "psuedo weight loss(aka muscle loss)." I have been looking into body recomposition threads but my biggest concern is when do you start that? I am 142 at 5'3' right now, and I originally aimed for 140 as my adjusted weight goal after my original 150lb goal. I am ajusting my weight loss goal again to 135(I lose about 2lbs a week max). I estimated that I am currently around 25% body fat(not 100% sure but definetly under 30). Should I stop losing weight? Should I start converting to a body recomp diet(or at least get rid of my calorie deficit)? I really want to get rid of my remaining belly fat, and excess back fat, and I'm confused on how to do this because it doesn't seem to be happening as "soon" as I thought it would. It seems that people said towards the end of their weightloss journey you should focus more on body recomp, but only if you're low enough on fat. How do I know when? Thanks!

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Replies

  • Luke_rabbit
    Luke_rabbit Posts: 1,031 Member
    Also 5'3". I started at 142.5 lbs and lost a good bit of the stomach right away - also the last place I gained. Because I am older, I don't expect to get it back to the flat stomach I had about 7-10 years ago when I was under 125 lbs. But I am still planning to get to at least 125 lbs.

    I did strength training in the past but it doesn't seem like a sustainable activity for me. This time I am all about what I can actually commit to "forever" in an attempt to succeed at maintenance for the first time.
  • Unknown
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  • jujube24
    jujube24 Posts: 1 Member
    Firstly, congratulations for your weight loss!! And I’m about the same height as you are. For me I noticed my stomach became very defined once I went under the 130-135lb mark. And once I went below the 125lb mark, my stomach started to look more “cut” and was very flat. I think re-adjusting your weight loss goal is a good idea! And at your height, you could weigh between 117-140ish and still be considered “normal” so it’s a good wiggle room range. Good luck!!
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,093 Member
    edited October 2019
    tracybear86 wrote: »
    Agree with everyone above but I also think your posture in the picture is exaggerating your mid section. Look into Anterior Pelvic Tilt correction exercises.
    https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322684.php

    qdvkk0qe6kgg.png

    This is exactly what I was going to say (except I didn't have a picture to illustrate).

    ETA: Just wanted to say that the pelvic tilt is more obvious to me in the first of OP's pics. I'm not so sure about the second when I look at the hips, but the back still looks suggestive of an anterior tilt.
  • javamoaka
    javamoaka Posts: 19 Member
    Nice job on the weightloss. 142 at 5"3 is healthy so that is great! If your goal is to lose more weight in the stomach and back, dropping another 10-15 lbs would get you to what I'm assuming your goal is. Working out in general is a game of diminishing returns. Losing more weight may require adding an extra day in the gym or increasing the intensity of your workouts. Adding muscle increases your metabolism as well but is difficult to do in a caloric deficiet. Maybe take 10 weeks to focus on muscle gain rather that fat loss then try again at dropping that extra weight you're trying to lose. You're not going to add 10 lbs of muscle in 10 weeks so the scale shouldnt budge too much.
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,758 Member
    Most all women will always have a bit of "pouf" on their lower belly. I agree that part of itight be posture, but honestly, I don't really see extra stomach. You look great!
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,281 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    sollyn23l2 wrote: »
    Most all women will always have a bit of "pouf" on their lower belly. I agree that part of itight be posture, but honestly, I don't really see extra stomach. You look great!

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10689837/does-this-uterus-make-my-stomach-look-fat/p1

    ^Another nod to this. And while it's fine if you want to become stronger and work toward a lower number, I would caution you against 2 pounds/week. That is way too aggressive at this point. I'm working on 8-10 pounds at .5 pounds/week. It's incredibly hard to tell if I'm losing weight without seeing a trend. Even then, my female, premenopausal body can hide the trend for any number of reasons.
  • New_Heavens_Earth
    New_Heavens_Earth Posts: 610 Member
    At 5'3" and 137 I was almost there. I believe I could have been ok at 130. It definitely was not too skinny. Unfortunately disordered habits took over and I'm working my way down from my current 159.

    Good work! Btw there was a thread on the maintenance board about recompositioning (hope it's still there, lots of valuable information).
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,512 Member
    I am also 5'3" and I didn't get a flat tummy until I got under 130. At that point I had dropped my rate of loss to half a pound a week.

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