when is it "good enough"? (the obsession of weight loss)

"joanne" wrote in message
ups.com...


On Nov 4, 7:39 pm, "determined" wrote:
Unfortunately, I have that apple shape, and as I lose weight, I lose it
in
the same proportion. I fear that I will never achieve an hourglass shape
at
all!

Just wondering what you do for exercise. ..cardio? weights? both?

2-3 days of weights, in a 1 hr "Group Power" class, and 2-3 days of a 1 hr
spinning class. Each day that I exercise, I burn between 400-600 calories,
according to my hrm. I'm sure it's pretty accurate, because my heart rate
is often up around 160 bpm.

"sirch" wrote in message
...
"determined" wrote in message
. ..
I've been listening to other people here and started thinking about my
own
insecurities and body image problems. Because I have such a skewed and
negative view of myself, I wonder how I will know when I have reached
"good
enough". I know it's such a vague thing, and depends on personal and
fitness goals. I am down to 22% bodyfat, and weigh 127-130 lbs. I am
more
fit than I ever have been before. I am exercising 4 times a week, and
eat
healthy 90% of the time. And when I put my clothes on or look in the
mirror, I feel fat. It's a mental thing I guess. When I first started,
I
wanted to reach 22% bodyfat. Now I wonder, do I go for 18-20%? How do I
know if it's just vanity or a realistic and healthy goal? I think that I
want to get down to 122-125, which should put me at around 20% bodyfat.
But
it's killing me to be so obsessed with counting calories, exercising,
watching the scale, etc. I don't want to be on a "diet" anymore. I just
want to exercise a few days a week, and eat normal, and splurge once in
awhile, and just have my clothes fit and not have to freak out if I ate a
few too many cookies.



*Now I wonder, do I go for 18-20%?*

Yes, Why not? 16-20% is considered GOOD/LEAN.
21-25% is considered AVERAGE/FAIR

I think it's great that you've gotten to where you are, but did you have
a certain goal in mind before you started dieting?

That should be your determining factor, your goal.

Yeah, 22%. I thought I'd look really good at 22%, given what I looked like
at 32%.

"determined" wrote in message
. ..

"sirch" wrote in message
...
"determined" wrote in message
. ..
I've been listening to other people here and started thinking about my
own
insecurities and body image problems. Because I have such a skewed and
negative view of myself, I wonder how I will know when I have reached
"good
enough". I know it's such a vague thing, and depends on personal and
fitness goals. I am down to 22% bodyfat, and weigh 127-130 lbs. I am
more
fit than I ever have been before. I am exercising 4 times a week, and
eat
healthy 90% of the time. And when I put my clothes on or look in the
mirror, I feel fat. It's a mental thing I guess. When I first
started,
I
wanted to reach 22% bodyfat. Now I wonder, do I go for 18-20%? How do
I
know if it's just vanity or a realistic and healthy goal? I think that
I
want to get down to 122-125, which should put me at around 20% bodyfat.
But
it's killing me to be so obsessed with counting calories, exercising,
watching the scale, etc. I don't want to be on a "diet" anymore. I
just
want to exercise a few days a week, and eat normal, and splurge once in
awhile, and just have my clothes fit and not have to freak out if I ate
a
few too many cookies.



*Now I wonder, do I go for 18-20%?*

Yes, Why not? 16-20% is considered GOOD/LEAN.
21-25% is considered AVERAGE/FAIR

I think it's great that you've gotten to where you are, but did you have
a certain goal in mind before you started dieting?

That should be your determining factor, your goal.

Yeah, 22%. I thought I'd look really good at 22%, given what I looked
like
at 32%.

I'm sure look fantastic!...That was a great goal to attain!! It's funny
how perspective works...

"sirch" wrote in message
...

"determined" wrote in message
. ..

"sirch" wrote in message
...
"determined" wrote in message
. ..
I've been listening to other people here and started thinking about my
own
insecurities and body image problems. Because I have such a skewed
and
negative view of myself, I wonder how I will know when I have reached
"good
enough". I know it's such a vague thing, and depends on personal and
fitness goals. I am down to 22% bodyfat, and weigh 127-130 lbs. I am
more
fit than I ever have been before. I am exercising 4 times a week, and
eat
healthy 90% of the time. And when I put my clothes on or look in the
mirror, I feel fat. It's a mental thing I guess. When I first
started,
I
wanted to reach 22% bodyfat. Now I wonder, do I go for 18-20%? How
do
I
know if it's just vanity or a realistic and healthy goal? I think
that
I
want to get down to 122-125, which should put me at around 20%
bodyfat.
But
it's killing me to be so obsessed with counting calories, exercising,
watching the scale, etc. I don't want to be on a "diet" anymore. I
just
want to exercise a few days a week, and eat normal, and splurge once
in
awhile, and just have my clothes fit and not have to freak out if I
ate
a
few too many cookies.



