To ask how to lose weight when not actually overweight?

[HappyAzure]

Not a goady thread. I’m in the normal BMI range but not happy with the few Kgs I’ve put on over lockdown, just generally feeling a bit wider and soft so want to lose some weight (ideally 5kg) - will be upping my exercise as well.

The issue is that I think it’s harder to lose weight when there isn’t as much to lose - I think weight comes off quicker when you’re actually overweight. I’ve tried to lose a few kgs over the last month or so eating about 1500calories a day and it hasn’t really worked. I also tried 5:2 for a couple of weeks but ended up fainting and read it’s not suitable for people with a BMI of 20 or under (not sure if that’s true or not)

In short - have you managed to lose weight as an already ‘normal’ weight person and if so, how did you do this? Don’t want to go on a crash diet or starve myself! Will eating 1500 calories eventually work?? (According to my fitness pal that’s what I should be eating in order to lose weight!)

Only bloody just, @HappyAzure*
18.5 is the bottom end of healthy*

No, it's within the healthy range - just like there will be people who are healthy at the top of the BMI, there will also be people who are healthy at the bottom.

Of course, it's very hard to know from some words on a screen where healthy is within the range, but the anti BMI rhetoric saying is not helpful.

My weight is has fluctuated between 116 and 121 for the last two months, I was 113lbs before lockdown.

Literally, on Thursday last week, I was 120.6lbs and on Sunday, I was 116.8lbs! The scales are very accurate as I weigh my dumbells to test them occasionally.

Oddly, I've lost a pound or two since June despite having eaten more than the previous months. That is pretty accurate as I religiously calorie count.

I did (do?) have anorexia though so I hope no one here is obsessed like I am! It's is a waste of life and energy, I'm not overweight yet still I care, it's a shame. I would try not to end up like this OP. It is not fun.

I found logging in an app like My Fitness Pal helped.

Your can set your activity level and target weight and how much you want to aim to lose a week.

It then sets you a target.

I don't even do it super precisely e.g. for home cooked food I'll select the closest thing from the database. You can easily see though if you're sticking close to the target for the day and week from all the lovely graphs and charts.

I'm in the same boat, trying to lose the last 3kg or so and it is harder going!

Just safe the bit about your BMI, that does seem quite low you're aiming. 😟

My last few kg will take me around the middle of the healthy range for my height, not the bottom.

*saw the bit

Thanks all for responses!

One question I have - I’m obviously going to have to eat less. When I eat less I sometimes struggle with energy and feel faint. Am I better to eat more but do exercise I.e spin class, or eat less and maybe do less strenuous exercise?

In short, is doing a gym class a few times a week going to do more than actually eating a lot less, if it means I have to eat a bit more to ensure I don’t faint??

Also the pp who has/has anorexia, I’ve never had an ED but have found myself weighing myself every day over the last month or so and you are right, it’s not fun

@Galvantula

Just safe the bit about your BMI, that does seem quite low you're aiming. 😟

My last few kg will take me around the middle of the healthy range for my height, not the bottom.

I feel like I’d rather be at the bottom of the range so I have more room to ‘play with’ if I occasionally put on a bit of weight on holidays, Christmas etc....is that mental?

@PickAChew

It sounds like you need to be stricter with your snacks. Make yourself a salad in the morning or have some soup ready to microwave if lunch is a problem. And increase your activity levels, aiming to improve your muscle tone to get rid of the softness.

I’m trying to plan out all my food on my fitness pal so i know exactly what I’m going to eat and what I’m allowed to eat that day - I think it is helpful but I am obviously still eating too much.

I’m now aiming for 1200 calories rather than 1500 and will see if that makes a difference.

I feel like I’d rather be at the bottom of the range so I have more room to ‘play with’ if I occasionally put on a bit of weight on holidays, Christmas etc....is that mental?

Given that the bmi range is about three stone and you’re already nowhere near the top, yes, for the very bottom isn’t healthy.

What are you eating on a typical day? Is straining every sinew to hit the bottom of the range worth it when you can be healthily within it eating sensibly and fulfillingly? Who wants to feel faint all the time?

@PurpleDaisies

What are you eating on a typical day? Is straining every sinew to hit the bottom of the range worth it when you can be healthily within it eating sensibly and fulfillingly? Who wants to feel faint all the time?

I think I eat fairly healthily really which is why I’m so confused and worried about why I’m the heaviest I’ve been in years. I used to hover around 5kgs lighter than I am.

