Lost tons of weight, but still not lean.

[jgreenhaus]

I am a 16 year old male. Since last year i went from 180 to 130. I did this through an unhealthily low calorie diet + lots of cardio. I was still kinda fat though at 130 so for 6 months i got a ton of protein and worked out and i gained some muscle and to this point i havent gained a ton of muscle even while eating/working out properly. I am 145ish now but i am still very fat for my weight . I an 5' 10' by the way. Why do i still have so much body fat after all this weight loss and working out? Is it possible i have hypothyroidism?

[Barb135]

Oh, forgot to mention -- since you went from 180 to 130 in a relatively short time, are you sure this is all fat or could part of be it be loose skin?  

[Barb135]

Here's a portion of a height/weight chart that would apply to you.  

Height                   Small Frame            Medium Frame               Large Frame
5'10"                          144-154                  151-163                          158-180

Depending on your body frame, you might not be overweight.  Maybe you just need to do a different type of exercise so you can tone your muscles, rather than concentrate on losing pounds.  

Along with the cardio, you also need to incorporate strength training exercises, such as squats, push ups, lunges, etc.

In addition to the exercise, the type of food you eat has a lot to do with your weight and the amount of fat you have.  You need to eat plenty of lean protein, low/no fat dairy, lots of fresh fruits and veggies, complex carbs, and "good" fats. "A ton of protein" by itself is not going to get the job done.  

All that said -- yes, it is possible that you could have hypothyroidism.  You need to get checked, especially if you have any symptoms other than the weight issue.  Ask for TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 -- those are the thyroid tests you need to start out with.