Healthy weight?

[Stinkweed]

Is there like an at-home do it yourself way to determine your healthy weight? You see, it's been buggin me because a year ago I was really overweight. I'm a little bit over 6' but I was 245lbs. Right now I'm 190lbs, and the difference is noticeable or course. But after I got past the 200lbs mark, things have gone realllyyy slooooowww. But I can't help but be annoyed at how some parts of me still look kinda chubby. I mean, my original goal was 180lbs and now 175lbs. But I don't think that even after losing 15lbs I'll look good. I mean, what I have left must be more than just 15 lbs. So it's really annoying that I try VERY hard. I eat pretty healthy, small quantities and about every 3 hours. Still I think I eat less than 1500 calories a day, and I work out daily (sometimes I do a little weights. When I do I make sure I drink a protein shake for the extra protein) and do 30 minutes pretty intense cardio to the point that I'm dripping with sweat (it's this work-out plan that supposedly makes your metabolism become faster or something... I dunno if I can find the link to the page, but if you want to see it, just let me know and I'll try to find it). Still haven't been able to go below 190lbs even though I've changed a lot of things along the way. Shoud I go see an expert or something at this point? Because it seems that doing things my way is not working... Not at least now it isn't. Best wishes.

[Scotcha]

I just went to a website (link removed) and punched in your height and weight to find out your BMI. (body mass index)

 

BMI is a general indicator of a healthy weight ranges for your height, age, and weight.

 

I picked a random day for your birthday, just made sure it had you as being 18.

 

BMI also does not directly measure the percentage of body fat and so someone who exercizes a lot and has a good amount of muscle could end up in the overweight category when in fact they actually are not. It is only a general indication.

 

Anyway, I hope this helped but I wanted to add that...

 

You're only eating 1500 calories a day??? You are a male, you are very active, and you are still growing. It is really unhealthy to be eating as little as you are. I believe you should really be consuming between 2000 and 2200 calories a day.

[LostInMyThoughts]

Yes go see your doctor.

 

I'm 5'11 and 199lbs. According to the BMI calculation, I'm obese. According to the body fat percentage test I just had, at 15% I'm Fit.

 

So, go see a doctor.

 

Find out what your cholestoral is, what your resting heart rate is, what your body fat percentage is. Those determine if you're healthy. Not how much you weigh.

[Stinkweed]

It's weird cause I'm pretty strong, I know this. I mean, I bet I have a six-pack, lol. It just happens to be hidden behind the groceries. And I have some love-handles (Not too much, but some). It just happens that fat's always been pretty much equally distributed all over my body. And my butt's kinda flabby still and even my arms a very very little bit as well as my chest and thighs and calves. I dunno why. I'm being as honest as I can, even though all I just said is kinda embarrassing. Like it doesn't show much through clothes, but it IS there, and it annoys me/makes me feel self-conscious. I'm not going for a male-model look, but at least I want to look more decent like the "average" semi-athletic guy my age. I guess I'll have to see a doctor then, cause it's got me puzzled. If what that site says is true, then something's probably funky besides the fact that I supposedly should be eating over 2000 calories a day?!? When I eat that no matter how much I excercise, I just gain weight. It just seems like A LOT. When I was 14, I visited a nutritionist who assigned me an 1800 calory diet plan and at least 20 minutes cardio or 1 hour walks. So I think 2000 is kinda too much... Just what I think.

[LostInMyThoughts]

Stinkweed, you sound a lot like me in many ways.

 

People hold their fat in different areas, at 15% body fat, you would think I wouldn't have much fat, but I do. I have a flabby stomache. It's just the way it is, some people just aren't going to have six pack abs without *A LOT* of effort.

 

When you say average atheltic build, who are you basing this after? I think a lot of what you see in magazines is unrealistic. Those models prepare for their shoots by not eating, losing water weight, and working out right before a shoot. It's like some girls who grow up and thinking about having bodies like supermodels.

 

When you say you're gaining weight by exercising, what exercises are you doing?

 

2000 calories is not much. I generally have to eat 3400+ calories a day to maintain my body weight given the amount of physical activity I do (I'm a Mixed Martial Artist).

 

I know what you mean about being self consious. I'm 199lbs of almost pure muscle, but because my stomache and love-handles, I feel like I look like crap. There are exercises you can do to help tone and firmup your stomache, but it's going to take a good deal of effort on your part.

