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  #16   ^
Old Fri, Jan-04-13, 09:34
Ms Arielle's Avatar
Ms Arielle Ms Arielle is online now
Senior Member
Posts: 19,176
 
Plan: atkins, carnivore 2023
Stats: 200/211/163 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: -30%
Location: Massachusetts
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SuzetteBlu
Hi,
A lot of people keep telling me I shouldn't lose any more weight, and believe me I'm not asking for their opinion. I am 5'8" tall and weigh 154 lbs. However, when I was younger I weighed a lot less than this and I wanted to get down to about 137 pounds which is still quite a bit heavier than when I was in my 20s. I don't see why this is excessive. Height/weight charts don't help as they vary considerably. Anyone have an opinion?


Suzzette-- Your question is centered on how to figure out where you should be--

1. Pinch an inch on tummy, less on upper arms.

2. Find old insurance charts, by body type--much more accurate than BMI. You probably already know your body type to know which chart to use. For me 150 should be about right, heavy boned with big hands and lots of muscle--for my sister ( fine boned, 5'8")150 is too heavy and 115 is too thin ( HS friends called her Annie when she had lost a lot of weight due to illness and they were right).

3. Diet loaded with good proteins (meats) and lots of fats. I am assuming you are doing LC with plenty of fat in the foods. THe body remoulds itself based on the ratios of fat:carbs: protein. You must get enough fat and proteins to keep your muscles and organs in fine shape and size.

THere is a photo of a woman at 175 pounds and 142ish pounds, and she looks much better, more athletic and "healthy" at 175. SHe looks weak ,and frumpyish at 142. ANd way better curves at 175. A well defined waist, and larger boobs. Just a totally different body sculpture. THe actual poundage is less important than how you feel, how well muscled you are, and how much adipose tissue you carry ( 20-25% of body weight is GOOD)

HOpe you are able to find an answer that satisfies your question.
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  #17   ^
Old Sat, Jan-12-13, 09:28
SuzetteBlu's Avatar
SuzetteBlu SuzetteBlu is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 65
 
Plan: customized plan
Stats: 212/126/140 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: 119%
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Thanks Arielle! I actually weigh 137.0 pounds as of this morning. I feel great and have loads of energy. I eat the same exact way today as the day I started low carbing on April 2, 2012. My face doesn't look so hot, but that might also be because I am in my mid-fifties! I eat lunch and dinner everyday and have one snack. I eat plenty of protein and low carb vegetables with olive oil at my meals and I have stevia sweetened dark chocolate for my snack.
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  #18   ^
Old Mon, Jan-14-13, 07:28
Lulumae's Avatar
Lulumae Lulumae is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 1,092
 
Plan: Atkins, sort of
Stats: 184/166/152 Female 5'6
BF:
Progress: 56%
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Wow. You have done so well. I am aiming for a similar goal weight, which would be the least I've weighed since I was about 13, but I'm still about 15 pounds off. Those are the hardest to shift! Your progress has been awesome.
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  #19   ^
Old Mon, Jan-14-13, 15:13
SuzetteBlu's Avatar
SuzetteBlu SuzetteBlu is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 65
 
Plan: customized plan
Stats: 212/126/140 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: 119%
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lulumae
Wow. You have done so well. I am aiming for a similar goal weight, which would be the least I've weighed since I was about 13, but I'm still about 15 pounds off. Those are the hardest to shift! Your progress has been awesome.


Thanks Lulumae! Looks like you're doing great yourself. It won't be long before you're at your goal.
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  #20   ^
Old Thu, Apr-04-13, 15:36
kayin kayin is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 73
 
Plan: Atkins and IF
Stats: 255/183.8/105 Female 5'3"
BF:
Progress: 47%
Location: Vancouver, BC Canada
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When I was down to 115 several years ago, people started saying things like "but you're SUPPOSED to be chubby!" Bah! I felt better than I had ever felt in my life and had tons of energy, I didn't want to go back to having no energy and overeating all the time! This time I ultimately want to get to 108 (at only 5'3) and as a 32 year old woman, I am stronger and I will not bow to peer pressure. I will say, "it's my body and I am within the healthy range of X calculator" (I use BMI so I can actually if I want get down to 105 and still be considered healthy) Hope I get there and I will be strong and assertive about any comments.
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  #21   ^
Old Mon, Sep-23-13, 06:46
Idealist77's Avatar
Idealist77 Idealist77 is offline
Registered Member
Posts: 64
 
Plan: General Low Carb
Stats: 149/138/125 Female 5'4"
BF:
Progress: 46%
Location: Canada
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lulumae
I went to a party with some former colleagues a few weeks ago and one lady - who is older and thinner than I am told me I shouldn't lose any more weight, but I really think it was because she liked me being fatter than her.

I must admit when my assistant lost about 25 lb with Weight Watchers I was pretty envious, as she looked really nice, but I didn't tell her to stop! LOL.



I think Lulumae hot the nail on the head here. Only you can determine your ideal weight, and what is comfortable for you. Great job on your previous loss!
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  #22   ^
Old Thu, Sep-26-13, 06:38
Kirsteen's Avatar
Kirsteen Kirsteen is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 3,819
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 217/145/143 Female 171cm
BF:
Progress: 97%
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I think it boils down to this choice: is it more important to you to have a really slim body and dress accordingly, or is it more important that your face looks good? You probably cannot have both just yet, given that you admit that you are beginning to look a bit gaunt.

People do look slimmer when doing low-carb than they did when they ate a carb-rich diet, and I think you should bear this in mind. You might be able to slow up on trying to lose weight, and start to try toning exercises instead to streamline your shape more.. Your face might well fill out a little over time, and then you might be ready to lose a little more weight.

I don't think everyone is jealous that you have lost weight.. They are probably just giving their honest opinion, and it probably reflects the fact that you have lost the weight quite quickly and your skin hasn't quite recovered yet. However, it's how you feel and your priorities which matter most.

I am 5'8" too. Personally, I cannot lose under 168, but even though I was far, far lighter and slimmer when I was younger, my actual clothes size is only one size bigger. I don't really understand that, given the generous covering of fat over my whole body, but it's a fact.
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  #23   ^
Old Thu, Sep-26-13, 08:41
Whofan's Avatar
Whofan Whofan is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 2,550
 
Plan: Low Carb Primal
Stats: 170/135/135 Female 5ft.6in.
BF:
Progress: 100%
Location: New York Metro area
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I agree that it's your own business and ignore the comments, as long as you are sensible about your health. Over time the comments will stop as people get used to your appearance and can see that you are fit and healthy. At least, that's what happened to me.

How we perceive ourselves depends sometimes on where we hold our fat. Even at my teenage thinnest I still had upper arms and legs that IMO were proportionally too big for my skinny bust/waist/hips. That gave an illusion of plumpness - in my mind - which I thought was unfair and very hard to solve. I had to develop an eating disorder to get my arms and legs slim enough. Ridiculous, I know, and I too look back at old photos and wonder what on earth I was thinking. On the other hand, I had friends who were bigger and heavier than me, but I envied them because their skinny arms and legs made them look thin.

But sometimes things work in our favor - I had a round face in my youth, again adding to the illusion of plumpness, at least in my mind, but age has indeed elongated and slimmed it, as Liz mentioned above, so that now there's some shape and cheekbones. I'm happy with how I look now, wrinkles and all!
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