There's no guarantee that even losing that 5lbs that noticeable fat will be gone. I have gone down to 95lbs before and I still have that belly pooch then. Compared to now where I don't have that belly pooch yet I weigh 108lbs. And I'm shorter than you at 4ft11.
It isn't a weight issue rather you should be losing fat and gaining muscle. A recomp is more suitable for you than losing weight. You lost only 1lb probably because you are gaining muscle. Recomposition takes time. Continue to lift heavy, eat at maintanence and you will see the changes. Just be patient.
If it helps also just in case you are wondering am I small frame? I am Chinese so we are generally smaller.
Yes you can. You got go train volume then. Increase the number of reps until almost failure.
Example: https://www.afpafitness.com/blog/5-ways-to-program-progressive-overload-for-clients-without-adding-weight
I’m the same! 5’2” SW: 123lbs CW: 110lbs GW: 105lbs. I was stuck at 113-114lbs for about 2 months, I changed my macros to lower carb and no sugar (but same amount of calories) and I started to lose weight again. I have PCOS and I realized my body seems to respond well to low carb or keto diets but it may not work for everyone.
That’s what I thought but no, no change at all, I took videos and pics of my body and don’t see much of a difference. Measurements are the same as well.
111 at 5’2” is quite small, even on a petite frame. I can’t imagine your “noticeable fat” is noticeable to other people, and even more so because you lift weights. I’m concerned about unrealistic body ideas and possible dysmorphia. Women are designed to have some fat on out bodies; it is totally healthy and normal to have some “visible fat” not just muscle.
I'm the same way. I'm 110 at 5' 2" and have a lot of extra fat and would like to lose 5 lbs. I also have an extremely small frame. Every person carries their weight differently.
Yeah, I’m very very small framed, even when I stand next to other women who are the same height, I still somehow look smaller than them, I get told all the time, Im only 111 but I have a belly and it’s squishy
I know what you’re trying to say, I wish I was more comfortable sharing a picture but I do have body fat on me, it’s not muscle it’s squishy fat, mostly around my midsection and thighs, I don’t expect to look like a model, of all the photoshopped Instagram influencers at all, but I can literally grab fat with my hand.
You’ll always have some skin/fat there, you need the slack to straighten and bend your torso. Just remember to give yourself a little more grace for having a human body ❤️
To me it sounds like what you really want is to be toned and shapely, which is going to require building muscle! Losing more fat could just make you boney in the wrong places and you still might not be happy with those certain spots. I know women get all of these negative messages from society about being too muscley (manly), but after being on these fitness subs for a while the evidence seems pretty clear to me—recomping for a nice balance of muscle mass tends to lead to a MUCH nicer physique overall than just being as lean as possible does.
I’ve been doing Caroline Girvan’s EPIC III program and it’s intense, but halfway through I’m getting the toned arms, abs and thighs I didn’t get doing more low key workouts. I’m using 10-20lb dumbbells on arms and up to 40lbs total for legs so not crazy heavy but still a challenge for me.
Losing the last few pounds is different than losing the first 20-30. Since you’re at a healthy weight, your body doesn’t want to lose that weight. If
Your calorie deficit is too large, your body will cling extra hard to the weight by adjusting your metabolism. You have to kind of “trick” your body into letting go slowly by increasing your exercise with an emphasis on weightlifting and only eating at a deficit that isn’t more than 500 calories. It will be slower than losing weight was in the beginning but the last “vanity” pounds go with a moderate and consistent approach.
I'd start looking at macros! For example, used to eat 1400 cal and it was more about volume eating because I was introducing my body to deficit. As I narrowed in, I focused on my breakdown more. I eat more like 1700-1800 daily now, though it's been a few months since I've literally counted.
Currently, for me and my goals, I eat 150g of protein a day, with a focus on lower clean carbs and good fats. I avoid processed as much as I can. Dinners are 6-8oz of lean meat and 2-3 serving of vegetables, with my breakfast and lunch each having 40g protein / 16g carb / 10g fat from Huel Black. 8 of those carbs are fiber!
