Being okay with maintaining

[alexifer]

A very brief version of my story: Over the last three years, I put on 8kg, and I wasn't happy about it. I made changes and educated myself, and I'm eating better and working out smarter than I ever have. Those 8kg left, as well as a few more, and I'm now in the healthy range both for BMI and body fat %. I've seemed to stabilize around 66kg, and that's fine by me. But being okay with being okay is making me a little antsy. I'm starting to think about how the rest of my life looks, to keep my weight and bf% where it is, and I'm starting to think slippery-slope thoughts like "what if I start incorporating bread and pasta and dumplings back into my diet," not because I think the low-carb life isn't for me long term, but just because I miss them. I have been religiously counting my calories since the end of September, mostly to keep myself in check when it comes to drinking, but I don't want to do that for the rest of my life. I'm making smarter decisions, but trusting myself is difficult. Trusting myself both in terms of knowing what to eat and also in terms of getting off the scale.

The other part of me wonders if I should be so okay with where I am? Should I push for more weight loss or lower bf%? I don't think it's necessary, and I don't think I'd like what I'd have to do to get there, so the answer is probably no, but maintenance is tough, too. I'm focused on strength goals this 6 week challenge but I still get on the scales every week and I have another monthly check-in with myself next weekend (measurements and bf%). I have gotten antsy around this time every month before seeing my measurements, should I just ditch the scales and start measuring myself every week or every other week?

I don't know, and I don't know that anyone has the answers, and I don't even know if this is the right place to put this, but I need a bit of guidance. This place is tough. I don't have a huge fear of putting all the weight back on, but I don't know how I feel about being at 70kg again, instead of sitting here closer to 65.

Edited to add my height: 173cm, and my bf% measured 23%. So, at 66kg my BMI is 22.

Anyone have some advice?

[eseng666]

BMI of 22 yet you said you have 23% Body Fat? How did you come up with that? Did you use a body-fat caliper? I know that females are supposed to have higher bodyfat percentage because of completely natural and biological reasons but if I am not mistaken the healthy bracket of body fat for femmes is 15-17%? Nevertheless, Athena was right, you should also include your other statistics.

[McG]

Healthy bracket of body fat for women is 21-23%. WAY WAY higher than 15-17%. At least from every resource I've read. Unless you're like a female sprinter or something, but for the average chick, there's no reason to be below 20%.

[alexifer]

Yeah, no, I definitely know that 23% bf is fine... I've been using this site and body fat calipers to test, and the healthy/"fitness" range there is 21-24%, with athletes being 15-20%. Plus, that measurement of 23% was from a month ago; I'm going to re-test on Thursday.

And Athena, as always your insights are appreciated and really helpful. It's good to hear someone other than my inner voice telling me to just relax and keep on keeping on. It's going to be difficult not to count calories anymore, mostly because I have a weird love of filling in forms and taking notes and tracking things, but I think in the end it will be freeing. Besides, most of the healthy decisions have been less about going over some calorie marker and more about... well, making healthy decisions.

Transitions are always difficult, but that's what life is about! Just gotta keep truckin'

[eseng666]

Healthy bracket of body fat for women is 21-23%. WAY WAY higher than 15-17%. At least from every resource I've read. Unless you're like a female sprinter or something, but for the average chick, there's no reason to be below 20%.

I stand corrected. You are correct i checked a lot of sites like this