Daily something like this when WFH:
Breakfast - porridge or weetabix with oat milk, peanut butter in porridge but weetabix plain
Lunch - half a container of fresh soup with some fruit, maybe some crisps or egg on toast or if I’ve got fresh stuff in then a salad like tomato and mozzarella.
Dinner - depends as I cook for myself and DP and he doesn’t have to worry about weight so I usually try and just have a smaller portion but often something like pan fried fish, vegetables and brown rice or something like chilli but I’ll only have a small bit of rice with it.

Occasionally ice cream for dessert, or some chocolate but often no dessert. The odd glass of wine or g&t of an evening but never more than 1 drink (and only twice a week max maybe?)

No sugar in tea or coffee.

@PurpleDaisies

What are you eating on a typical day? Is straining every sinew to hit the bottom of the range worth it when you can be healthily within it eating sensibly and fulfillingly? Who wants to feel faint all the time?

But in my mind if I mostly eat less and healthier then if I do go out for dinner etc I can have whatever I want and not feel guilty as I know generally I’m at a good weight...I’m now wondering whether that’s an unhealthy mindset!

OP I feel you.

I’m 5’3 and hover between 8st 1 and 8st 5. I’m small framed and every lb is noticeable.

I look my best (and friends agree) when I’m 8st/8st 1. It’s not often I creep up to 8st 5 but the times when I have, my god my face is so puffy and round and my usually hard(ish) stomach soft, arse jiggles, cellulite looks awful.

I take absolutely no notice of BMI etc, we are small framed and BMI just doesn’t take that into account.

I loathe exercise, like seriously loathe it. I have a dog and always ensure I hit 10,000 steps a day at least 6 days a week walking him. When I walk I walk quickly and briskly, no dawdling.

Losing weight for me can be hard. When I want to do it, I cut out all snacks and only eat 2 meals a day. I try and make those meals ‘healthy’ and low carb. Carbs are the thing that do it for me, if I cut out my mid afternoon biscuits (around 3pm I’ll dunk 3-4 biscuits in my tea or have a chocolate bar with it) then after a few days my weight drops by 2-3lbs.

Ultimately I try and eat healthily during the week and eat what I want Friday- Sunday afternoons.

I really think at my weight and height, I have to eat about 1,200 cals at least 4-5 days a week to keep a lowish weight.

@Hipflask08

OP I feel you.

I’m 5’3 and hover between 8st 1 and 8st 5. I’m small framed and every lb is noticeable.

I look my best (and friends agree) when I’m 8st/8st 1. It’s not often I creep up to 8st 5 but the times when I have, my god my face is so puffy and round and my usually hard(ish) stomach soft, arse jiggles, cellulite looks awful.

I take absolutely no notice of BMI etc, we are small framed and BMI just doesn’t take that into account.

I loathe exercise, like seriously loathe it. I have a dog and always ensure I hit 10,000 steps a day at least 6 days a week walking him. When I walk I walk quickly and briskly, no dawdling.

Losing weight for me can be hard. When I want to do it, I cut out all snacks and only eat 2 meals a day. I try and make those meals ‘healthy’ and low carb. Carbs are the thing that do it for me, if I cut out my mid afternoon biscuits (around 3pm I’ll dunk 3-4 biscuits in my tea or have a chocolate bar with it) then after a few days my weight drops by 2-3lbs.

Ultimately I try and eat healthily during the week and eat what I want Friday- Sunday afternoons.

I really think at my weight and height, I have to eat about 1,200 cals at least 4-5 days a week to keep a lowish weight.

Thanks and yes we sound similar!!! I just don’t feel good at this weight. 1200 calories might have to be the way to go for me with weekends ‘off’

Hipflask08 I could have written your post (except for the tea... and the walking!). I have never experienced any pleasure from exercise, and it just doesn’t really make that much of a difference to the way I look. It takes so much effort to make any impact that I’d rather just eat less and keep the weight off that way. I am getting soft (and saggy-arsed) so I need to do some kind of exercise, but I’m putting it off.

OP, your daily weighing and concern to get to the very borderline of healthy and unhealthily underweight sounds really worrying. You are feeling faint when you eat less because your body is telling you you need more than 1500 calories simply to remain conscious. It’s literally a warning sign that you are eating to little to even stay conscious, regardless of what the BMI chart says. Please listen to your body!

@Wigeon

OP, your daily weighing and concern to get to the very borderline of healthy and unhealthily underweight sounds really worrying. You are feeling faint when you eat less because your body is telling you you need more than 1500 calories simply to remain conscious. It’s literally a warning sign that you are eating to little to even stay conscious, regardless of what the BMI chart says. Please listen to your body!

I am sure you are right. Damn society for making us think thin is best!