How far is far enough?

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DakotaKeogh
DakotaKeogh Posts: 693 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, so...

I started this thing ages ago and I was huge. HUGE. Starved day after day, happy to accept it as new life style. After all, I'm not a young guy anymore.

I now weigh less then I did when i was 20 and fit. But I know I've lost a bunch of muscle since then. And I can still grab a handful of gut. So, clearly there's more to go.

I work out like a beast. I'm tracking body fat % rather than a weight goal at this point. I think that's the right thing to do. But, even though I still have squish to lose, when I work out I can look at my arms, and there just behind my elbows, under my biceps, I can see my pulse. When I see myself in the mirror after I shower, just there, under my sternum, I can see my heart beating under my skin.

I don't know if I keep going, or if I've gone too far. I've never seen someone else's heartbeat. But, then again, I've never seen someone else pull themselves back away from so much fat. Maybe the heartbeat goes away when I strengthen my abs? But then, they're not exactly weak anymore either.

Just not sure what to do at this point.

Replies

  • ritajean3
    ritajean3 Posts: 306 Member
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    my advice from watching my male friend loose a stack of weight by dieting and a ton of muscle in that. Is this stop loosing weight and work on gaining muscle back. Work on strength and fitness more than anything loosing bf is just bound to happen when you are working out anyway.

    ALSO I suggest you go see a professional that is what my friend did and he found out for ever kg of fat he lost he was loosing something like 4kg of muscle.
  • cathdrew2
    cathdrew2 Posts: 136 Member
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    You didn't mention how fast you lost the weight. Loose skin sometimes takes a little while to catch up, which may be some of what you are grabbing. I agree with the focus on building muscle - it fills out that loose skin, burns fat, and just looks attractive. Without a combination of cardio, weights, and healthy diet, it is hard to keep the hard-won weight loss long term. All the best!
  • thoraldcat
    thoraldcat Posts: 1
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    You may want to focus on the macronutrients in your diet at this point. Are you getting enough protein to arrest muscle loss and hopefully gain some back? I've been mainly focused on body fat % since the start, and have structured my diet and exercise program around that goal. As a result I've managed to lose 36lbs of weight while gaining 4lbs of muscle.

    Specifically with regard to exercise.

    1) Remember that in daily (non-exercise) activity, your muscles have to work way less hard now, as they are not carrying around your excess body weight. This is particularly an issue with the lower body, so don't just focus on upper body exercise.
    2) You don't just get muscle mass from weight training. Anything that is resistance bearing will help. So cycling is great, swimming is great, but you don't see anywhere near the benefit from running. So you might want to consider switching up your cardio routine.

    Of course part of the issue may just be that your skin is not going to just "spring back" and show off the underlying muscle. So rather than worry about appearance (without clothes), just figure out what the right body fat percentage is for you, and shoot for that through your diet and exercise program. Good luck.
  • tjradd73
    tjradd73 Posts: 3,495 Member
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    My dear Brett...I knew we thought alike, but had no idea it was THIS close to the same?!

    The next bit is gonna be focused towards us both... I think that body fat% IS the way to go vs lbs. I think that you have lose skin that will NOT go away without surgery BUT may "filled in" with muscle from extra strength training. I think that you for sure should NOT go under your recommended BMI weight range. And I think that you should go to a MD for a complete workup to see what he thinks, plus possibly a trainer and dietician to see what they think.

    Don't be too concerned about you visible heart beat, but make sure that your BP is in a healthy range, and ask your MD about that when you go see him!

    How bout a challenge?! I challenge you to make an appointment with your normal MD for his medical opinion on your weight and health and a complete workup including bloodwork, within the next 4 weeks...and I will do the same for myself :) Do you accept?
  • DarMC
    DarMC Posts: 78 Member
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    Accept tjradds challenge.

    <~ Not an expert by far...but DMs are a great start with a full body exam!

    Love you, "MY ROCK!"

    And as you already know, my best wishes and prayers are with you; on your journey to better health!

    Xxooxx
  • IamRoJ
    IamRoJ Posts: 530 Member
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    I'm in complete agreement with Tara. I love that you are done counting lbs in favor of body fat but a doctor can tell you where you ought to be. (((hug)))

    Amazingly proud of you.

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