Petite support for losing a few pounds/getting to our 'happy' size

[ACuppaAlwaysHelps]

Hi all. Following on from the thread that @SprayPaint started yesterday, a few of us (@Waiting9 @Horriblehistoree @FaceofSpades) seemed keen to have a thread to support each other in reaching our weight loss/body shape/fitness/health goals.

All petites are welcome on this thread, but it seemed like it would be particularly helpful to have a corner of Mumsnet for those of us who are petite/small framed and officially a 'healthy weight' but know we feel/look better a few pounds lighter (which would still be within a healthy weight/not underweight).

Maybe we can share goals, progress, struggles, things that are working, etc.? It would also be lovely to hear from any petites who are at a 'happy weight' and what you are doing to be successful.

Someone (maybe @FaceofSpades?) posted some helpful thoughts on the thread yesterday.

Please share how you all think this thread could be helpful.

Feel free to share as much or little as you like. Height, current weight, goal weight or other body measurements, nutrition, calories, exercise, NSV, etc.

My approach is mind-numbingly slow, but by trying to focus on nutrition, there's still health wins on each well-balanced meal and it doesn't feel like giving up. I've gone easier on the festive treats in recent years, but they are part of the fun and celebrations and it's important to enjoy celebrations without guilt.

Welcome to the new joiners this week. Sorry, I've just read all the messages from the last few days and can't remember names (on the app), but welcome to you all!

It's so tricky this time of year, isn't it? I find it particularly hard as friends/family wouldn't have any idea that I am trying to lose a few pounds (especially stomach fat). I'm aware that I am a healthy BMI etc but the reality is that if I ate the same things that other people are eating, I could genuinely gain 7 pounds over a week of Christmas and then it could take the whole year to lose it!

Does anyone think they've cracked how to eat just 'normal' amounts of food (not particularly excess, but able to enjoy a mince pie) when we are petite? I've heard a lot of people say that the key is building muscle to then enable you to eat more calories. Has anyone found this to be true?!

Sorry, that was a long post! I don't talk to people in real life about this, so it's nice to have this thread of people who understand the struggles we have when we are short/petite and don't have much to lose.

No! I know that if I ate 3 meals a day or even 2 plus pudding I’d gain weight. And not just at my older age. Being a shortie has meant I’ve always ( certainly since my 20’s) had to eat in a very considered way to prevent being overweight. Interestingly though, I didn’t notice any particular weight gain over the menopause years.

I mean “ no” to I’ve still not cracked the secret for shorties

I've screwed up today, had alcohol and I'm having a burger later because I CBA to cook. My running hasn't been amazing, some short ones over the week because I've been so busy redecorating and sorting for Christmas. Still got a lot of painting to finish but I have a whole day to myself tomorrow so I'll come home after taking the kids to school, eat, paint then run. Gym will have to wait until January, I just can't fit it in along side kids, work, running, redecorating, social life and downtime.

Hello!

I'd love to join please. I've read through some of the posts but will read the thread properly when the DC are asleep later.

I'm 5'4 and 57kg. I'm 14wks postpartum and have lost 10kg in the last 14wks (thank you breastfeeding!) but would love to get back to my pre-pregnancy 54/55kg.

Since having kids, large quantities of sugar is my downfall!

Smaller plates help with eating a normal range of normal food without it looking like it's a portion for a 3 year old.

I remember as a teenager that my mother commented that I always left something on my plate. If I'm comfortably full, I don't tend to stuff the last two forkfulls in just because they're there and small amounts are often left. I think that's helped with getting to my 40s before having to actively manage maintainence. My mother is similarly vertically challenged and she's always struggled more than me with managing weight. We do have a template towards similar pear-shaped proportions and gaining muscle on our limbs.

Building muscle helps 100%
You burn more day to day, and that usually means maintenance calories are slightly higher.

I have pcos and was diagnosed in my teens; was always a little on the chubby side, but once I got to university and started work I somehow ended up lean (without ever working for it). I stayed like that until dc1, i found it relatively ok to lose the excess and go back to not having to think about what I ate. Unfortunately after dc2 things didn't turn out the same. I've been up and down for the last 8 years. I do believe my portion sizes increased, I couldn't eat as much as dh (ever) but I've found I can happily eat the same amount now 😩 I also started using food as a comfort over the last few years, and regardless of the emotion, food became my go to.
I think I've got it this time- however things are a little difficult as I've hit the perimenopause stage. I'm healthy bmi like most on this thread, but that doesn't mean I'm at a happy weight/size.
On a positive, I recently completed another Chloe ting challenge; and even though my weight is the same, I do believe I have managed to lose an inch around waist and bust (but that's hopefully the back toning 😂).

