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.

I think I want to do OMAD but I am scared of it.

I am 47, 5 foot 2, 69kg and size 10.

Always exercised so my high BMI is somewhat ‘muscly.’ I’d like to be size 8 again which for me is slim, and weighing around 60kg.

I have lost about 5kg with IF. I know I’d be fine with OMAD as I don’t feel hungry at all until 5pm.

But I tend to force myself to eat a small lunch around 230.

I worry about OMAD tho because I fear getting too hungry and bingeing a day’s calories in an hour. Or alternatively just ending up eating very little and feeling slow and tired. Because I exercise with at least a long walk and usually a run and yoga most days, I probably need more than one meal.

But also I’ve stopped losing weight.

Maybe OMAD is what body is telling me to do? How do you manage it without bingeing or undereating?

I’ve regularly switched from running to CrossFit to hot yoga to weights back to running. Desperately trying to find the exercise that didn’t make me raging hungry.

Discovery none of them did once I started intermittent fasting. I can run at 8am and still not feel hungry until my usual feeding slot opens around 230, and often not even then.

What does tend to kill my fast is stress. Some link between getting the horrible commuter train to the office and being Marvin at midday.

I’ve not lost much weight tho. 1.5 stones ish since bloody 2020.

So this week I've been a lot lower calories than usual (1650 average, including the weekend) and decided to weigh myself and of course I'm half a kilo up on last week. That'll teach me!

I know logically it takes a few weeks for changes to show up, plus water fluctuations etc, but it's a reminder as to why so many people lose motivation if they're feeling deprived and relying on the scale. I've downloaded an app to track trends (Libra, if it's any help for android users) so that in the long run I can get a nice graph and not focus on fluctuations.

What is positive though is I feel my way of eating is sustainable and I'm quite enjoying it. Batch cooking high protein low calorie meals that I can grab from the fridge, and snacking on fruit, means I am ending up under my target* and not feeling deprived.

*Target is set intentionally higher than what MFP or similar would recommend so no risk with this!

Taken me 11 weeks to lose 10lb so now down to 9 st 3 lb. 3 lb to go! It’s such hard work!

That's really great progress! I'm down this morning to where I was just after Christmas (that in between week was a killer for me) so I'm happy I'm back on track. Getting back into exercise and better eating habits, trying to build back up slowly so I don't crash out. I'm just happy that it's going in the right direction and I've crossed back under that 10 stone barrier. If I can lose just 2lb a month I'll hit a comfortable weight by the end of April and a happy weight by the summer. Ideally I'd lose a little quicker, but I'd be happy at any pace.

I’m def slowing down now I’m near my “ 50 th school reunion/hoping to see my first boyfriend” in April target of 9 st
Actually if I could get one pound under 9 st I’d be the same weight as I was in 1991 after birth of third and last child!
I was 8 st when I last saw boyfriend no 1

Waist 29" this morning which was a pleasing suprise.

Hi all - I’ve lurked for a while! I started my weight loss journey properly just shy of a year ago. I put a bit back on over Xmas but I’m back on track now and have been for a few weeks. I’d got down to 57kg over the summer, then back to 59 at start of Dec. I’ve set myself a couple of interim goals.

Height: 5ft 0in
SW: 78.4kg
CW: 59.4kg
GW1: 58kg
GW2: 55kg
GW3: see how I feel after that…

I have gone back to logging food in the last couple of weeks which has helped - I basically gave myself a free run in Dec which was nice, but I realised that I was done with treats etc fairly quickly. I primarily follow a keto based approach. Slightly time poor as I work full time/single parent etc…

Oh - forgot to mention some of the important bits!
Non scale goals achieved:

• bought a really awesome wetsuit
• size 16 to an 8 (or 10, depending on range, because of boobs!)
• off all meds - was previously on metformin for PCOS and lisinopril for blood pressure
• able to not be (generally!) tempted by the things that I would’ve eaten before - if I do have an ‘occasional’ food it’s not the norm as before. Once a week or less. Moderation is not once a day as I previously thought 😆
• able to maintain and get back on board - both skills that I have never mastered RE: weight loss until now…

@CreeeepyPaaaper that's amazing progress!

