I think I've became "skinny-fat".
BodyPositive
Posts: 41
I look thin in clothes, my collar bones are visible, my arms are thin, but my bum sags, my belly pooch still remains and I feel as though I've lost muscle rather than fat.
Up until two weeks ago, I ate less than 1000 calories and done cardio at least 5 times a week. I've fallen off the wagon these past two weeks, probably due to the restriction I faced. In the time of 1000 calories maximum, I lost my appetite (metabolism probably slowed) so I ate less, and the lower I seen the calore intake, the more I would push to get lower. The number on the scale lowered too, so I foolishly continued. The short term satisfication of that little dial at a lower number, has quite frankly caused long term damage to my body.
Now, I'm 5 foot 6 and approximately 6 stone 11lbs.
I need to know where to go from here. I want to get muscle back and lose fat - it feels as though my stomach has gotten more flabby and untoned - but the healthy way. A way which will be manageable and healthy.
What should I do? The scales have gone, I'm now focusing on what I see in the mirror and by the measuring tape.
I feel so ashamed that I've allowed myself to get in this state.
Up until two weeks ago, I ate less than 1000 calories and done cardio at least 5 times a week. I've fallen off the wagon these past two weeks, probably due to the restriction I faced. In the time of 1000 calories maximum, I lost my appetite (metabolism probably slowed) so I ate less, and the lower I seen the calore intake, the more I would push to get lower. The number on the scale lowered too, so I foolishly continued. The short term satisfication of that little dial at a lower number, has quite frankly caused long term damage to my body.
Now, I'm 5 foot 6 and approximately 6 stone 11lbs.
I need to know where to go from here. I want to get muscle back and lose fat - it feels as though my stomach has gotten more flabby and untoned - but the healthy way. A way which will be manageable and healthy.
What should I do? The scales have gone, I'm now focusing on what I see in the mirror and by the measuring tape.
I feel so ashamed that I've allowed myself to get in this state.
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Replies
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6 stone 11 is far too low for you height..i think you need to take a serious look at your diet and perhaps see someone. eating 1000 cals a day is not good for you, especially if you are exercising 5 times a week.0
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It's great that you've recognised that your body is damaged. I feel, however, that you should seek medical help, and don't rely on this site and its users to help you back to a healthy place. By all means seek support here, but you need professional help too and that isn't something that you're going to get here.
Best of luck with your recovery x0 -
Don't you feel bad. We've found the cure.
Strength training. Stat.
Look up New Rules of Lifting For Women, Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. These are all great programs for people new to lifting.
You will see the exact changes you've been looking for. Lifting heavy works!
Get in the gym and start doing compound lifts. Squats, bench press, deadlifts, rows... these will give you the body you're after. Don't be intimidated. It's scary at first but before you know it you'll start loving it.
Best of luck to you.
MOST IMPORTANT: You are going to need to eat more to fuel your workouts. No more starvation dieting. Eat and eat well. Lots of protein. It's essential. You need to look at food as a healthy way to build your body. Do not be afraid to EAT! And don't worry about the scale ever again.0 -
Hit the weights with a full body workout using heavy weight relative to you. Weights should be 80-85% of your 1RM.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
It sounds like you need to eat!!!!! You haven't been eating enough to support the workouts. Start eating, and add in the weight training, but EAT MORE to support it.0
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bump!!!!!Don't you feel bad. We've found the cure.
Strength training. Stat.
Look up New Rules of Lifting For Women, Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. These are all great programs for people new to lifting.
You will see the exact changes you've been looking for. Lifting heavy works!
Get in the gym and start doing compound lifts. Squats, bench press, deadlifts, rows... these will give you the body you're after. Don't be intimidated. It's scary at first but before you know it you'll start loving it.
Best of luck to you.
MOST IMPORTANT: You are going to need to eat more to fuel your workouts. No more starvation dieting. Eat and eat well. Lots of protein. It's essential. You need to look at food as a healthy way to build your body. Do not be afraid to EAT! And don't worry about the scale ever again.0 -
Don't you feel bad. We've found the cure.
Strength training. Stat.
Look up New Rules of Lifting For Women, Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. These are all great programs for people new to lifting.
You will see the exact changes you've been looking for. Lifting heavy works!
This. If you slowly raise your calories along with lifting heavy, you'll firm right up, and look fantastic. Don't worry about gaining weight - you're underweight right now, so putting some more weight on in the form of muscle will make you look and feel amazing.0 -
and most important eat more protein lots more , you will need it.. and also you will need polyunsaturated and unsaturated fats0
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6 stone 11 is far too low for you height..i think you need to take a serious look at your diet and perhaps see someone. eating 1000 cals a day is not good for you, especially if you are exercising 5 times a week.