*Now I wonder, do I go for 18-20%?*

Yes, Why not? 16-20% is considered GOOD/LEAN.
21-25% is considered AVERAGE/FAIR

I think it's great that you've gotten to where you are, but did you
have
a certain goal in mind before you started dieting?

That should be your determining factor, your goal.

Yeah, 22%. I thought I'd look really good at 22%, given what I looked
like
at 32%.

I'm sure look fantastic!...That was a great goal to attain!! It's funny
how perspective works...

Still, I know that if I can lose 5 more lbs, I will be below 20% (assuming I
lose mostly fat), and if I can achieve that, I should be happy. For now,
with holidays coming and a month long trip to Germany, I will be doing good
to maintain this level for awhile, and can re-evaluate in January.

On Nov 5, 9:34 am, "determined" wrote:
lose mostly fat), and if I can achieve that, I should be happy. For now,
with holidays coming and a month long trip to Germany, I will be doing good
to maintain this level for awhile, and can re-evaluate in January

Sounds like a good plan - just try to stay on course while on vacation!
Walk alot! (but enjoy the German cuisine!) :-)
I think that once one attain a certain weight/physique you have to wear
it for awhile to become comfortable in it and then its easier to take a
step back and reset/redefine your goals. The thought that if only I was
such and such a weight I know it would be where I want to be is kind of
like when we say oh if I only made whatever in pay$ I know I could be
out of debt etc wonderful bliss, and then you get there and its not
what you expected - the reward is not there. So in this regard maybe
setting health goals instead of pounds/bodyfat %'s lost would in the
long run be more rewarding. The bigger picture instead of just the
scale moving. :-) Sometimes when we dont angst about it, and just keep
at it as a lifestyle change, it (your goals) just arrives on its own.



joanne

"determined" wrote in message
. ..

"sirch" wrote in message
...

"determined" wrote in message
. ..

"sirch" wrote in message
...
"determined" wrote in message
. ..
I've been listening to other people here and started thinking about
my
own
insecurities and body image problems. Because I have such a skewed
and
negative view of myself, I wonder how I will know when I have
reached
"good
enough". I know it's such a vague thing, and depends on personal
and
fitness goals. I am down to 22% bodyfat, and weigh 127-130 lbs. I
am
more
fit than I ever have been before. I am exercising 4 times a week,
and
eat
healthy 90% of the time. And when I put my clothes on or look in
the
mirror, I feel fat. It's a mental thing I guess. When I first
started,
I
wanted to reach 22% bodyfat. Now I wonder, do I go for 18-20%? How
do
I
know if it's just vanity or a realistic and healthy goal? I think
that
I
want to get down to 122-125, which should put me at around 20%
bodyfat.
But
it's killing me to be so obsessed with counting calories,
exercising,
watching the scale, etc. I don't want to be on a "diet" anymore. I
just
want to exercise a few days a week, and eat normal, and splurge once
in
awhile, and just have my clothes fit and not have to freak out if I
ate
a
few too many cookies.



*Now I wonder, do I go for 18-20%?*

Yes, Why not? 16-20% is considered GOOD/LEAN.
21-25% is considered AVERAGE/FAIR

I think it's great that you've gotten to where you are, but did you
have
a certain goal in mind before you started dieting?

That should be your determining factor, your goal.

Yeah, 22%. I thought I'd look really good at 22%, given what I looked
like
at 32%.

I'm sure look fantastic!...That was a great goal to attain!! It's funny
how perspective works...

Still, I know that if I can lose 5 more lbs, I will be below 20% (assuming
I
lose mostly fat), and if I can achieve that, I should be happy. For now,
with holidays coming and a month long trip to Germany, I will be doing
good
to maintain this level for awhile, and can re-evaluate in January.