I've not been on here for a couple of weeks (very busy!) but will try to catch up on all the posts this evening.

I just wanted to let you all know that I received an email about this free workshop esgfitness.substack.com/p/the-ultimate-guide-getting-and-staying

I've attended one of her free workshops before (not this one). She does advertise her programme/coaching at the end, but there's never any pressure to sign up. Obviously I've no idea what will be in this workshop (I take no responsibility if it's nonsense!) but thought I'd let you all know.

If any of us do attend/watch the recording, maybe we can debrief about it after?!

Just realised that maybe I shouldn't have posted that?! I'm not sure if that counts as advertising? (Sorry MN if I shouldn't have shared that.)

I'm not in any way connected to her, just wanted to share something that could be helpful to all of us on this thread.

I'm like you and find the evenings impossible. I just started a thread with my newest tip.. I buy a tiny piece of chocolate every morning so I can't have more, and eat it after dinner. Then I brush my teeth. Just means I don't feel hard done by and makes no difference on the scales.

Thanks so much! I’d love to get rid of the belly but I’m also feeling so much better in myself than this time last year - anything else is a bonus!

Weight loss at 38 seems soo much slower than at 37! Losing an average of a pound a week so losing half a stone/one stone will take forever!

Very frustrating.

Ok doing better - lost 2 pounds since 13/1 and it’s really showing on my tummy - I managed to wear a skirt to work yesterday that I couldn’t zip up on 13/1.
Eating high protein/low carb/no sugar is def way to go for me - haven’t felt hungry at all in the evenings - almost forcing myself to eat something when I get home from work.

Anyone struggling have a go with low carb (aside from fruit/veg)

Slow progress here but it's in the right direction

SW (1st Jan) 62.5kg
CW 60.7kg

I had a mini plateau for two weeks which was a bit depressing given it was so early on, but just trying to trust the process. I am doing a lot of exercise so I'm trying to use the mirror as much as the scale. My goal is more about losing the extra around my waist rather than a scale weight.

Some of you are seeing great progress. Well done!

I am stuck at 8st5. I think that might actually be a pound heavier than when we started this thread (maybe I'll go back and check later).

Do any of you who are seeing progress have any tips? I'm tracking every calorie on Nutracheck and I'm very active.

Very frustrated here. I managed to drop 4lbs in 3 weeks and hit 9 stone on the 17th. Since then I have been fluctuating between 9 stone and 9 stone 2. I am still in a deficit, not eating sugar, and haven’t changed a thing. I know it isn’t fat gain as one day I gained almost 2 kg overnight 😂 I think my cycle is a big factor. So anyway. At 9 stone 1 at the moment. I do feel better even 3lbs down but I feel like this is very minimal for the work I’ve put in!

I find that my weight can vary back and forth over 1 kg within days, I guess it’s water retention etc. So, I have taken measurements of 3 key areas of concern and wrote them in my daily planner on the specific day and will track progress of circumference instead of total weight.

Yeah I think maybe I should do the same. I also think maybe I’ve gained some muscle as my legs feel quite firm as opposed to jiggly!

Had a holiday where I really overdid the cocktails! Oops!

So now weigh in at 8.11 - I'm back calorie counting now.

I'm 5'1 so any heavier than 8.5, I start to look quite thick around the middle. I'm broad and have big boobs, so every pound shows.

I'd still love to get to 7.12, maybe one day...

No focus, minimal exercise this week.

Ill child, broken boiler, a few other out-of-routine disruptions.

Feeling OK though. House too cold to loiter with scales and a tape measure, but I'm not feeling bloaty 😂

Had a couple of bad days last week so I'm back up to 55.1kg instead of 54.8.

I've had to increase my calories to fuel my runs so it seems I have to choose...complete and do well in my races or lose weight 😭😭

Hi all, sorry I haven’t posted in a while, life has been very up and down! I’m back on it now and determined to lose the last stone! Currently weighing in at 8st 8lbs. I have a couple of events to go to in the next two weeks so will be over the moon if I can lose a couple of pounds before then (at my height, it makes all the difference, especially around my face!).