Your diet and weight loss advice please (kind of long)

L Sass

Cathlete
In July I went to my doc and she told me I was "borderline obese" - many of you told me she was nuts. I'm 43 yrs old, 5'4", and weighed 137 at that time. I did tell her I do a lot of resistance training, but that had little impact, though she did acknowledge that her assessment was strictly numbers based as well as the shortcomings of the BMI system.

In September I began an "inch loss" program called Cinch from Shaklee, which I love!!! I've dropped 15 pounds, a bunch of inches (skinny jeans are too loose) and would like to drop 5 more pounds. I have always heard though that people really don't notice either a weight loss or gain until it's in the 10-pound range. I also have more definition than I ever had before (funny what happens when you remove that fat layer huh? lol :)) But as I've dropped the weight I've had to reduce the calories even more to keep it coming off. I had a follow up with my doc the other day and told her that now for me to drop weight I have to come in below 1000 calories - which I know is not exactly healthy. She did do a thyroid test, which came back normal. She also said that 5 more would be fine, but we didn't get into any more specifics about calories.

So while I would love to lose these last 5 pounds I still want to be healthy. My jeans fit, folks usually don't notice 5 pounds, I'm no longer borderline obese (whether I ever really was is not the issue) so here's my question. Am I just trying to rationalize staying where I am? Would you keep going? I feel great, but that sense of accomplishment in dropping those last 5 is still out there. Thanks for any thoughts you all have.

Lorrie

Pain is temporary - quitting lasts forever
Candace Grasso, CC-V-6
 
IMO, short and sweet. You are 5'4" and now weigh 122 - STOP!

Going below 1000 calories is WAY too low anyway. You are, let's face it, never going to look as thin to yourself as you do to other people, so you could just keep going on forever. I don't even know what you look like at this weight, but I'll still say "stop."
 
Lorrie:
I am 5'4" and weight 120. I am 49. If someone told me I needed to lose 5 more pounds I would say "go jump in the lake". Now that doesn't mean I wouldn't like to, but I am close enough and I feel healthy. The last five pounds aren't worth suffering that much for. Anyways, it's hard to get good nutrition at less than 1000 kcal.

JMHO.
Paula

http://www.picturetrail.com/luckeelaydee

Paula
 
I also have a hard time giving an aswer without a picture. You need a bmi test. This Dr. actions make me wonder how much thought she is putting into her comments. How much muscle do you have? I am 42, 5'5" and 140. This leaves me a size 6, sometimes 8 b/c I'm busty. The bottom is size 6. I have lots of muscle so I don't look fat. I think I could loose 10lb without a problem. Just something to consider. By no means do I think I'm borderline obese and I can't imagine you being there. Measure your fat. that will give the best answer.
 
I third the above opinions! Research has shown that you are not able to obtain all the necessary nutrients your body needs to function if you drop your caloric intake to less than 1200 cal/day. Sure, it works for a while, but then your body revolts and that's when you get your MAJOR binge days. Then you reign yourself in and drop your calories even lower to "make up" for the binge, which causes an even bigger binge! See the pattern?

I wouldn't worry about the last 5 lbs, I really don't think that they will make that much of a difference, especially if you have to sacrifice your healthy eating to lower your calories.

JMHO
 
Is this doctor just going on weight? Weight alone, without knowing fat % in particular, is not the best indication of health. I think you are at a healthy weight if you have some muscle to you.
 
Jumping in again to say that I can't imagine how low you would have to go to keep your calories to maintain that extra 5 pound loss. It just ain't worth it! By the way, how's your energy level at your lower weight?
 

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