2 weeks ago I upped my intake but it's spiralled out of control - binging..0 -
Don't you feel bad. We've found the cure.
Strength training. Stat.
Look up New Rules of Lifting For Women, Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. These are all great programs for people new to lifting.
You will see the exact changes you've been looking for. Lifting heavy works!
Get in the gym and start doing compound lifts. Squats, bench press, deadlifts, rows... these will give you the body you're after. Don't be intimidated. It's scary at first but before you know it you'll start loving it.
Best of luck to you.
MOST IMPORTANT: You are going to need to eat more to fuel your workouts. No more starvation dieting. Eat and eat well. Lots of protein. It's essential. You need to look at food as a healthy way to build your body. Do not be afraid to EAT! And don't worry about the scale ever again.
exactly!
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I'm sorry you're struggling right now, but you CAN change this situation! You need to increase your calories, and eat back your exercise calories. Most importantly, start LIFTING heavy weights. You're body is an incredibly adaptable machine, and you can change skinny-fat into skinny-fab with weight training, adequate protein consumption, and MORE food. You've got nothing to be ashamed about. No one can go back and make a new beginning, but anyone can start NOW and make a new ending....Lift more, eat more, and say BYE BYE skinny-fat! :flowerforyou:0
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It's great that you've recognised that your body is damaged. I feel, however, that you should seek medical help, and don't rely on this site and its users to help you back to a healthy place. By all means seek support here, but you need professional help too and that isn't something that you're going to get here.
Best of luck with your recovery x
I have seen a doctor and I have blood tests next week. I came onto the message boards to see if anyone has been in the same situation and how they got out of it.
Thank you x0 -
Don't you feel bad. We've found the cure.
Strength training. Stat.
Look up New Rules of Lifting For Women, Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. These are all great programs for people new to lifting.
You will see the exact changes you've been looking for. Lifting heavy works!
Get in the gym and start doing compound lifts. Squats, bench press, deadlifts, rows... these will give you the body you're after. Don't be intimidated. It's scary at first but before you know it you'll start loving it.
Best of luck to you.
MOST IMPORTANT: You are going to need to eat more to fuel your workouts. No more starvation dieting. Eat and eat well. Lots of protein. It's essential. You need to look at food as a healthy way to build your body. Do not be afraid to EAT! And don't worry about the scale ever again.
I'll look them up thank you
My mother will not allow me to go to gym so I currently just have 2.2kg dumbells. I have downloaded Jillian Michaels dvds, I'm hoping this will help.0 -
thats 95 pounds am i right? at 5' 6"
Before you do anything i would see your doctor to make sure you do things safely.
I am so glad that you want to change things. :flowerforyou:
Jules0 -
Don't you feel bad. We've found the cure.
Strength training. Stat.
Look up New Rules of Lifting For Women, Stronglifts 5x5 or Starting Strength. These are all great programs for people new to lifting.
You will see the exact changes you've been looking for. Lifting heavy works!
Get in the gym and start doing compound lifts. Squats, bench press, deadlifts, rows... these will give you the body you're after. Don't be intimidated. It's scary at first but before you know it you'll start loving it.
Best of luck to you.
MOST IMPORTANT: You are going to need to eat more to fuel your workouts. No more starvation dieting. Eat and eat well. Lots of protein. It's essential. You need to look at food as a healthy way to build your body. Do not be afraid to EAT! And don't worry about the scale ever again.
^^^ this. lifting heavy and eating properly is the only way you'll get the muscle back again.
Also, some advice I learned on another site, when going from undereating back to normal eating, raise your calories by 100-200 a week, while also doing lifting etc, as your metabolism will be slow, and suddenly going from undereating by a lot, to eating what you *should* be (for someone who hasn't slowed their metabolism) can cause you to gain too much. You need to eat more and do exercise, especially building muscle, to speed your metabolism again, but you may need to get back into that slowly.0 -
6 stone 11 is far too low for you height..i think you need to take a serious look at your diet and perhaps see someone. eating 1000 cals a day is not good for you, especially if you are exercising 5 times a week.
2 weeks ago I upped my intake but it's spiralled out of control - binging..
Honey, you're bingeing because you've been starving yourself. Once you get settled in at a higher calorie range, you can get that under control unless you have a medical issue. :flowerforyou:0 -
and most important eat more protein lots more , you will need it.. and also you will need polyunsaturated and unsaturated fats
Could you give me an example of a good day of eating for me? My protein intake is always 80+, however my calories are low.0 -
6 stone 11 is far too low for you height..i think you need to take a serious look at your diet and perhaps see someone. eating 1000 cals a day is not good for you, especially if you are exercising 5 times a week.
2 weeks ago I upped my intake but it's spiralled out of control - binging..
