Harder to lose lbs when you're starting from a "healthy" wei

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paigelo
paigelo Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
Is it harder to lose weight if you're within a healthy weight/bmi zone for your height? No matter what I try, I've always found it incredibly difficult to lose even 2 pounds and want to know if there is a reason for this...

Replies

  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
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    I really don't know for sure, but why do you want to lose weight if you are at a healthy place? Maybe that is where your body wants to be?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Yes, the more you are overweight the easier it is to lose. If you really are not overweight at all but just want to be thinner, then you'll have to work pretty hard at it.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    Yes. Our bodies do not like to give up their last fat stores. It's a survival mechanism. It'll even use muscle instead of fat for energy. You have to go slow, have small calorie deficits, eat plenty of protein, and weight training helps too. And most importantly you have to be patient.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    Ugh for me too! For the last 20 years I've been either a few pounds under or over 140. I would LOVE to get in down to 135 and KEEP it there!!!
  • dclamb
    dclamb Posts: 7
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    Absolutely, it's harder. The previous poster is correct. That is where your body wants to be, and if you're at a healthy weight, why are you trying to lose to an unhealthy weight? If you simply want to tone up, turn flab to muscle by doing toning exercises. That will raise your muscle mass thereby raising your metabolism. You'll be thinner, yet weight the same, or maybe even more (since muscle weighs more than fat), yet your pants size will go down. Double win! :)
  • peacelily0507
    peacelily0507 Posts: 114
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    I'm with you...I am currently 2lbs below "healthy weight" but still feel squishy :/ so tried to keep losing....i HAVE been about 7 lbs less than I am but I guess its true though if you are at a "healthy weight" then chances are it's tone you want not so much weight loss...you are not alone :)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    i am 5ft5 and my startign weight (pre MFP) was 147lbs, which was in a healthy range i think, but i have managed to lose 18lbs so it is doable.

    one of my favourite quotes:

    whether you think you can, or you think you cannot, you are right.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I'm with you...I am currently 2lbs below "healthy weight" but still feel squishy :/ so tried to keep losing....i HAVE been about 7 lbs less than I am but I guess its true though if you are at a "healthy weight" then chances are it's tone you want not so much weight loss...you are not alone :)

    strength training, strength training, strength training, strength training.....
  • fatty_to_fitty
    fatty_to_fitty Posts: 544 Member
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    I think the closer you are to goal weight the more you need to focus on muscle development fitness and strength. A healthy body processes food better and copes with exercise better.

    Don't focus on tha scales find mfp's who are on the same journey. That's what I did and its been great support.
  • rainbowyeager
    rainbowyeager Posts: 22 Member
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    Ugh! I feel ya! i look my best at 115, but always edge up to 125-130. I just want my skinny jeans to fit but my body likes to be difficult. Its a slow road to our goal weight because we arent too far off. The last 5 pounds are the absolute worst, especially because we naturally want to reward ourselves for being close with food treats. Once I feel like I look good my motivation for weight loss diminishes.
  • EmCarroll1990
    EmCarroll1990 Posts: 2,849 Member
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    That's what I'm finding, but you have got to stick with it.
  • paigelo
    paigelo Posts: 2
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    Thanks for the replies everyone!

    I'm not trying to be totally unhealthy here, I just like how my body looks with less weight on it and am trying to get down to the low end of what would be considered healthy for my height (i'm 5'8 140lbs right now)

    I guess I will have to concentrate more on weights and strength training than calorie counting/cardio!
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    Dieting and cardio gets your to your goal weight.


    Weight training makes you look good naked.
  • Slove009
    Slove009 Posts: 364 Member
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    It is. I was at the higher end of "healthy" weight when I started. Since November 2011 I've lost just over 8lbs. I'm ok with losing slow because slow weight loss is more permanent. Just eat right, drink your water, make sure you mix up your workouts every couple of weeks and stay within your calories and you'll see the scale go in the right direction. "Healthy weight" isn't always "Comfort weight"
  • peacelily0507
    peacelily0507 Posts: 114
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    i am 5ft5 and my startign weight (pre MFP) was 147lbs, which was in a healthy range i think, but i have managed to lose 18lbs so it is doable.

    one of my favourite quotes:

    whether you think you can, or you think you cannot, you are right.


    I am 5'4" and 118lbs (healthy weight for my height starts at 120) I HAVE been down to 110lbs last spring so it IS possible (but I was also nursing at the time and had to cut out dairy entirely...my daughter had an intolerance) so that definitely did it there...my main goal is to be tone so if that means the scale stays the same or it goes down...I'll be happy as long as I'm tone :)
  • cekeys
    cekeys Posts: 397 Member
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    I believe percentage of weight loss is a factor in this as well.

    Using "Biggest Loser" as an example, it's common to see the largest weight loss in the beginning of the show, even though they're working out harder & longer in the later parts of the show.

    2 lbs on a 100 lb person is 2% of total body weight which is a significant loss amount, whereas 2 lbs on a 200 lb person is only 1% and is easier to drop.

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