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'm 1lb down this morning

And am about to go for my 4th run this week 💪🏻

Great! Going to check these out today, thanks.

I agree

BMI used to be 27.5 and below for a healthy weight, they arbitrarily changed it to 25 in the late nighties to make it easier to remember.

Everyone here weighs very little. I’m 5 3 78kg and a size 12-14, don’t really carry weight on my stomach and people assume I am a lot lighter. But I also exercise a lot.

if I weighed my ideal weight and I have, I looked very thin and not in a good way. Doctors made me do iron tests because I looked thin.

BMI is a very bad measurement of personal health, and many scientists agree. It’s more useful for population health. The stats were created for white European men only.

A much better measurement is height to waist ratio, that tells you a lot more about health

No it doesn't.

It reflects a few issues.

1. weight gain to unhealthy levels doesn't happen overnight. It's healthy to keep an eye and take action early when you notice weight creeping on BEFORE it becomes a significant problem
2. the stigma of numbers and the inability of people to comprehend BMI issues for petite women. "You 'only' weigh 9 and a half stone, I don't know what you are complaining about". Hmm my BMI says I'm actually over weight but you crack on shaming me with your ignorance jealously.
3. at the end of the height scale BMI is not as accurate either. If your frame is particularly petite this can mean you are actually a lot more unhealthy than someone with a higher BMI who is taller.
4. The numbers being quick in this thread are bang on in terms of what I'd expect for someone in this height and petite frame range in terms of looking for a healthy target. Nothing here says unhealthy never mind eating disorder

And this is precisely why this thread was created. Because of clueless comments like this one.

Everyone here, crack on.

@RedToothBrush 👏🏻

@iloveshetlandponies well done!

@LemonyCoughSyrup how lovely for you.

@RedToothBrush 🙌

You know that they've since changed this don't you?

They take ethnicity into account now because they recognise different frame sizes and health

So actually, for the same height and weight, one person can be over weight whereas someone else is a healthy weight.

By your OWN admission you have a larger frame which I find interesting.

The NHS app says the following now for women:
Asian or Asian British
Includes any Asian background, for example, Bangladeshi, Chinese, Indian or Japanese.
A BMI between 18.5 and 22.9 is classed as a healthy weight.

Black, African, Caribbean or Black British
Includes any other Black background.
A BMI between 18.5 and 22.9 is classed as a healthy weight.

Middle Eastern
Includes any Middle Eastern background, for example, Arab or Iranian.
A BMI between 18.5 and 22.9 is classed as a healthy weight.

Mixed or multiple ethnicities with an Asian, Black or Middle Eastern background
For example, White and Black Caribbean or Black British and Chinese.

White
A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is classed as a healthy weight.

Any other ethnicity or prefering not to say
A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is classed as a healthy weight.

This is pretty interesting.

Gosh I'm very petite but some of these weights you are referring to are tiny. My daughter is 5 foot and had to weigh 50kg before she was discharged from the NHS eating disorder service. Some of you already weigh less than that. This isn't healthy.

I'm 5ft 1.

A healthy BMI range for my height is 7stone to 9stone 6pounds.

If I was a different ethnicity overweight would be anything over 8stone 9.

8stone 9 pounds is 54kg. 7 stone is 44kg.

Go look at the NHS BMI calculator if you don't believe me.

Stop spreading unhelpful nonsense.

I’ve read a study before where they thought that BMI should be extended down lower for shorter people so I think to say 17 instead of 18, and made slightly higher for tall people.

I was a size 14 in pregnancy at about 9 stone and eating way more than normal. My face was looking fat and I was getting a double chin! It’s just the way I am. I could never maintain that weight after pregnancy.

These weights are normal for a lot of us and has nothing to do with ED.

That’s great. It’s a nice time of year for running.

@Radiolala

I've also started resembling a barrel 😩

Exactly.

It's worth pointing out that a target weight of 50kg for a female who is 5"1' will owe a lot to the high rate of relapse following discharge from hospital rather than it being considered 'the barest minimum' for a normal woman with healthy eating patterns.

My I join?

