Losing a few pounds when thin

[Anonymous]

It's so hard to lose weight when you're already thin. I am trying to go from 140 to 135 (I'm 5'6). Been working on this 5 pounds for a month and I've only lost 3. Why is it so hard? I went from 170 to 140 so I know how to diet.

[Anonymous]

I'm 5'6 and had been stuck at 138 for awhile. I wasn't willing to restrict my diet too much further because I feel I am at a healthy weight and I have a really great diet that I enjoy (I started at 153 in April). I finally started adding in some strength training a few weeks ago and yesterday I finally hit 135. So, I think sometimes you just need to switch things up. Also, are you eating enough calories? Restricting your diet too much can backfire.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 5'6 and had been stuck at 138 for awhile. I wasn't willing to restrict my diet too much further because I feel I am at a healthy weight and I have a really great diet that I enjoy (I started at 153 in April). I finally started adding in some strength training a few weeks ago and yesterday I finally hit 135. So, I think sometimes you just need to switch things up. Also, are you eating enough calories? Restricting your diet too much can backfire.

Yes I eat 1200-1500 a day and run 10 miles a week.

[Anonymous]

Why do you need to lose more weight if you’re already thin? It sounds like your body has found the weight it likes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why do you need to lose more weight if you’re already thin? It sounds like your body has found the weight it likes.

I'm not the OP and I don't know her body type, but in terms of BMI only, 140 pounds at 5'6 isn't too thin for most frames. In fact, it is right in the middle of the "normal" BMI category. If she lost 5-10 more pounds, she would still be very much in the normal range, not even lose to the "underweight" category. So, if she feels best five pounds lighter that is totally fine. Others may feel better at a higher weight.

[Anonymous]

Oh how sad for you OP.

[Anonymous]

You lost 3 pounds in a month, what more do you expect?

[Anonymous]

The less you weigh the few calories you need to maintain that weight. Which means you need to eat even fewer calories to lose weight which requires a lot of discipline and less wiggle room.

3lb is month is actually really good.

why are those 5 lbs so important to you? and what are you willing to give up to lose them?

[Anonymous]

I don't understand this post. You lost 3 lbs in a month, so if you just stick with what you are doing for like three more measly weeks, you will be at your goal weight. What's the problem???

[Anonymous]

3lbs in a month is actually good, sustainable weight loss. As you likely know having come down from 170, the earlier pounds are easier since you have more to work with, literally. Having lost all that weight, each pound gets harder to lose because you are thinner, your body burns fewer calories even given the same exercise/diet.

I’ve lost almost 34 lbs and the first 22 came off in 2 months. The next 12 have now taken 2 months, and I expect the next 10 I still want to shed to take even longer, likely at a rate of closer to 3-4 lbs a month. As long as you continue to eat at a calorie deficit, the weight will continue to come off, it will just take more time.

[Anonymous]

Keep doing what you're doing but step away from the scale for a month.

I lost 45 pounds in 7 months and weighed myself maybe 4 or 6 times along the way. I never gave myself the chance to get discouraged by plateaus, temporary water gain, etc.

[Anonymous]

When you have lost 30lb your body is working hard to gain it back. You don’t have the calorie needs of a 140lb person, but someone much thinner.

Try to maintain weight and build muscle for a bit to let your body get used to 140 and then try again for a new, lower weight.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you've gone from 170 to 140 and the weight is now not melting off the way it did before, it could mean you've reached a plateau. 140 might be a a very comfortable weight for your body.

Something you may want to consider now is that the number you see on the scale is but one data point in the measure of how healthy you are overall. What is your body fat percentage? How much lean muscle mass do you have? Those are two major factors in how your body looks. You will look leaner and thinner at the same weight with a lower body fat percentage than you would at the same weight but less muscle and more fat.

pics here illustrate what I mean: https://www.insider.com/photos-women-look-different-same-weight-2018-3

Now that you've reached your target range, because 5 pounds from your goal weight is basically there, do not beat yourself up, you should be patting yourself on the back for working really hard to get healthier. Start thinking more in terms of how to structure your life around health, strength, endurance, and knowing your body's cues.

You mention eating 1,200-1,500 calories/day and running 10 miles weekly. Running is great for building stamina and endurance, but not as effective at building lean muscle as many other types of exercise. Build some strength and resistance training, high intensity interval training, pilates, barre etc into your exercise time.

Get on the scale less often and pay attention to how your body looks and feels. You can lose inches all over and not lose a pound (in fact, you can lose inches, go down in size while going UP in weight because lean muscle mass is denser and heavier than fat tissues).

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that if you are counting calories and eating only 1,200 calories some days, that you maybe have not checked macros lately to determine how many calories and specifically exactly how many grams of protein and carbs and fats you need to eat daily to continue losing. As your weight changes, your macros change. So the calorie intake and grams of protein etc you needed at 170 pounds is different than what you need now at 140.

Counting the macros is pretty PITA in the beginning, but with practice one can begin to eat more intuitively, as you will become more attuned to what your body needs to feel its best.

Another thing to keep in mind as you are on this journey is staying on top of your mental health and how much of your headspace you are giving to diet and exercise. It isn't healthy to be obsessed and become a diet/fitness/calorie counting warrior as a primary personality trait. I totally get the fear you likely have that letting up will mean you'll spiral back up in weight. If you begin to shift your focus to eating to give your body and brain the fuel it needs to be heathy and well and exercising because even when it isn't "fun" but because it is good for your overall health and caretaking of your body, you will be so much happier.

Good luck and congratulations for working so hard on your health.

[Anonymous]

Cut out booze.

[Anonymous]

i'm 5'6" and 130. I was at 135 (but have always been on the thinner side except when pregnant). I lost the five pounds by basically skipping one meal a day and cutting carbs.