When you seen your doctor did you say about binging etc? Definately people on here who have been in your situation, and who will be able to offer far more wisdom than i can, but be strong, you can beat this!0 -
I think you need to concentrate on eating more in general, at least maintenance. 95lbs at 5'6 is very underweight. Start strength training to build up muscle mass, and I assure you, you'll start to tone up, the belly with become tighter, butt firmer;.. You'll be heavier but look tons better, and be healthy too which is the main thing.
If eating more is leading to binges, that you feel you can't control, I'd advise you see a professional with that. We all have blow out days where we binge and eat too much occasionally, but if it's a regular thing I'd seek help, especially at that low of a weight0 -
First of all, good job on realising where you have gone wrong, skinny fat can be fixed with the right foods and exercise.
Set your calories to maintenance or even to 0.5lb gain, and eat them all, including exercise. It's pretty much impossible to gain muscle in a calorie deficit, usually a calorie surplus is needed.
Keep off the cardio and start heavy lifting a few days a week - as another poster has said, new rules of lifting for women is great.
Use a tape and photos to track your progress rather than the scale, you will gain weight but look better as muscle is more dense than fat.
Try and choose healthy foods like lean meats, whole grains, dairy, fruit & veg, plenty of water etc. If you need more cals choose healthy high cal foods like nuts, peanut butter, olive oil, avocado, cheese etc.0 -
6 stone 11 is far too low for you height..i think you need to take a serious look at your diet and perhaps see someone. eating 1000 cals a day is not good for you, especially if you are exercising 5 times a week.
2 weeks ago I upped my intake but it's spiralled out of control - binging..
Honey, you're bingeing because you've been starving yourself. Once you get settled in at a higher calorie range, you can get that under control unless you have a medical issue. :flowerforyou:
I know, I can't believe I'm in this situation.. I come home from school tired and just raid the cupboards as an attempt to give me energy to work out, I feel weak and pathetic. I need some high energy, wholesome foods in me.
I feel as though when I've had a bit of chocolate, I mays well just eat a load of it as I've "cheated" already. It's fine to have a bit of chocolate as long as it's a suitable portion, right?
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I was averaging under 1000 gross cals for most of 2010-2011.
I'm still working to undo that damage. The good news is, it's possible! Slowly raise your calorie intake. Adding about 150-200 cals at a time worked really well for me, without feeling crazy overwhelming. I'm now at a stable, healthy daily intake and my weight has leveled out too after an initial temporary gain.
A lot of people are going to tell you to start strength training. For the most part, I agree with them. This will change your body composition drastically, but you need to get your nutrition in order first.
EDIT: Feel free to add me for support if you like. My diary is open, and I try my best to keep it healthy. I'm still working to increase my intake, but have many more good days than bad at this point. I have been exactly where you are. Not too long ago either!0 -
if the protein's OK but calories ar elow you need more fat. Avoid diet or lite foods and pick fattier protein sources than chicken and tuna. A cheese omelette for example.0
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May I just say that I really like everyones responses here.. so supportive.0
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BUMP!!!!0
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There is a group here called Eat More Weigh Less...they've been very helpful to me as I'm learning how to eat in order to fuel my body. I would suggest looking there to get started!!! Those women look amazing.0
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When you seen your doctor did you say about binging etc? Definately people on here who have been in your situation, and who will be able to offer far more wisdom than i can, but be strong, you can beat this!
She's booked me a blood test and then she's going to see what happens from there, she says she may refer me to a mental health clinic to change my emotional attachment to food.0 -
I would suggest speaking to a doctor and/or a nutritionist and getting some professional help for your health. You're underweight enough that you might be putting yourself at risk of some serious health consequences.
I think if you're starving, then binging, you might want to work on what's in your head first.0 -
dont be ashamed. ive done far worse than you. i use to only allow myself 100 calories a day and run 6 miles. amp up the protein. the only way i can even get close to my goal is through shakes. just make sure everything you eat is good for you so you can feel good about your calories. i try a lot harder now than i ever have and i feel a sense of accomplishment when i get remotely close. lift weights, not a ton, do whatever exercise you enjoy. just dont obsess too much on the calorie intake make them good for you calories! you can do it babe! 0
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I'm sorry you're struggling right now, but you CAN change this situation! You need to increase your calories, and eat back your exercise calories. Most importantly, start LIFTING heavy weights. You're body is an incredibly adaptable machine, and you can change skinny-fat into skinny-fab with weight training, adequate protein consumption, and MORE food. You've got nothing to be ashamed about. No one can go back and make a new beginning, but anyone can start NOW and make a new ending....Lift more, eat more, and say BYE BYE skinny-fat! :flowerforyou:
How many calories? I feel so lost, I'm so scared to increase without the bathroom scales there.0
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