Remember there's TWO ways to lose body fat, diet & EXERCISE!
Keep going, you'll do it.....Sauer Kraut, it's a natural fat burner!

your body is perfect...maybe you should see someone about the mental
thing
determined wrote:
I've been listening to other people here and started thinking about my own
insecurities and body image problems. Because I have such a skewed and
negative view of myself, I wonder how I will know when I have reached "good
enough". I know it's such a vague thing, and depends on personal and
fitness goals. I am down to 22% bodyfat, and weigh 127-130 lbs. I am more
fit than I ever have been before. I am exercising 4 times a week, and eat
healthy 90% of the time. And when I put my clothes on or look in the
mirror, I feel fat. It's a mental thing I guess. When I first started, I
wanted to reach 22% bodyfat. Now I wonder, do I go for 18-20%? How do I
know if it's just vanity or a realistic and healthy goal? I think that I
want to get down to 122-125, which should put me at around 20% bodyfat. But
it's killing me to be so obsessed with counting calories, exercising,
watching the scale, etc. I don't want to be on a "diet" anymore. I just
want to exercise a few days a week, and eat normal, and splurge once in
awhile, and just have my clothes fit and not have to freak out if I ate a
few too many cookies.

determined wrote:
"Bill Eitner" wrote in message news:dHc3h.22439

I'm assuming you're a woman.
If so, 22% bodyfat is considered fit.
If you're waist to hip ratio is 0.7,
from a health perspective you're done.
The rest is mental.

hmm. Well, with a 28" waist and 35.5" hips, I come in at .78 ratio.
Unfortunately, I have that apple shape, and as I lose weight, I lose it in
the same proportion. I fear that I will never achieve an hourglass shape at
all! And to be honest, my waist is really the only part of me I'm unhappy
with, only because I either have to wear pants that are super baggy in the
hips to fit my waist, or too tight in the waist to match my hips. When you
look at a woman's size chart, my hips are a size 2-4, while my waist is a
10-12... grrr!

It may be time to consider liposuction or
a tummy tuck.
--

On Sun, 05 Nov 2006 23:03:20 GMT, Bill Eitner
wrote:

determined wrote:
"Bill Eitner" wrote in message news:dHc3h.22439

I'm assuming you're a woman.
If so, 22% bodyfat is considered fit.
If you're waist to hip ratio is 0.7,
from a health perspective you're done.
The rest is mental.

hmm. Well, with a 28" waist and 35.5" hips, I come in at .78 ratio.
Unfortunately, I have that apple shape, and as I lose weight, I lose it in
the same proportion. I fear that I will never achieve an hourglass shape at
all! And to be honest, my waist is really the only part of me I'm unhappy
with, only because I either have to wear pants that are super baggy in the
hips to fit my waist, or too tight in the waist to match my hips. When you
look at a woman's size chart, my hips are a size 2-4, while my waist is a
10-12... grrr!

It may be time to consider liposuction or
a tummy tuck.

Before that, psychotherapy. This gal seems to have some distorted
image problems. A good theapist might be able to help her look at
things differently.

--

determined wrote:
I've been listening to other people here and started thinking about my own
insecurities and body image problems. Because I have such a skewed and
negative view of myself, I wonder how I will know when I have reached "good
enough". I know it's such a vague thing, and depends on personal and
fitness goals. I am down to 22% bodyfat, and weigh 127-130 lbs. I am more
fit than I ever have been before. I am exercising 4 times a week, and eat
healthy 90% of the time. And when I put my clothes on or look in the
mirror, I feel fat. It's a mental thing I guess. When I first started, I
wanted to reach 22% bodyfat. Now I wonder, do I go for 18-20%? How do I
know if it's just vanity or a realistic and healthy goal? I think that I
want to get down to 122-125, which should put me at around 20% bodyfat. But
it's killing me to be so obsessed with counting calories, exercising,
watching the scale, etc. I don't want to be on a "diet" anymore. I just
want to exercise a few days a week, and eat normal, and splurge once in
awhile, and just have my clothes fit and not have to freak out if I ate a
few too many cookies.

Good enough is purely subjective. For my height and build, the ideal
weight is 80kg. My goal is 85-90kg. I am realistic about my life and
my preferences. I will never be a hard-core exercise freak. To me, it
is a necessary evil. Similarly, I will never be an overly healthy
eater. The lifestyle I am choosing will always have me above my ideal
weight.

But I'm good with that. The lifestyle I was at was ridiculously
self-indulgant and careless to the point to danger. While I can't let
my weight run me over again, I also won't live my life relgiously
counting calories and wearing a worry path to the bathroom scales.

From what you are said, you are well and truly healthy, so you don't
have a "need" to lose any more. Live your life and enjoy it. Just not
to excess.

Chris