 

In the end what it comes down to is why does it matter to you that you have an appealing body style?

[Stinkweed]

When you say average atheltic build, who are you basing this after? I think a lot of what you see in magazines is unrealistic. Those models prepare for their shoots by not eating, losing water weight, and working out right before a shoot. It's like some girls who grow up and thinking about having bodies like supermodels.

 

I already said I'm not hoping/going for the male model type of thing. I've unwillingly had to take Physical education in school, and unfortunately during those uncomfortable locker room moments regular kids looked a lot better than I look even now. And they didn't even look close to what a male model looks like by the way. And I'm not sayin I GOTTA look like them. But I do want to look better than I do (and it's ok even if the six-pack doesn't show, cause I don't care. I just don't want to look all flabby, at least on my arms and stuff).

 

I don't gain weight with excercise. I said I gain weight when I eat 2000 calories a day EVEN if I exercise, which sucks. I've tried it in the past, and that's what I've gotten. Well actually if I eat 2000 and exercise like I do know I just tend to maintain my weight, not to lose weight. The only way I've ever lost weight was by eating little and exercising a lot. I actually THINK I eat like 1600 calories. I'm not 100 percent sure. I can give you more exact numbers and maybe there's nothing to worry about that. I just don't have those numbers right now. But like you said, you're a mixed martial artist. I'm no martial artist. You probably work out for like 6 hours a day or more. I must work out for like 2 at most. So yeah, there's still a huge difference.

[LostInMyThoughts]

Not quite.

 

Mondays and thursdays, 3 hours of jiujitsu muay thai and boxing. Tuesdays and fridays 20 minute 2.5 mile run, Wednesdays 2 hours of boxing.

 

So thats about 8.75 hours of exercise in 5 days. Compared to your 10 hours of exercise in 5 days.

 

At anyrate, I asked about what exercises you are doing because weight training increases your body weight.

 

Secondarily, have you worked with a personal trainer? From the sounds of it, you're plateauing. The problem is, you're also killing (figuratively) by not taking proper nutrition.

 

It's time to be scientific with yoru approach.

 

Have you had your Basal Metabolic Rate measured? That tells you how much calories you burn normally. Once you know your BMR, add the amount of calories you burn via exercise. Weight training doesn't burn nearly as much calories as cardiovascular or plyometric exercise. Thats the amount of calories you burn in a day. From there you should have a good idea about what your calorie intake should be to produce healthy weight loss.

 

It's possible that you're starving your body by eating such few calories, so that when you do eat, your body is immediately converting the food to fat and storing it. This is why people who starve themselves to lose weight, end up gaining the weight back quickly, and then some, when they start eating normally again.

 

My suggestion: talk to a doctor, then talk to a personal trainer.

[Stinkweed]

Mondays and thursdays, 3 hours of jiujitsu muay thai and boxing. Tuesdays and fridays 20 minute 2.5 mile run, Wednesdays 2 hours of boxing.

 

So thats about 8.75 hours of exercise in 5 days. Compared to your 10 hours of exercise in 5 days.

 

No way. I said 2 hours AT MOST. I seriously doubt I even get past the 1 hour most of the time (that's like 95% of the time, lol). And sometimes I just can't do it every day. Like last week: It was a very tough week, so I was only able to work out for 4 days. Like 4 years ago I did do about 8 hours a week, but then stopped and dropped down to like 5, cause first I was feeling burnt out, and also because I lost motivation because I didn't lose weight back then, but now I think it is because I just ate way too much. Now I do like 30 minutes of intese cardio (for the first 20 minutes I do 30 seconds of almost sprinting and 30 seconds of pretty fast jogging every minute. Then the last 10 minutes i just do the fast jogging). Then I do weight for about 15 minutes every other day. So that's 3.15 hours weekly on your average week. Then every day I do pushups also and some crunches (this I do EVERY single day, cause it's easy to do right after I wake up and right before going to bed). Sometimes I might have some spare time on my week so I might add an extra-hour tops. Sometimes I might have not enough time so I might subtract about 45 mins - hour. So it depends, yea, but still it's not even close to 8.75. Sorry I wasn't thinking clearly when I said 2 hours daily, yeah... So your muscle mass should be through the roof compared to mine, especially since I don't do weights to gain mass per se. I try to tone/become lean...

 

But yes, in the end I guess I'll have to talk to a doctor....

