What size do you want to be?

[whichwaynow82]

Beginning of June I was 99kgs.

At 5ft 4ins I started squeezing into a size 20 and I thought fuck this!! I will not put myself through this I need to sort my life out.

So now we are beginning of September:

I'm down to 93kgs. Not a massive weight loss! But I'm controlling my diet - less processed carbs and good meals of veg and protein.

But the thing I'm doing completely differently is I'm exercising. I'm doing one session of an hour a week with a PT and then going on my own. I'm down to a size 16-18 on my bottom and on my top 14-16. My face my arms and my legs are much slimmer.

I'm struggling with abdominal fat - any tips on this? PT has said abdominal is last place it goes but he said I'm definitely smaller on my belly.

Finally my mum said to me that I'll never get smaller than a size 14? I don't know really what she meant by this but I am conducting a life style change - I am not going to stop. So I don't know what size I can get to?

Is there a limit to what I can be after being so fat? I did wonder about loose skin. I'm just feeling a bit knocked back I guess I don't know I felt if I carried on doing this then why can't I be a size 10? And I'm in it for the long run I'm talking 18-24 months away not in 6 months .

On a side note the smallest I've been is 80kgs. So I'm definitely aiming for that and that's my current goal. Then I would say I was a size 14. But I still had a big belly.

@sleepymama81 You'd be surprised.. I always thought my bone structure was too wide for anything below a 10/8. I'm now a 6 and I even own some size 4 bits.

@revolution909 I did get down to a 10 when I was 25. I loved it. Eight years and an 18 month old later with a pregnancy that seems to have widened me beyond belief and it seems a pipe dream now!

Hi op.
I was 14 stone 9 at my highest and about a size 20.
I was a bridesmaid last year and the dress when originally bought was a 22
I am now a size 10 on bottom and 8 on top and have been for just over a year.
Don't let anyone tell you what you can and cannot achieve, just keep doing what you are doing.

Wow @redwinelove !!!! How did you do it?! Congrats!!!

How do you all measure yourselves by clothes size when they are different in every shop? E.g. Next size 8 is very different to topshop size 8

I just take tu he smallest size I fit... Or the average

Woops just lost my post..

Thanks whichwaynow82!

I cut out snacking, or if i did it would be on fruit or veg.
I seemed to just be picking all the time without even thinking about it.
Smaller portion sizes and cutting down on sugar/carbs.
I also joined the gym and generally just making sure i'm being more active.
It sounds so easy

Yes @redwinelove that's exactly what I've done.

Joined gym. Reduced portion sizes, cut down on white carbs also just careful. But it's a lifestyle change so it's not easy but I try my best. Things happening slowly but I think that's best. Got to keep it up

You are doing fantastically Op.

How old are you? Skin elasticity reduces as we get older so if you are younger than about 40 even going doing 5 or 6 dress sizes you might not get loose skin.

I went from a size 18ish to a size 10ish in my early 20s by doing what you are doing. Better food choices and the gym. Apart from a bit of a wobbly tummy I was very toned.

And a couple of years ago I lost my baby/bfing weight and went down from an 18 to a 14. I did notice more loose skin. Not just my tummy but on my boobs and the top of my thighs. I am 40 next month.

I can get down to a 12 if I diet. But I think a 12/14 is my comfortable weight that I can maintain by eating healthy, being relatively active but still having a drink and a takeaway at a weekend. And minimise loose skin.

35 so hopefully I'll be ok

I think a 12-14 is my best bet on the loose skin front.

I feel so much more toned - although obviously I'm still very fat. My thighs and arms are so much smaller! It's great

I was very similar to you OP. In Dec 16 I was 100kg and have now been dieting and exercising regularly and am now 72kg. I have very little lose skin - just a tiny bit on my tummy and am now size 10 top and 12 bottom. I go to the gym 3 times a week and then a personal training session as wel.

For me the exercise is key as i have always included weights, kettlebells etc and have now progressed onto barbell squats and deadlift. For cardio I do a lot on the rowing machine as it is a full body workout. I am so much more toned and have about 5 kg to go. Weight loss has slowed a bit but I'm so much happier with everything.

Good luck!

@user1471426611 I need to up my gym sessions. I can only afford PT once a week and recently only been going once on top.

I do a mixed bag but warm up on cardio then do a circuit. E.g. Battle ropes, weight bearing cardio e.g squats etc

That is amazing in 9 months to be down to 73kgs! In three months I've only lost 6kgs! Bit slow here!! You've lost 27kgs in 9 months!!!

Sorry @user1471426611 72kgs!

You can be whatever size you want! Nobody is incapable of getting smaller than a size 14 or whatever, otherwise people couldn't starve to death (obviously you don't want to do that, but I'm just making the point). Your body is able to be slim and healthy and it will be. Well done on the changes so far.

It worries me how sizing has changed & in some clothing companies, a 16 is seen as XXL! A lot of women seem horrified to be a 14 but I was thrilled to be that size! I have sneaked back up to a 16 because I'm not exercising & I snack too much but I am still pretty happy with my early 50s bod! I would like to be toned again however so back to Pilates/core & possibly my karate. That had me in the best shape of my life

In my experience, the best thing for loosing belly fat is the 8 week blood sugar diet. I am ( was) really apple shaped, and every other diet has left me slim, with a big belly.
It's quite drastic, and not a life style choice ( he is a bit wooly about maintenance, but that will probably be his next book....), but great short term to target the belly.

I was reading an interview with Traci Mann (she was recommended on another thread). She talks about people achieving what she calls their 'leanest livable weight'. In other words, the lowest weight you can maintain on a pretty sensible diet that you can stick to long-term without it majorly restricting you or impacting on day-to-day life. I guess that weight is different for different people, depending on build, lifestyle etc.

I'd also like to be a 12 and would love a 10, but probably not willing to stick to the diet needed to maintain that, if I'm being realistic. Not that I eat crap all the time, but I'd rather be a 12 and eat a bit of crap once in a while I've been at it since May and am a 14 now and in my healthy weight BMI bracket.

I have to be honest I also eat loads! I started following slimming world but have gradually changed to calorie counting and now eat 1500-1600 calories a day. One thing my PT said is as I do so much exercise - im training for a half marathon - I need to eat more to balance the calories ive burnt. So over the last few months I've added about 200-300 calories per day. I eat chocolate every day and also plenty of carbs. For me it is working.