Is it possible to lose some vanity pounds (in my case)?

Hey guys, this is my first forum topic and I hope to get some responses from like-minded people.

Well, I'm 20, 5'7" and I weigh 128 lbs (BMI 20.0). I am currently working out 6 days a week for about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours per day, eating about 1,500 calories to 1,800 calories in a day. I started this journey to stop my past cycle of abuse, from smoking too much, drinking too much alcohol, eating too little (like 400-700 cals), and starving myself and not exercising at all. Pretty much a bad cycle of undereating, substance abuse and not exercising. About 5 months ago, I was 118 lbs due to stress and bad eating habits. Right now, I am determined to make a change in my life and kickstart my slowing metabolism as a result of 5 years of eating disorders.

However, for the past 3 weeks of hard work, my weight remained to be 128 lbs. Even though I feel more toned compared to how I was a month ago, I wish to drop some pounds and be 120 lbs (BMI 18.8) healthily. I don't know how damaged my metabolism is - my doctor says my thyroid's underactive. I was determined to change that. But so far, I am able to eat up to 1,800 calories daily and maintain my weight now - but I am also working out very regularly!

I am just wondering if it's realistic to get down to 120 lbs, given my hypothyroid condition and the fact that I had gone through 5 years of food and substance abuse - is anyone in the same position as I am, right now? I am willing to give myself a lot of time to get down to 120 lbs, but I am not sure if it's possible to maintain it or even achieve it healthily? How long must I wait to see the scale shifting the other way? Should I eat lesser? (Which I don't think so.. !!) What change must I make to my lifestyle to make it 'better'? Any food not to eat to avoid slowing down my hypothyroid metabolism? :/ I heard that I should avoid certain type of fibre.. but I am not sure!! Help!

It's not a realistic aim for a few reasons.   Principally because you're 'in recovery' from disordered eating and other problems.  A BMI of 20 is therefore the absolute bare minimum to ensure that you're in reasonable health.  A BMI of 18.5 - 20 is only acceptable when someone has always been very thin, eaten well and is in good health.  Dieting to get that thin means it is an unnatural state for your body.

With your stats, if you're working out regularly, you should be able to maintain on 2100-2330 cals a day.   All wholefoods are good for you.... vegetables, fruit, grains, meat, fish, eggs, dairy etc.....  And other foods can be enjoyed in moderation without ill-effect.    It's better to be a higher weight, fully recovered and in good physical and mental health than to aim lower and plunge yourself back into the disorders that keep you sick

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Agreed. Don't try to lose weight. You don't need to, it will likely be unsustainable, and it will likely mean a return to 'food abuse', or an eating disorder.

Whoever told you that fibre can affect your metabolism needs their head checked.

Original Post by gi-jane:

It's not a realistic aim for a few reasons.   Principally because you're 'in recovery' from disordered eating and other problems.  A BMI of 20 is therefore the absolute bare minimum to ensure that you're in reasonable health.  A BMI of 18.5 - 20 is only acceptable when someone has always been very thin, eaten well and is in good health.  Dieting to get that thin means it is an unnatural state for your body.

With your stats, if you're working out regularly, you should be able to maintain on 2100-2330 cals a day.   All wholefoods are good for you.... vegetables, fruit, grains, meat, fish, eggs, dairy etc.....  And other foods can be enjoyed in moderation without ill-effect.    It's better to be a higher weight, fully recovered and in good physical and mental health than to aim lower and plunge yourself back into the disorders that keep you sick.

Hey gi-jane, thank you very much for your response. I didn't state in my topic that I was 120 lbs when I was 15 - that was the beginning of my eating disorder. I don't really know what's my set-point weight (does anyone really believe in that?).

I really don't want to go back to eating disorders again, I am very determined not to. It was such a battle and I got tired of it. I am just wondering at which point/stage would I know if the weight's the perfect weight for me in terms of health. Is it the weight that I can maintain by exercising regularly and eating up to 2,500 calories? Because in that case, then I should bump up my calorie intake to that level.

I'm also Asian, so I don't think my built is big enough to justify being at the higher end of the BMI..

Original Post by merylwhite1:

Agreed. Don't try to lose weight. You don't need to, it will likely be unsustainable, and it will likely mean a return to 'food abuse', or an eating disorder.

Whoever told you that fibre can affect your metabolism needs their head checked.

Well, I was asking about the fibre thing as people with hypothyroidism have to sort of avoid some types of food that will make the condition worse.. some say that I gotta avoid cauliflower or things like that and eat more seaweed?? I hope it's just a myth!

Think I should just try to maintain my weight for the time being and see how it goes... really don't wanna get back into horrible weight flunctuations. :/

Original Post by girlabsolut:

I am just wondering at which point/stage would I know if the weight's the perfect weight for me in terms of health. Is it the weight that I can maintain by exercising regularly and eating up to 2,500 calories? Because in that case, then I should bump up my calorie intake to that level.

 A healthy weight range for someone 5'7" is anything from where you are now to 158lbs.  You may have been 120lbs at age 15 but there is a big difference between the body of a 'girl' and that of a 'woman'.  You don't need to gain weight deliberately but your original question was about losing weight..... and that, as you accept, isn't on the cards.  

For the calorie intake I would suggest checking out this site   http://www.bcm.edu/cnrc/bodycomp/bmiz2.html   entering your stats and reading off the energy requirements appropriate to your level of activity.

Should you gain weight on that amount of food then I would say that was a 'natural gain'.  And when you stop gaining weight that is more likely to be your 'natural weight'.

Fiber has NO EFFECT on your thyroid or your body chemistry. There are certain foods that you need to avoid if you have thyroid issues - the major one is cabbage, especially raw. It contains a chemical that can makes your thyroid work less efficiently.

Seaweed is very good for you because it contains iodine, which is a thyroid-improving chemical. When I was a kid I had to take kelp tablets for that reason...

If you're looking better and feeling better from your workouts, then why does the number on the scale matter?  If people ask you, just give them your adjusted weight or whatever you want to tell them, they're not going to whip out a portable scale and demand that you weigh in.  It's none of their business in any case, but if you feel good then pick the # you want to say you weigh and leave it there.  Most scales are off in any case so while they're good at measuring change in weight they're going to be somewhat inaccurate on the actual #.