 

BMI alone is not an accurate indicator. For example, "THe Rock" (The wrestler)based on his BMI is overweight (Lots of Muscle Mass).

The most accurate means of determining fat vs lean mass is Hydrostatic weighing, of which only highly paid professional athletes and olympic athletes can take advantage of.

 

 

Your type of caloric intake can affect you weight gain/ loss as well.

 

Mesomorphic body type: Angular, stocky, even division of weight above and below. USUALLY able to create the most dense muscle mass.Best form of exercise tends to be anaerobic: the source of fuel for this activity is CARBOHYDRATES.

 

Endomorphic body type: Pear shape, center of body usually the area where the most fat is retained. Best most EFFECTIVE exercise tends to be AEROBIC. (The only way to burn fat is aerobic: the source of fuel for this activity is OXYGEN.)

 

Ectomorphic body type: Slender, long legs and arms. Limber. Usually the place this body type may store fat is in their belly. Best source of exercise for this body type is Anaerobic and Aerobic.

 

You can be a combination body type, like an Endo/Meso.

 

Also, when I do a fitness assessment on a new client, I ask lots of questions to determine what time of day would be most advantageous for them to exercise.

 

Vary your activity. Eat 5 smaller meals each day. NO EATING after 8:00 P.M.

Avoid fat, canned/processed/frozen/fast foods. Stick with WHOLE FOODS.

 

I.E. foods that occur naturally, in their natural state. Like:

 

Eggs (Yes, high in protein)

Lean Meat

Lower fat dairy ( yogurt,cottage cheese, hard cheeses, not processed,2% milk)

Fruit

Veggies

Brown Rice (Never white...it gets stripped of all it's good stuff)

Legumes...Beans are your friend!

 

Even 10 minutes of exercise is better than nothing.

 

3 Things to use to gauge your progress:

 

Frequency, (How often)

Intensity, (How hard you are working)

Duration, (How long are you working out)

 

Keep at it. Consistency is the key.

 

I'm pretty sure I'd fit in the mesomorphic category... I mean, fat is pretty evenly distributed throughout my body, although there might be SOME endomorphic on me, cause I think if I were to pick that one place where I have a little more fat than on all the others, it would be down there (my butt and a little bit on my thighs to be more precise). But there's no really lean part of me. The thing is that I've found out that carbs are killer to me. I have observed the pattern that every time I eat too many carbs I start to gain weight (I do eat carbs, especially the ones coming from lettuce, fruit some cereals and such. But I don't eat bread, pasta, etc cause that does make me gain weight). So, is it that I need more anaerobic exercise going on (I guess I do give more importance to cardio, cause I've always thought it was the one way to burn fat...)? I mean, I guess I'd have to rephrase what I said above: My original goal was to just slim down/become lean... So when i first started I didn't even lift AT ALL. Now I do lift a little in hopes that maybe broader shoulders and a broader back and bigger arms will make me look a bit better even if I still got fat around my arms and a bit of love handles... So in a way it'll be impossible for me to just be slender, because I'm lifting, which is ok, as long as I at least look good. I mean the idea of looking "stronger" doesn't bother me at all either... Or am I completely wrong about something? So Should I take the weights more seriously or something?

[Stinkweed]

Lost...very good guidelines. I want to add that my clients (I have a home-based personal training biz that is tailored for people who hate gyms) MOST under-report their caloric intake. The reasons being:

1) They lie

2) They don't understand portions

3) They don't really keep track of what they eat.

 

Well the main reason I even joined these forums was the liberty to be honest without the risk of feeling embarrassed in front of people I know who might use it against me, etc. So I wouldn't lie in here, really. I might exaggerate sometimes (such as the 2 hours a day thing, which I hope I've now clarified is not very exact), but I don't lie, lol. Anyway I COUNTED it. Today I've eaten 1380 calories, but I haven't worked out (I woke up too tired so I decided to sleep an extra hour... I might work out a bit later though). For dinner I'll be consuming about 300 calories (tabouli salad... I just love that stuff). And it's not like I ever suffer from hunger or anxiety... So I never thought there was anything wrong with what I'm doing. But there must be, hence my dilemma...

 

 

Join your local meeting. Keep the food journal. Listen and read the material they provide you. Less than 1% of our population has a medical reason for their obesity. (I am NOT saying you are obese, by the way!)

 

I know I'm not... Well at least I think so. I'm kinda chunky but not OBESE!