I've totally rambled- this is something I can't really talk about to anyone, so this is the one place I can ramble on about it all 😁

Hi I just wanted to update on my progress. I first posted here in October, starting weight 55kg, target was to get down to 50kg before a big holiday next week.
So I managed to get to 51.5kg and I’m happy with the way I look now. I bought lots of new clothes that fit well and I feel more confident and have less digestive issues.
I try to eat within 1k kcal per day, anything above that stops the weight from shifting. I’m not very active so have no room for kcal increase.
The biggest success factor for me has been skipping breakfast entirely, I’ve grown used to it now and no longer crave food in the morning.
I plan to keep shifting weight until I reach 50kg and then increase calories to about 1300 to maintain.
hope everyone else is doing well x

Hi just joining this thread now, havent RTFT but I guess it depends what you’re classing as petite. I was 9 stone, 5ft 1 and size 8, slim and toned. I was very happy with that for most of my adult life and I ate very well.

3 large meals a day, Starbucks coffee and cake every day, ate out at weekends. Had a bigger appetite than most people and everyone commented on my sweet tooth and ability to eat a lot of food 😂

I maintained that weight give or take a few pounds through walking a lot as part of my commute and would go to the gym now and again.

The lowest I got while living like that was 8.5 stone (didn’t get down to that size on purpose tbh) But yeah I maintained at my desired weight through walking 15K steps a day I think and standing up lots.

But I was not below 8 stone or anything which I know some shorter women prefer to be.

@40somethingme wow, that’s amazing progress in such a short period of time, well done!!
I’m 8.5 stone now, and looking to get down to 8 stone (have already lost a stone from 9.5, but it’s been slow progress), so you’re my inspiration!

Have a fab holiday! Such a nice feeling to buy new outfits!

I’m around 154 cm and was 81kg at my heaviest during the pandemic.

I’m now 65kg so I’m nearly at a healthy BMI again. Eventual goal weight is 57Kg which is what I was for most of my adult life.

My waist is now 29inches down from 39ins and I’m aiming to get back down to 26 ins.

I intermittent fast and try to eat 2 big meals and avoid snacking. I have coffee and tea with oat milk but no sugar and my snacks are usually a bit of fruit or seeds.

I quit the gym a couple of years back for various reasons but I try to get 8K steps a day.

Sometimes I binge eat unfortunately especially when I’m alone which is what sets me back! I’m about to go round to a friends soon and I’ve got biscuits to take round - I’m willing myself to wait until I’m there to open them instead of gorging on half the packet now 😂 if I did stick to my two meals a day with minimal snacks I think I’d see less plateaus.

So I managed to get to 51.5kg and I’m happy with the way I look now. I bought lots of new clothes that fit well and I feel more confident and have less digestive issues.

That’s a great result! @40somethingme - not just the scale weight but the fact you’re happy with how you look and feel better
physically too. That is so important!

I agree about skipping breakfast. When I’m having a more disciplined eating day I have meal one around 1pm and meal 2 around 6pm and then I’m done. If I do that every day in a week I will lose 1-2 pounds.

I’d find it harder to have breakfast then skip dinner but I’m sure that works too.

Thank you @tigerbear and @Loseing
I think trying to lose weight when you’re already perceived to be slim might sound crazy to some people (hence why it’s easier to talk about it here). The 5kg in weight really shows on me though, the difference is noticeable even with 2kg change -it goes straight to my face making me look older and to my waistline meaning I can’t wear my usual trousers.
I think the current weight is my healthy weight because I feel physically much better, even managed to come off Omeprazole.

Take care everyone, x this thread is lovely and so supportive - a nice change !

That’s pretty much my eating pattern, 1pm and 6-ish. Although I won’t eat unless I’m hungry and sometimes snack instead.
when I used to have breakfast it just made me want to eat more throughout the day it just jump starts my appetite for some reason.