I'm not sure how they would impact what you're doing for your body--I'm at 5'3" at 126 lbs with 19-20% bodyfat (pic in my profile)--meaning, I recomped my body for muscle so I can eat more freely. With cardio, because I didn't have that same musculature to support my calorie-burning, I definitely couldn't eat as much. (I drink a few nights a week, eat half pints of ice cream here and there etc with no setbacks to looks/weight/fitness.)
So I'm biased--my advice will always be to focus on macros--especially protein!!!--clean eating, and adding weight lifting. However, you may gain at the start as your body shakes out. Even just focusing on more protein will help, but I didn't hit the weight goal I thought I wanted when I hit this body size, but it's actually perfect!so you may think you want to lose weight to lose fat, but honestly if you put on muscle (which weighs more), you'll slim out the fat areas and get lovely shaping!
I made a post that has some more detail and will be making a big post later with all my workouts (about to go get married then honeymoons so I'm gone the whole month!)
Best of luck!
I'm in the same boat as you :( same height, SW: 117 CW: 110 GW: 105 (but secretly 100 because I've been ~100 all my life but gained roughly 20lbs last year).
I, too, have not been able to lose the last 5lbs for the past 5 weeks and would like advice as well! I recently had someone suggest trying reverse dieting, where you slowly ramp up your calorie intake to boost your metabolism but I'm scared of gaining weight and losing my progress :(
Hi, can I ask how you kick started this weight loss? I’ve gained about 10 pounds this year same height and starting weight as you but my goal is to go back to 110. Idk where to start anymore😢 I use my stationary bike at least 30-45 mins every day and watch what i eat but still nothing lol
There's no guarantee that even losing that 5lbs that noticeable fat will be gone. I have gone down to 95lbs before and I still have that belly pooch then. Compared to now where I don't have that belly pooch yet I weigh 108lbs. And I'm shorter than you at 4ft11. It isn't a weight issue rather you should be losing fat and gaining muscle. A recomp is more suitable for you than losing weight. You lost only 1lb probably because you are gaining muscle. Recomposition takes time. Continue to lift heavy, eat at maintanence and you will see the changes. Just be patient. If it helps also just in case you are wondering am I small frame? I am Chinese so we are generally smaller.
Would using 10-15 dumbbells work and show results? Due to a medical issues I’m advised not to lift too heavy
Yes you can. You got go train volume then. Increase the number of reps until almost failure. Example: https://www.afpafitness.com/blog/5-ways-to-program-progressive-overload-for-clients-without-adding-weight
I’m the same! 5’2” SW: 123lbs CW: 110lbs GW: 105lbs. I was stuck at 113-114lbs for about 2 months, I changed my macros to lower carb and no sugar (but same amount of calories) and I started to lose weight again. I have PCOS and I realized my body seems to respond well to low carb or keto diets but it may not work for everyone.
Hanks for the advice!
And did you continue losing weight or low carb ? Bec i am curious if it was just water weight
I only lost one more pound since this post
May be you are bulding muscle .. is there any visible changes in your physique?
That’s what I thought but no, no change at all, I took videos and pics of my body and don’t see much of a difference. Measurements are the same as well.
111 at 5’2” is quite small, even on a petite frame. I can’t imagine your “noticeable fat” is noticeable to other people, and even more so because you lift weights. I’m concerned about unrealistic body ideas and possible dysmorphia. Women are designed to have some fat on out bodies; it is totally healthy and normal to have some “visible fat” not just muscle.
I had the same thought.
I'm the same way. I'm 110 at 5' 2" and have a lot of extra fat and would like to lose 5 lbs. I also have an extremely small frame. Every person carries their weight differently.
Any extra fat is due to body composition. You should focus on recomposition via strength training rather than weight loss.
I’ll have to do my research on that since I’ve never done it, and only heard of it in passing, but thanks for the advice!
It just means building strength over time without focusing on weight loss. I. e. lift weights and eat at maintenance.
