How Do You Know When It's Time To Stop?

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  • Dan112358
    Dan112358 Posts: 525 Member
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    My experience with losing weight & maintence was that I was unhappy with my body at my "goal weight" as well. I began lifting weights and focusing on strength training instead of chasing those last 5 pounds on the scale. I'm way happier and eating more and my body composition has changed. Are you including and resistance training in your workouts? If not, that may be a good place to start. Worry less about the scale and more about what you see in the mirror every day.
  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
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    If you haven't already, start lifting heavy.. and you'll get out of that either only skinny or only fat phase.

    I knew I was done just by how I looked in the mirror.. and the fact that I was fitting into a size 4 clothes.. which I haven't worn since high school!

    I've never really been 'into' weights and tbh I'm so tired all the time the last thing I feel like is wearing myself out even more.
    I walk a lot, I'd walk all day if I could, lol!
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    If you haven't already, start lifting heavy.. and you'll get out of that either only skinny or only fat phase.

    I knew I was done just by how I looked in the mirror.. and the fact that I was fitting into a size 4 clothes.. which I haven't worn since high school!

    I've never really been 'into' weights and tbh I'm so tired all the time the last thing I feel like is wearing myself out even more.
    I walk a lot, I'd walk all day if I could, lol!

    Then thats your problem.. Doing only the walking plus losing weight, had you losing both fat and muscle.. instead of primarily fat and little muscle.

    My suggestion.. Eat more for energy, and go lift.. find a structured program and have it. You are going to look and feel so much better.. and you won't even have to drop that much more weight since muscle is denser then fat, and thus makes you smaller/tighter.
  • newhabit
    newhabit Posts: 426 Member
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    Thanks for the suggestions but getting away is really out of the question.
    My BMI is 19.4 and I have 18% body fat so I know I can still lose more weight, I just wish I could be happy with what I've already achieved and stop there.

    that is actually a really great place to be, i'm sure you could stop now and look great. it's up to you but personally i don't want my BMI below 19-20 or body fat below 17-18. that's just me though, i am 33. i think for me any lower than that wouldn't look good. but i think for you that sounds really good if you are happy with it.
  • kazza2cats
    kazza2cats Posts: 87 Member
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    I can relate. I've sent you a private message and friend request. :flowerforyou:
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,565 Member
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    Diet break then decide to maintain or set yourself up for gains.
  • gatorginger
    gatorginger Posts: 947 Member
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    My husband has told me I'm too skinney now too so I am in the process of increasing my calories slowely to find my maintenance calories because if I lose more nothing is going to fit and I do realize I am small enough. I think maybe your worried you'll gain the weight back. If that is the case slowely add calories back to find your maintenance level. I don't know how much you weigh or how many calories you eat but your main goal should be to be at a healthy size. Hope you can find that heathy size to make you and your hubby both happy
  • LouisaMoo
    LouisaMoo Posts: 11
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    Could you maybe make an appointment with a specialist doctor, like a nutritionist or someone similar (what I mean is a bit more specialised than a GP, who probably won't know a lot about nutrition and body shape etc) and talk to them about finding a new goal? Setting and then meeting goals is really addictive, it's the same thing as people who get addicted to computer games because they love beating their own high scores I think! But if you can set yourself a new goal, one which is based on keeping you healthy rather than making yourself thinner (which can be just as unhealthy as gaining too much weight) then that might be a good replacement.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    I will never stop.
    It's not all about weight loss, and I do have a number in mind that I just won't go under.
    Health and fitness is about always having a challenge relating to self-improvement.
    As for mere weight, pick a good number; go no lower. Pick YOUR number that represents a healthy BMI and gives you the exact look you desire.
    And once you reach it, set new goals that are geared to improve your health and maintain weight.
    Good Luck:flowerforyou:
  • spoonful
    spoonful Posts: 200 Member
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    It's a nice problem to have. I'd stop when I felt great and was comfortable in some really nice clothes., I'd stop when people told me it was time to stop. Then I'd try to maintain it.

    The last time I got skinny I still thought I was fat. I kept trying to get skinny. I made myself ill and got fat again.
  • DebbieMc3
    DebbieMc3 Posts: 289 Member
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    Please understand that I say this with kindness and concern. In this and other posts, you shown signs of compulsivity that indicate and Eating Disorder. I would strongly suggest you seek some help.

    This^
  • shyrina25
    shyrina25 Posts: 101 Member
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    u think i look thin? i dont know, let me see ur recent pic. as for food diary i closed mine months ago lol people were just rude!
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,676 Member
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    If you haven't already, start lifting heavy.. and you'll get out of that either only skinny or only fat phase.

