If you're a size 8-10 (or your ideal) but not naturally slim how do you stay that way?

[overweightcat]

I know some people are just naturally rather petite or slim and willowy.

But if you're not and manage to stay a size 8-10 how do you do it?

I'm 5'5 and recently lost weight and gone down to a solid size 12 - 10 in certain shops. Beforehand it was on the larger side of size 14.
I used to be very slim in my teens, had a terrible diet full of crap and sweets but was also very active around 8hrs a week of various sports/dance activities. I became quite sedentary and steadily piled on the weight since.

I don't have long legs or a small frame or anything - if anything I find that I'm rather in proportion all around and when I used to do a lot of sports I looked slim and athletic not willowy (which I'd prefer TBH).
Size 8-10 is my ideal I think as I've recently seen pictures of myself when I was that size and I think that's when I looked my healthiest and fittest - but I'm not sure how to get there.

My weight is at a bit of a standstill at the moment and I want to lose in a sustainable way. I probably have about 9lbs to go.

So anyone who has managed to achieve that and stay the desired size - can you share how you did it?

The thing is we're given mixed messages...so apparently women are meant to consume 2000 calories a day and eat three meals...and also have a bmi in the healthy range...but it seems many women with healthy bmis aren't eating anywhere near this amount

@formerbabe

The thing is we're given mixed messages...so apparently women are meant to consume 2000 calories a day and eat three meals...and also have a bmi in the healthy range...but it seems many women with healthy bmis aren't eating anywhere near this amount

The 2000 calorie a day thing is just an average, though. It's like BMI - what works for some people, won't work for others. Of course not all women can eat 2000 calories a day and maintain their weight - because we're all different. If you have an active job or an active lifestyle, then you'll be able to consume more calories than someone with an office job who drives everywhere and never does any exercise.

What I get from threads like this is people want to have it all - they want to be able to eat whatever they want (in whatever quantity they want), do very little exercise, drink and remain a size 8. For most people, that just won't happen, unless you have incredible genetics!

Most "naturally slim" people are probably naturally fidgety, active people who do a decent amount of daily exercise because they like to - so it's just normal to them and not something they even think about - it's just their normal lifestyle.

I love food and a glass of wine...dieting for me is horrible. The only thing that really kept my weight down without having to overthink food and drink was running. I did couch to 5k and by the time I was running 5K I was really pleased with my size and shape. I'm currently injured and haven't run since April....I have gone to squidge and I would honestly say my confidence and mental health has suffered too. I really miss running :(

A couple of years ago I was at my lightest ever. 5"3 and 9 stone 4, and a small size 12 in most shops. That was the result of the better part of a year on a very restrictive, small portions diet. Honestly, it was too hard to maintain.

Left to my own devices, not dieting, I naturally sit around a large-ish size 14. I'm currently carrying some lockdown weight, and am 11 stone 3.
In normal life I fluctuate around the 10.5 stone range.

@formerbabe

The thing is we're given mixed messages...so apparently women are meant to consume 2000 calories a day and eat three meals...and also have a bmi in the healthy range...but it seems many women with healthy bmis aren't eating anywhere near this amount

2000 would be for a fairly big, active woman I think.

Someone who’s 5’3”, an 8-10 and drives to work in an office probably needs 1500 max.

I am 40 yrs old, 5’5” and weigh 54kg.
I try to eat very healthy foods. Breakfast is normally a write-off as I’m in a rush and just grab something carby like toast or a croissant.
For lunch every day I have an enormous salad from the deli next to my office. I never drink juice, milky drinks or fizzy drinks.
For dinner we have meat or fish and mountains of veg. Usually a square or two of v dark chocolate afterwards.
My downfall is that I drink wine 4 nights a week but I’m not giving it up! I think without wine I would be 51 or 52kg.

Hmm... just realised that my ‘eating all I want’ and ‘not being active’ while staying slim is actually more like ‘eating healthy and putting a lot of effort into it’ and ‘just generally being active’. We never buy take aways, alcohol, if I eat between meals it would be an apple/banana or yogurt if I’m still hungry, pass by the shelves with sweets and fuzzy drinks in supermarkets. I don’t drink coffee, milk, bulk my meals with veg or salad, try to avoid bread/pasta. But that’s how I was raised so it is just my norm and I don’t even realise that people can have takeaway 3 times a week.

I cycled to work for many years (40 min a day in total) rain or snow but have never thought about this as excercise as I don’t go to gym.

@PablosHoney I run half and full marathons, so generally run around 100 miles a month.

Very strict keto

Sorry I misread. I was always naturally a small size 8 but not any more so I'll come back to you when I have lost weight and have an answer

I think a fair few people in this thread could benefit from looking into reverse dieting which is where you gradually increase your daily calories so that you can maintain your weight whilst eating more.

I don't have a problem with reducing down to 1200-1300 when trying to lose weight but I wouldn't stay on those calories forever.

I follow a PT on instagram, yes she's active (only does live HIIT sessions 6x week, no longer than an hour), but she's 5'2 and maintains/ has leaned out on 2000 calories. If you workout effectively with weights (+cardio for fitness) and build more muscle, muscle at rest requires more calories to sustain which means you can also eat more AND you look better than just being skinny as you will have tone. It's also good for strengthening your bones which is important as you age.