 

I also have trained in Martial Arts (Brown Belt) and that is NOT aerobic.

 

I never said I did that. I said I did 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 20 of which I alternate between near-sprints and fast jogging for 30 and 30 seconds every minute. The last 10 minutes I just do the fast jogging. I dunno about the my heart rate, I guess I'd have to take a look. But I try to maintain it above 190 for at least 20 minutes. I dunno what my max heartrate is but my resting heart rate is 76 (I dunno if that's bad, but oh well...). My colesterol has NEVER ever in my life been high. It's always at a safe distance from the top of the "healthy" limit. I dunno the exact number for right now, and I don't have the last blood test I got done at hand, but I do remember knowing I was at a good level.

 

Oh Oh Oh...,...Pilates DUDE! YOGA! Tai Chi (I am learning to teach Yang short form, and it is HARD!) You want A "lean" body buy the Windsor Pilates DVD's.

(Mat Pilates) It takes some practice to do correctly, but I think you will love the results.

 

And that would be anaerobic right? The thing is... Ok, I don't have any pictures of what I'd like to look like. But it's just regular kids my age who look like that, who're not even necessarily "athletes" and stuff. I dunno if I can find a pic of someone who looks like what I have in mind but if you want me to I can pm you one or something if I find it. And I see some of them eat much more than I do, and it just kinda makes me wonder what is it that I'm doing wrong... It's GOTTA be something. I thought I was eating the right food. Now I think I'm eating the right food and the right quantity (I don't suffer from hunger as I said before, yet I'm never eating to the point I feel too full). Maybe I just have to wait a little longer? I'm gonna see how much I weight this weekend (2 weeks after the last time I weighed myself). If I haven't lost any weight, or I have gained weight, I will definitively go see a doctor ASAP. It's just that it's fat in places like my thighs and a little bit on the lowere part of my chest (surprisingly, when I flex it's not noticeable, and I can feel the muscle, especially on the upper part, but then when I relax it it almost look like some sort of small man-boobs or something... Same with my butt, my thighs and my arms... Looking kinda flabby when I'm relaxed, but when I felx it looks pretty muscular. But it's flabby as in fat-flabby, definitively not like muscle-flabby as in the huge body-builders whose muscles sometimes look flabby when they're not flexing).

 

Now if you would deposit $30.00.....

 

Cash or credit? Btw, that's an amazing price!

 

Thank you very much. Best wishes.

[Stinkweed]

Please eat a little more. And let us know how you are doing.

 

The thing is that this plan is the only thing that's ever worked for me. You think I didn't use to eat more a couple of years ago. And I exercised A LOT. I didn't lose a single pound. I think I'm just gonna try the pilates. And at the end of the day it was actually 1680 calories. It's like I've noticed now that my weight used to be more evenly distributed: I used to do martial arts so my legs were pretty much the strongest I had. And I was equally fat all around. Actually, my upper body was the fattest: I had HUGE love handles and a pretty big belly. Now it's like I've lost a lot more fat from my upper body (But I still have some left...), but the lower body's stayed almost the same. I don't even know if it'll all go away (well, I'm not saying ALL, but I do want to get my body fat percentage down to at least 20%....) by losing 15 pounds... I mean, 15 pounds are a lot of fat, right? So maybe I should wait till I lose it and if I still look like crap (which would most likely be that I lost more muscle mass than fat), I'll go see a doctor so I can have a better diet plan then. I just know what my body would look like if I slimmed down... But I'm just afraid that either:

a. I'm losing muscle mass? I mean, I dunno but I look in a lot better shape than what I did before I started my regime

b. I need to gain much more mucle if I want all that fat to not be as noticeable (I might be wrong, but I think that if my back and shoulders were bigger, maybe my thighs and butt wouldn't look big by comparison anymore)

c. I'll have to lose like 30 pounds instead of just 15. This one's not likely the problem, I guess, right?

 

ALSO, I have a question: Is it true that eating fish is bad when you're trying to lose that fat around the chest area I was talking about earlier? I still have some left there, and even though the muscle below is a lot bigger than before (so when I flex, it's not very noticeable, except for the lower part a little...). So I eat fish pretty often and I was wondering if this was true (I read it in a men's fitness message board, and I dunno how trustworthy the source was). Thanks and best wishes.

