Getting in Shape

want to get in shape and make a lifestyle change

My wedding will be in June 2015, I start medical school in July 2014 

Living at home with my mother makes dieting very very difficult and FI and I kept postponing starting to work out. I was ok up until yesterday and the daybeore when I began feeling uncomfortable with myself. I am by no means fat. I am 5'9" and weight around 140. I have thyroid problems (Hashimoto's) and I used to be 118-125 all from 15-19 then college, stress, and thyroid made me go all the way up to 140. I has taken me a while to get used to this new weight, but it has never been optimal for me or comfortable. 

Now that we have a wedding in sight I really want to look my best and feel happy with myself. It diesnt help that my grandma keeps telling me I am fat everytime she can. I understand she was used to me being super skinny but my thyroid problems prevent me from shedding the weight easily or completely. The lowest I have been to is 135. 

Ideally I would be happy to be toned and 130-135. I need a lot of motivation, so FI and I are plannign on working out 3-4 times a week and buying groceries for us to keep at my house and eat healthy. 

thoughts, advice, suggestions, comments are welcome!


Re: want to get in shape and make a lifestyle change

  • I just want to say, there's nothing wrong with 5'9" and 140#.  I'm 5'4" and 145# and I would love to be your height/weight.   At 130#, you would be verrrrry close to being underweight for your height.  At 140, you are still in the low end of healthy weight and that's perfectly fine.

    Go ahead and work out, try to get toned, eat healthy.  But don't feel like you are heavy, because you aren't!
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  • @JCBride2014

    Thanks,yeah I know, when I tone down it helps me a lot. I was 115-125 all my life so going up to 140 in just a couple of months 2 years ago was harsh but I was able to be comfortable at 135-138 

    I actually weighed myself on Friday and I was 147, that made me a bit uncomfortable but it was enough to help me be motivated and eat healthy. We start workout tomorrow 



  • JCBride2014 is right--you're by no means overweight. I do agree that there's nothing wrong with getting toned and eating healthier. I've never been a fan of "fad" diets. I'm a cardiac RN and just came back from an American Heart Association conference and diet was one of the topics discussed.  If you want to be healthier, the first thing to do is to start with looking at what you eat on a daily basis--maybe do a food journal for 7 days and really look at what choices you are making.  Now, I do know you have Hashimoto's, but initially looking at what you are eating on a daily basis will give you a better perspective on what you can alter in your diet. Then it is necessary for you to add exercise.  Being a nurse with a rotating schedule, I understand completely your situation in finding  time to keep active. I have a hard time of that myself, but it is imperative to make time each week to get your heart rate up. The advise that 2-3 times a week for intense cardio workouts and 3-5 moderate workouts or some combination of the two,  Also 1-3 days of stretching/yoga/pilates for the toning and muscular strength you need to keep fit. 

    Try adding these things for 30 days. If you say "I can do this for 30 days", then  see how you feel. It takes about 30 days for form a habit, and by the end of the 30 days you will probably feel better and then realize that you can keep up this lifestyle--you may even feel like you can't function without it!

    As for healthy food intake, the AHA spoke about the Mediterranean Lifestyle--NOT diet. They looked at why these people tend to have fewer cardiac problems and looked at their diet and lifestyle patterns.  They do recommend a similar diet--I'd look it up and just see if you can add any of these elements to your daily living routine. You may find you like eating more fish and olive oil!

    Hope this helped!
  • The most important thing is not to do a specific "diet" but to make changes that you can maintain long term.  If you say "i won't eat carbs for a month" there's a good chance that as soon as that month is over (if you even make it that long) you will crave carbs, fill up on them, overdo it, and gain anything you lost.  Moderation without exclusion is key.

     

    Start an exercise routine slowly.  Maybe go to the gym 2 times the first week and work your way up from there.  If you overdo it and are super sore, you won't want to stick with it.  I agree with the previous poster - you want to make this a habit.  I set my aralm for 5:30am on weekdays so that i'll get it in before work.  It was hard to get on the schedule (i go to bed around 9:30 to make it tolerable) but now that i am, i only skip a day when i feel seriously ill.  otherwise my day just doesn't feel right.

