My story and question

[MRSPMS]

Hi everyone I am new to this site and I had a question about weight loss. In the past year I have lost about 30lbs, going from 145 to 115 I think I did it the right way by just eating less and working out. When I was in high school I was an athlete and wanted to get back to the shape I was in then... Okay let me start this off by telling you all why I gained so much weight because at my heaviest I was around 160 and I am only 5'3". When I was 19 I got burned with acetone on 16% of my body, mostly the right side on my arm and stomach. I was really depressed for years and I think that's why I just basically just laid around doing noting all day. My fiancee (he asked me to marry him AFTER the accident) always tried to make me feel better about myself and finally after almost 6 years it worked and I got motivated to do something about my life. I was just sick of being a bum and sick of just feeling sorry for myself and not feeling attractive at all.

Now on to my question .... I steadily lost weight for a year now, mostly by not eating as much as I did before (between 1000 - 1200 calories a day ... most days) and I just started working out a couple months ago. The problem I am having is that I feel like I'm to skinny in some places and still chubby in others. For example I hate that you can see my chest bones when I wear a v-neck but my stomach still has a big fat area and so do my thighs. I DO NOT WANT to be skinny I have never been like that before I have always been an athletic build. I am also having a problem maintaining my weight without losing more weight... if I eat 2000 calories to maintain it is either to much sodium or fat for my daily intake. I have been eating this way for so long i don't know how to eat right but eat more at the same time. If anyone could help I would really appreciate it, thanks

 

[fortyfour]

Hello here. Can you give us a useable name to call you as this handle is really too ungainly.

Welcome to the forum

You outlined your situation and history really well. And your questions are good ones.

I am sorry about your accident and its not at all surprising that you got terribly depressed. But you've done well to come out of that period.

And now it looks like you are ready for the next stage. You've already made a good start with the new exercise program. You will start to build muscle mass which will enable your metabolism to pick up. While you are building muscle you will also be burning through some of that excess fat. Though to get this happening right you do need to eat a good diet.

First you need to increase the amount of calories. Dig up the BMR calculator, work out your maintenance cals and eat according to that number.

When you want to lose weight, you should lower the number of calories by anything up to 500. Obviously the less you reduce the slower the weight loss but that's not a bad thing.

Next you need to eat more protein foods, complex carbs are good. Keep fats to a fairly low level and try to eat mainly vegeteable fats - vegetable oils, olive oil, avocado, nuts (but not too much of any of these things) fatty fish because of their omega 3 fatty acids. Otherwise eat lean meat.

A lot of good foods have fat in them but you don't need to worry about any of them, not even eggs. You can eat full cream dairy but you should not eat too much cheese as its high in salt and its easy to overeat this stuff and i think it ruins your tastebuds for more plain foods which should be the maintstay of your diet at all times.

I am not eating cheese while i ma losing weight but i will bring it back in when i reach my goal but I will try to always be very very strict about the cheese i eat. I think i might only eat cheese as an supplement and keep it right out of my cooking altogether. But i am not sure yet. I've got time to work that out later. But cheese might be such a big weakness for you.

Its going to be the combination of exercise with a good balanced diet and more calories that will get you looking and feeling better.

Try to stay away from all your danger foods. Gradually swap the bad foods over to include more good foods.

How have you determined that you are eating too much sodium or fat? Are you using a tracking site.

Maybe if you start a food diary on the food diary section, we can all see where you can cut back on the fat and sodium. And suggest other foods.

As i get nearer to my ideal weight, i will start to have a similar problem to you. I will get skinny around the upper body and still have a fatty backside and fairly large thighs, knees and calves. But i am going to accept them and dress to maxmise my good points and minimise my bad ones. Most of the bulk in my thighs will be muscle and they won't be enormous anyway. I will still look slim over all and still look good in a bikini. So i am not worried.