    I knew I was done just by how I looked in the mirror.. and the fact that I was fitting into a size 4 clothes.. which I haven't worn since high school!
    ^^^^This! Weight training by lifting heavy gives you that beautiful toned skin and tissues and body...satisfyingly trim, fit, healthy look that does not need a scale to affirm it...lift heavy and fuel your body for the weight training efforts to get an awesome look!:)MinMin
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
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    Thanks for all the words of encouragement and support. I kind of know what I need to do but I just can't make myself do it.
    I've already logged what I plan to eat tonight but I'm taking my son out for lunch soon so I'll try to pinch a bit of whatever he's having.
    I don't think I look thin because I have been a LOT smaller than I am now so I know I'm not that bad but I also know how I do look does not look particularly healthy.
    My profile photo is me 16lb heavier than I am now and I wear girls age 10/11 jeans, so the rational part of my brain knows it's time to stop but on the other hand if I can just get down to another milestone then I'll stop. Make sense??

    you need HELP. You are falling down down a slippery slope into an eating disorder. You are too darn skinny, you are constantly tired, and your diary is locked--probably to hide the tiny amount of food you eat.

    even the way you talk tells me that you are in a dangerous place--you say "I'm taking my son out for lunch" instead of "my son and I are going out to lunch". IMO, it sounds like you are planning to eat a bite or so of his, and not even bother ordering food for yourself.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    :
    Upload a very recent photo of you and we can let you know. Also open your diary.

    I'll get a new photo on later but there's no way I'll have my diary open to the public again. The last time I did that I got totally battered from all sides! :frown:

    Do you eat unhealthily? Or just under the Magical 1200 calories?
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    [ramble alert]

    Regarding the suggestions of an ED, it's possible. From personal experience, I can see that it's quite easy to become anorexic (in one's approach to food). I was starting to hate food as I started to think that eating is doing the opposite of what I wanted to achieve... like accelerating with a foot on the brake. I also hate bodily functions that waste time... like cooking/eating, personal hygiene (washing, shaving), toilet usage - you don't achieve anything and they are not enjoyable activities... obviously, I do them for self-respect issues but I still view such activities as tedious. Point is, I could see how I could slide into an ED. (As you can see from my food diary, though, I do eat an average of 1900 calories a day.)
  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
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    Please understand that I say this with kindness and concern. In this and other posts, you shown signs of compulsivity that indicate and Eating Disorder. I would strongly suggest you seek some help.

    :flowerforyou:
  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
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    Thanks for all the words of encouragement and support. I kind of know what I need to do but I just can't make myself do it.
    I've already logged what I plan to eat tonight but I'm taking my son out for lunch soon so I'll try to pinch a bit of whatever he's having.
    I don't think I look thin because I have been a LOT smaller than I am now so I know I'm not that bad but I also know how I do look does not look particularly healthy.
    My profile photo is me 16lb heavier than I am now and I wear girls age 10/11 jeans, so the rational part of my brain knows it's time to stop but on the other hand if I can just get down to another milestone then I'll stop. Make sense??

    you need HELP. You are falling down down a slippery slope into an eating disorder. You are too darn skinny, you are constantly tired, and your diary is locked--probably to hide the tiny amount of food you eat.

    even the way you talk tells me that you are in a dangerous place--you say "I'm taking my son out for lunch" instead of "my son and I are going out to lunch". IMO, it sounds like you are planning to eat a bite or so of his, and not even bother ordering food for yourself.

    I very rarely eat during the day so yes, it would have been a case of ordering something for my son and me pinching a bite just to taste. We didn't find anywhere in the end so my son just had something when we came home.
    I save my food for at night (usually in bed) when I know I won't be tempted to eat anything else afterwards so I don't go over my calorie limit.
  • kathyc609
    kathyc609 Posts: 258 Member
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    i dont know how to do it. i keep pushing my goal lower also -- or just keep saying in my head i will stop after i lose another 20. i will still be in a good bmi range but my friends and family dont seem to think so.
  • janemem
    janemem Posts: 575 Member
    Options
    :
    Upload a very recent photo of you and we can let you know. Also open your diary.

    I'll get a new photo on later but there's no way I'll have my diary open to the public again. The last time I did that I got totally battered from all sides! :frown:

    Do you eat unhealthily? Or just under the Magical 1200 calories?

    I eat very low fat/sugar/carb/protein which I KNOW is wrong but as I only eat once a day I like to get as much food s I can for the calories I've 'spent'.
    1200 is the goal MFP have set me but I am always under, I normally net around 7 or 800.
    I go over my limit most Sunday's though when I have a meal with my son. We'll eat whatever he wants, within reason. It's always something home cooked and I always log absolutely everything but I really don't worry if I go 1000 cal's over as I know I'll drop it during the week anyway.

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