[Stinkweed]

You are young, and your bones are probubly still in developement. Girls usually finish "growing" about 19, guys 19-21. I have had people ask me "I want to look like so and so" When in realty the shape you are given is the one that you can work with and improve.

 

You should be eating at least 2000 calories a day. When your body is deprived of what it requires it will use your muscle to feed itself. 1300 calories is contra-indicated here.

 

And about that... I mean, it's just that I've been fat ever since I was like 9. Over the years I got fatter and fatter, and always self-conscious and other kids made fun of me. And I guess it still bothers me BIG TIME, and I just don't wanna spend another year of my youth like this (and I dunno how to not be self-conscious... I mean, I'll have to get hypnotized or something), and eating 2000 calories never worked for me (as I've already said, yes I've eaten 2000 calories before and worked out like a madman, and didn't lose a single pound. Then I started eating 1800, and it still didn't work. The only thing that's worked is what I started doing a year ago, which is what I'm doing now, except maybe I'm working out a little bit harder now...). So I really dunno what else to do, except just keep doing what I'm already doing... I might try the pilates just to add a little variety to my workouts, but I'm afraid eating more just won't work.

[Stinkweed]

Everyone is different. Some store fat in areas others do not. Fish, by the way is excellent to eat. Keep it to 3 meals a week (because most fish has some heavy metal and mercury in it)

 

Try weight watchers. Google the 800 number, put in your zip code and go to your nearest meeting.

 

It takes approximately 6 weeks for the "training effect" to kick in. Some of us (And you see I used the term "US" LOL) will always carry some fat in areas we don't want it. You can't "spot reduce" but you can spot train.

 

Well, I might try the weight watchers thing... I do eat veggies at least with ONE of my meals (most of the time it's much more than that...). I just dunno how to eat more calories without having to eat like pasta and that kinda crap which makes me gain weight like crazy. I mean, I eat enough veggies, and I wouldn't wanna eat to the point that I feel sick and turn green like the incredible hulk from the rush of greens entering my body in order to reach those 2000 calories... I know you can't spot train, it's just that I look at myself, and I don't see myself as 15 pounds overweight, I see myself as like 25 pounds overweight (well I dunno that many people who are 15 pounds overweight, to be honest... But 15 pounds of that extra fat? Is it really supposed to look like a lot? Maybe it is then I'm pretty normal... Well, there is that weightloss pill commercial where they show "just 5 pounds of fat" and it looks like a HUGE chunk of lard... And no I take no weightloss pills of any kind. But I just would think that I've got 15 pounds of extra fat but in like my butt, thighs and some of my midsection, and like 10 more spread all over my chest, arms etc. I mean, maybe I'm not consciously taking in account that if I lose 15 pounds of fat, I still will have some fat left, which is healthy, of course, it's just that I'm not picturing that fat there in my "ideal self-image"...). REALLY sorry if I lost you there... I mean, it just can't be that I'm like losing muscle mass (I'm stronger than ever, and when I flex it even shows through that extra fat). I think that I'm gonna try on my own for just another 2 months and see how it goes... Or at least until I actually have the time to pay a visit to weigh watchers (because these last 2 weeks have been horribly hectic... But I've managed to stay pretty strict with my regime from since a year ago).

 

I like my men big (My Hubby is 6'3" and weighs 225 lbs) Add more veggies, fruit and dairy to your diet. Most young guys I know don't eat enough plant material.

 

I myself wouldn't mind being kinda chubby/big if it wasn't for those places where the fat is stored in my body... I'm just tired of not having a flatter chest, or a more decent-sized butt and thighs in comparison with the rest of my body. I mean, my love handles and belly fat and even arm fat don't bug me near as much as those other places... I mean, back when I was 245 pounds it was just unhealthy, but I could've chosen to live happily being 210 pounds (which is more than what I weigh as of now already...), if I could've spot trained those spots that bug me so much and make me self-conscious... Seeing that that is impossible and that even as of now those spots are still noticeable and still bug me, the only solution I've seen is to lower my entire body fat as a whole, which is what I'm trying to do... Now, if I could only stop constantly thinking about this topic... I mean there's nothing wrong with wanting to be in shape, but I sometimes get sidetracked thinking about how badly I want to lose weight and desperate to see results more quickly, because sometimes I lose 5 pounds and it just appears to not be noticeable at all (it might be noticeable... It's just that I've never been the one to notice whenever I lose weight until I see an old photo from 6 months ago)... Well, thank you and best wishes.