I’m finally at a healthy BMI as I’ve lost a pound this week. 9st 5lb for me on the scales this morning. I’m really happy, but still have half a stone to lose for me to look in proportion, as my fame is naturally small. Some great losses on this thread!

Yeah I find having breakfast is akin to me opening a packet of my favourite biscuits in the sense that I struggle to stop once I’ve started!

So if I have breakfast at say 9am which I used to, I’ll feel like I need to snack at least once before lunch. So it’s best just for me to wait until 1pm to break my fast.

Because I’m retired and only do one days grandchild care a week, I try and have my breakfast ( overnight oats) as late as possible, about 10 or 11 am then “ tea” at 6 pm. That meal is a much smaller version of what my husband is having, followed by a yoghurt. Then I try not to have anything else. Mid afternoon I might have some fruit or a packet of snack a jacks
very boring! Meanwhile my super fit healthy weight husband is enjoying working his way through a supermarket taste test of
mince pies
stollen
Turkish delight
assorted Christmas cakes
And is soon to open the chocolate tubs!
The difference between us though is that he can have one pie, or one stollen bite or, most outrageously 2 CHOCOLATES and put the lid back on!
Before my morning cup of tea and with my pyjamas removed I was 9 st 7.5 so lost just over 5lbs since the beginning of November - such slow progress

Oh lots of updates ☺️ well done everyone.

I'm 56.5kg at the last weigh in which I'm pretty happy with. Planning to be disciplined until the 23rd then have a relaxed few days over Christmas. New year is about getting fitter and working on my diet (as in the quality of what I eat).

I used to have a very active job, I ran, had a big veg garden and spent weekends climbing mountains, so I could eat a lot. I ate well, lots of fruit and veg, but could also pack in lots of snacks (and wine 🫣) without putting on weight. Now I've got 2 young kids. I'm on my feet a lot, but not in the same way. Also I think pregnancy and breastfeeding have given me an incredibly sweet tooth, did anyone else find that?

My stomach has changed lots after this second baby ...any tips on toning up skin would be appreciated! Or is this just what a 40 yo stomach after kids is like?

Once I'm not breastfeeding I think I will try intermittent fasting, even just a few times a week, as I believe it's got health benefits too?

I was ok after the first two and stayed at my “ teenage weight of 8/81/2 til I was 35. Then after child no 3 I didn’t ever get back to pre pregnancy weight.
Yes I’ve read that too about health benefits of intermittent fasting.
Im going to obviously eat more over Christmas but I don’t drink alcohol anyway and I’m going to avoid chocolate as that’s my downfall always!
I have realised that I’m actually only about half a stone more than after last child was born 33 years ago, and that the max I’ve ever been is a stone more. It just seems so much more to have around the middle when you’re so short. As we all know

And I know how hard it is to stay on track when you are feeding little ones
When I was on grandchildren day care this week, one of them left a fish finger and I very nearly ate it instead of scraping it into the bin!

I found it harder as they got older. Weaning wasn't too bad as I wanted to give them good food and DS1 had multiple food allergies so I had to cook fresh food.
Now they're 11 & 14 and twiggy, insatiable carb pits, my old methods of not having junky stuff in the house is long gone. Turning 40 around the lockdowns was also a bad combination, and I've never shifted those gains despite significantly making an effort to reset my cooking effort early 2023 after becoming so fed up of family cooking for a few years. The more effort I make, the more they whinge. Last night was a lazy home made potato wedges with cheese and potato salsa and they loved that!

I miss the little bursts of brisk walking to get them to primary school too. That was one layer of lockdown gains, but that's totally gone now they're at secondary and while I'm generally very active, I can't fake those little bursts which are surprisingly effective.

It sounds like some of you have made great progress this week. Well done!

I've still not lost any weight, but I know I'm being consistent with calories, protein, fibre and exercise, so just need to keep being consistent and hope it results in losing these few pounds and/or body recomposition soon!

Fell off the wagon a bit yesterday! Was unprepared for hunger during the lengthy cinema screening of ballet Cinderella. Unfortunately a regular sized tub of popcorn fell into my mouth
ive had no added or pure sugar since Nov 1 st and this belief that your cravings disappear is nonsense!
back on track today, in the past once I’ve fallen off I carry on ruining the good work. Not today though!