I've done some of this already @Floraflower3 I've upped to 1400 to slow down weightloss to half a pound a week as I'm getting closer to goal. Although I log everything, I can't understand the use of 1200 and below as maintenance. According to mfp, mine is about 1600 before exercise is added in. I understand it would be a bit less if I was shorter, but not by a massive amount

I'm 5 ft 5 and a size 8-10
I definitely don't do hours and hours of exercise each day, I do a HIIT workout each morning followed by yoga/weights on alternate days. I don't count calories, but count macros. I always make sure to eat 138 grams of protein a day, 1 gram per pound of body weight - I weigh 138 lb. if I ate as low as 1200 calories a day,I'd lose muscle, which I definitely don't want to do.
I do know people, have known people I. The past who seem to exist on just cigarettes and coffee, but that's not a good strategy, a thin and flabby body is not healthy or aesthetically p,easing. A size 12 muscular fit physique is far better than a size 8 flabby body

MrsSnitchnose I agree, I've seen ill, elderly, frail patients having their energy requirements estimated at over 1200 multiple times by dieticians in hospital and most people here are definitely more active and not elderly (yes I'm aware you need higher energy requirements when healing but still!)

When I'm done with losing fat I would have been trimmer by now if I didn't love food (currently a 10 but you can see the excess weight on my already stocky build), I'll be aiming to increase to 1800-2000cal a day.

Should add I'm 5'2

I eat salty snacks all day but I dont like sweet things so I almost never have sugar. Every time I do have a sugary week I immediately gain weight, I get pimples and mood swings, I don't sleep very well and I have low energy. The rest of the time I literally can eat as much as I want all day and as long as it's not sugar I stay 6/8. I know this might not apply to everyone but if you are stuggling with sticking to a diet, forget about the rest and just cut sugar, it's seriously evil.

Nice one @Stumpedasatree I recently upped my distance to 12-18 miles but have never done a marathon.

1200 calories a day is enough for a 3 year old, not an adult woman.

I'm a 41 year old adult woman and my resting BMR is lower than that. I'm very short, 155cm, so my calorie needs are naturally lower than a taller person. I have no idea how many calories I eat daily as I don't track them. But I'm a very intensive exerciser in normal life, so around 2000 is probably my maintenance level.

I naturally tend to do an informal type of 5:2 fasting diet as through the week I tend to eat super healthily, with maybe fruit and yoghurt for breakfast, a full dinner in the late afternoon and something like eggs or a hearty soup in the late evening. If I'm especially active I'll have a sandwich between breakfast and dinner and I generally snack on whatever fruit and veg I feel like. But 2 or 3 times a month I tend to go out for a big meal, have a big takeaway with family/friends etc. I eat chocolate/ice-cream/dessert when I feel like it, but I prefer smaller amounts of really, really good quality chocolate/cake to a big bar/slice of something so-so. Tbh, I feel so constantly amazing and happy from my sporting hobby that I don't feel the same desire for sugar that I do when I'm more sedentary.

I'm getting back to my normal activity levels after what was probably "long-tail" Covid, from mid-March to the start of July, and my desire to eat shite has pretty much disappeared. When I was sick and largely stuck in bed, my sweet tooth was on over drive. I lost muscle and gained fat while resting. Now that I've returned to my hobbies, I feel better in every way. So my advice to anyone wanting to lose weight and keep it off is to find a physical activity that you are passionate about. Something that is the treat you look forward to. That way you never have to deny yourself anything as you love the thing that is good for you.

For me, it shows that for people to stay slim, it means no snacking; not much (if any) alcohol; regular, probably daily, exercise; and generally healthy eating ie avoiding takeaways, processed food etc.

You can stay slim and drink alcohol, snack, eat takeaways, processed food etc.

Just not to excess. That is essentially what I do.

1200 is the typical BMR of an average height woman who weighs about 9 stone and is around 40ish.

Exercise of course increases this to higher levels. Shorter, thinner or older women will have an even lower BMR.

For those who are interested, you can calculate your BMR here:
www.calculator.net/bmr-calculator.html

This is fascinating and explains why I am such a fatty

I'm 50, 5' 4" and 8 stone.

Have been for all of my adult life, aside from pregnancies.

I'm not a huge eater. Eat small amounts when I'm a bit hungry, larger amounts if I'm very hungry. I run and cycle but not in a scheduled, 'miles per week' way.

Do eat biscuits, crisps, drink alcohol in moderate/small amounts. Would rather drink water than diet drinks.

Actually, not very interested in food tbh. Find the shopping/cooking/cleaning up tedious but do 'cook from scratch' and all that jazz.

My BMR is 1140....so to the PP who said I starve myself...
No I simply keep myself from getting fat, we do not need to eat in excess! Look at how fat Brits now are!
Why we need plus size school uniforms I will never understand 😪 very sad

I thought BMR was the amount you could eat and stay the same if you didn’t move an inch..