     

    Nothing will happen quickly or immediately, but if you stick to it, it will work.  because of your thyroid issues, i would suggest consulting your doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet.

  • Oh also - i don't think you really NEED to lose weight...but eating healthy and toning up are perfectly reasonable efforts.  You will never weigh what you did in high school again.  Very very few grown women do.  I weigh about 10 pounds more than i did in high school right now.  Your body changes as you age...there's not much you can do about that.

     

    Also keep in mind that you may start toning up and losing inches without actually losing weight - muscle weighs more than fat - so be aware of that and don't get discouraged.  The number on the scale is not important.  Your general health is.

  • Thanks all! I do not believe in the restrictive diets. I believe portioning is the key to a healthy lifestyle so I have been going back to my recommended portions and I dont feel as bloated anymore. 


  • I know this thread is a bit older, but I thought I'd tell you that I'm in a very similar situation. I'm 5'8 and weigh 135. I weighed between 115-125 until I was 19 years old then had a major depression and jumped to 155/160 in about 8 months. It was awful. I stayed at that weight from 19-21 years, then went down to about 145 until I was 25, and finally down to 135 in the last two years. I know I will never be 115 again, and to be honest I think that would be way to small for me), but I'd like to have the body size I had when I weighed about 128 lbs (recognizing I may be heavier because I have more muscle now). 

    In terms of tips, when I went from 160 to 145, it happened very quickly and easily because my body wasn't "happy" there. I basically just started eating well again and I walked/took public transportation everywhere. Those simple habits helped me shed 15 lbs in no time. 

    The next 10 lbs (145-135) were quite difficult because my body was ok at 145 - just like I imagine your body is fine at your current weight. It took me about one year because I wasn't willing to dramatically cut down calories and I don't believe in fad diets. I also was in a very stressful and busy period of my life so I didn't make time to workout. Basically, I started eating extremely healthy and kept a food journal, which seemed to limit my tendency to eat muffins and other complex carbs (my main culprits). 

    If I were in your position, I'd consult with a doctor, nurse or nutritionist familiar with thyroid disorders so that they help you come up with a plan appropriate given your health concerns. I think it would be possible for you to lose about 15 lbs in one year (147-132), but I don't know anything about thyroid disorders so I could be completely wrong. You could start by keeping a food journal and generally eating healthy (maybe buying your own groceries so that you're not limited by your mom's choices). Then maybe start an exercise program you love. If you want to track calories, loseit.com is a great tool (also have an app for iPhones if you have one). I'd also recommend grabbing the book The Hormone Diet by Natasha Turner - she speaks about hormone unbalances and healthy living. Not sure the science is sound, but it may be worth checking out. 

    Good luck!! I know how frustrating it is to stop being the "skinny" one; it becomes part of how you see yourself. I'm really happy for you that you don't seem to be wishing for those days but have rather adapted your vision of yourself. If you ever want to chat, write to me!! 
  • @crimsonsaffron

    thank you so so much for your post! I have an apt to check out my thyroid and adjust my meds dosage next week. If I eat super healthy and excise everyday I am able to tone up and go down a few, I just have to find the time/motivation. Hopefully the new dosage will help with the motivation part because the thyroid imbalance really messes with energy/motivation


  • 140 at 5'9? I'm really having a hard time with this one. I'm 5'9 and 136 and don't want to get below 135. If anything I want to convert more fat into muscle (gain weight). I fluctuate between 135-140 and am perfectly happy. I'm a marathon runner and like to lift weights, but definitely run more so working on incorporating more weights.

    I would focus on converting fat into muscle and don't pay attention to the stupid scale. A couple lbs won't make you any happier, but becoming more toned and losing inches might make you feel better in a dress :) 


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  • blondelf26blondelf26 member
    First Anniversary First Comment Name Dropper
    edited April 2014
    Hey all! I'm getting married may 24th, 2015 and did the AdvoCare 24 day challenge to jump start my weightloss and healthier lifestyle. I had fantastic results and loved the products so. It's not a "fad diet" but a lifestyle change. I feel amazing and my energy is through the roof! Let me know if any of you want more information and I can send it your way! Good luck all!
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