help me level up pls
27F, 5’4”, ~130? lbs, do not drink or smoke cigs, have non-insulin-resistant PCOS (and suspected endo and a whole other host of issues like potential hypothyroidism and POTS but what traumatized 20-something doesn’t), fairly active lifestyle (strength training lower body 1-2x/week, pilates and heated yoga 1-3x/week, everyday walks, try to move after each meal). I don’t count calories but I’d estimate I get about 1,800-2,000 a day. I try to prioritize lotsss of fiber and always eat a full breakfast. I take a methylated vitamin B complex and vitD+K2, and a ~personalized unknown tincture blend~ from my acupuncturist to help with cycle-related issues.
prepare for word vomit! I grew up dancing (ballet tap and jazz) BUT was not allowed to do sports growing up as my mom thought it wasn’t ladylike 🙃 however I am discovering how actually athletic I am in my twenties. turns out I am pretty naturally strong and I’m good at beach volleyball (which I hadn’t played before until three years ago?!). one of my biggest life desires is to both look fit and be fit, so that I can climb stairs at 90 years old, avoid back problems as I age, etc. also I want a nice ass and strong core LOL. I have always been on the slimmer side, but something happened at 25? that made me put on just pure fat (like 10-15 pounds idk), mostly in my thighs and lower body, despite adopting an even more active and health-conscious lifestyle around that age.
I’ve been consistently exercising since 24/25 y/o and find a lot of fulfillment in seeing growth and knowing that I’m setting myself future self up for success, but it seems like no matter what I’ve been doing recently, the scale isn’t budging and I don’t look like my old self. I think some of this can be chalked up to my underlying health issues (which I’m working on uncovering - damn you American healthcare system) but I’m wondering how much of it is just my body naturally changing as I age.
at one point a virtual practitioner who specializes in PCOS recommended that I consider both metformin and a GLP-1, but I’m super reticent to go down that rabbit hole because 1.) the stigma around weight loss/anti-inflammatory drugs! and 2.) the potential of bone mass and muscle loss, especially since that is a concern of mine as I age. if my goal is to “tone down” a little bit, I would still want to maintain my gains, and that sounds tough if I’d go the reta route.
ultimately, I’d love to be able to lose about 5-10 pounds while maintaining my muscle mass, and typing it out it kinda sounds like I just need to be insane about counting calories, but that’s not the kind of life I want for myself!!! I do not have a history of disordered eating habits or an unhealthy relationship to food but I definitely have an insane amount of food noises. also worth noting that I do have ADHD and while I’m not currently taking any stimulants I’ve been prescribed them and they do unfortunately help a lot with food noise but I’m also worried about long-term use with them vis-à-vis heart health; I’m really sensitive to caffeine and any stimulants generally.
feel free to ask any clarifying questions but my main question is how can I obtain this “dream physique” without going crazy????? thank you thank you 🙏