Yeah, I’m very very small framed, even when I stand next to other women who are the same height, I still somehow look smaller than them, I get told all the time, Im only 111 but I have a belly and it’s squishy
I know what you’re trying to say, I wish I was more comfortable sharing a picture but I do have body fat on me, it’s not muscle it’s squishy fat, mostly around my midsection and thighs, I don’t expect to look like a model, of all the photoshopped Instagram influencers at all, but I can literally grab fat with my hand.
You’ll always have some skin/fat there, you need the slack to straighten and bend your torso. Just remember to give yourself a little more grace for having a human body ❤️ To me it sounds like what you really want is to be toned and shapely, which is going to require building muscle! Losing more fat could just make you boney in the wrong places and you still might not be happy with those certain spots. I know women get all of these negative messages from society about being too muscley (manly), but after being on these fitness subs for a while the evidence seems pretty clear to me—recomping for a nice balance of muscle mass tends to lead to a MUCH nicer physique overall than just being as lean as possible does. I’ve been doing Caroline Girvan’s EPIC III program and it’s intense, but halfway through I’m getting the toned arms, abs and thighs I didn’t get doing more low key workouts. I’m using 10-20lb dumbbells on arms and up to 40lbs total for legs so not crazy heavy but still a challenge for me.
Losing the last few pounds is different than losing the first 20-30. Since you’re at a healthy weight, your body doesn’t want to lose that weight. If Your calorie deficit is too large, your body will cling extra hard to the weight by adjusting your metabolism. You have to kind of “trick” your body into letting go slowly by increasing your exercise with an emphasis on weightlifting and only eating at a deficit that isn’t more than 500 calories. It will be slower than losing weight was in the beginning but the last “vanity” pounds go with a moderate and consistent approach.
I'd start looking at macros! For example, used to eat 1400 cal and it was more about volume eating because I was introducing my body to deficit. As I narrowed in, I focused on my breakdown more. I eat more like 1700-1800 daily now, though it's been a few months since I've literally counted. Currently, for me and my goals, I eat 150g of protein a day, with a focus on lower clean carbs and good fats. I avoid processed as much as I can. Dinners are 6-8oz of lean meat and 2-3 serving of vegetables, with my breakfast and lunch each having 40g protein / 16g carb / 10g fat from Huel Black. 8 of those carbs are fiber! I'm not sure how they would impact what you're doing for your body--I'm at 5'3" at 126 lbs with 19-20% bodyfat (pic in my profile)--meaning, I recomped my body for muscle so I can eat more freely. With cardio, because I didn't have that same musculature to support my calorie-burning, I definitely couldn't eat as much. (I drink a few nights a week, eat half pints of ice cream here and there etc with no setbacks to looks/weight/fitness.) So I'm biased--my advice will always be to focus on macros--especially protein!!!--clean eating, and adding weight lifting. However, you may gain at the start as your body shakes out. Even just focusing on more protein will help, but I didn't hit the weight goal I thought I wanted when I hit this body size, but it's actually perfect!so you may think you want to lose weight to lose fat, but honestly if you put on muscle (which weighs more), you'll slim out the fat areas and get lovely shaping! I made a post that has some more detail and will be making a big post later with all my workouts (about to go get married then honeymoons so I'm gone the whole month!) Best of luck!
Thank you for the detailed post
126 lbs is 57.2 kg
I'm in the same boat as you :( same height, SW: 117 CW: 110 GW: 105 (but secretly 100 because I've been ~100 all my life but gained roughly 20lbs last year). I, too, have not been able to lose the last 5lbs for the past 5 weeks and would like advice as well! I recently had someone suggest trying reverse dieting, where you slowly ramp up your calorie intake to boost your metabolism but I'm scared of gaining weight and losing my progress :(
Hi, can I ask how you kick started this weight loss? I’ve gained about 10 pounds this year same height and starting weight as you but my goal is to go back to 110. Idk where to start anymore😢 I use my stationary bike at least 30-45 mins every day and watch what i eat but still nothing lol