I'm 4foot 11 and 57kg BMI of 25.4 so 'just' outside healthy. I would like to be 50kg ideally but would settle for 52kg. Don't want to go too slim as my face cant handle it anymore. But I could do with loosing some from around my waist as its not healthy to carry that much there.

I am a size 12

I was doing quite well with 1 exercise session a day and aiming for 1400 calories a day (usually averaging more like 1900 over the week as I over indulge at the weekend!). But today ate a HUGE cream cake after a stressful work morning and will pay for it on the scales tomorrow!

Aww welcome @Hoolahoophop

Don't let the cream cake incident put u off your stride

Just try to eat healthy for the rest of the day

Could you maybe fit a walk or run in?

I think this is a really important point about the difficulty of maintaining a healthy weight at this height.

If you only have 1400-1500 to play with then that 'just one biscuit' or the cake at the coffee shop is a big deal. The social pressure to have one and that it doesn't matter is huge. When actually it's much more difficult to do when you don't even have an allowance of 2000calories.

The issue of portion sizes generally is another.

People who are taller just don't get this.

Instead they are too busy comparing themselves to you and saying you don't weigh anything without giving thought to what it actually means and how we shouldn't be comparing ourselves to others with vastly different needs and what's normal.

The distorted idea that somehow if you are under 10 stone then you can't possibly be keen to keep an eye on your weight because it's somehow unhealthy is actually nuts.

It's gives a completely different set of challenges and it's much easier to suddenly put on a lot of weight if you don't pay close attention to what you are eating.

@Hoolahoophop mmmm cream cake sounds lovely! 😂

@RedToothBrush I need you to follow me around as a peer mentor or something.

@RedToothBrush absolutely. I'm 'tiny' and weigh 'nothing' but to do that have to have a bird like appetite as I cannot process what many think of as a normal sized meal. All those scoffing posts about competitive under eating are depressing. We simply have not got many calories to play with.

Normally I would run this morning before work. But swapped that for extra work prep. So not much exercise time tonight. But it's only a small set back.

Precisely!

I’ve just done a Caroline Girvan workout. Actually went ok considering I’ve not exercised in ages!

I want to join, 5 ft 2, every pound shows at this height! As of this morning weight is 10st 5 (66kg) ugh. I am down a stone since May from my highest weight of 11st 5, which was heading into the obese category. I have always been slim, but now I'm in my 40s its ridiculous how easy the weight creeps on.

I have lost the stone, by intermittent fasting and low carb. Bread and potatoes are a killer for me, and I need to cut out wine as well.

I would love to aim for 8st 5 or even 8st, but at this rate am just aiming to get in the healthy BMI at 9st 10 first, not that I even put much stock in BMI, as I still feel and look big at 9st 10.

Good luck everyone!

Hi, hope I'm not too tall for this thread at 5'3"!
I've always been between 8 and 9 stone (with a brief period nudging over 10 when I quit smoking!) and am generally happy with that, currently 8 stone 9. I feel and look better between 8 stone 3 and 8 stone 7 so that is what I am aiming for.

I run and weight train, and have recently cut down on drinking and really need to cut down on the takeaways too! My plan is to eat a bit cleaner generally (it is the time of year for slow cooker casseroles!), also very roughly intermittent fasting as I work shifts so it's not always possible. I'm 4lbs down this month so generally heading in the right direction if I keep it up!

Even a couple of pounds makes a massive difference on my frame and a lot of people of different builds (not just heights) don't seem to get that. I've not seen anyone on this thread aiming for an unhealthily low BMI or planning to do it in an unhealthy or disordered way. It is a little disheartening people are being made to feel like they have to justify themselves on the support thread they have created for others in the same position, and it happens a lot! My maintenance calories are only around 1700 and that's with exercise so it can be harder for smaller people!

I’m the same as you! I’m 45 and this is the heaviest I’ve ever been! I need to lose about 3 stone which just seems impossible. 😕
Doing the intermittent fasting. I find myself going to bed early to deal with the no snacking misery. I’m back walking the block here (5K) at least 5 days a week. Wine at the weekend for a treat.

Can I join? Finally found my people where the heights and weights seem more in line with mine!

I'm 35, 5'3 and currently 60-61kg which is more than I've ever weighed. I'm 6 months postpartum with DC2 and my weight now is not that far off what my full term pregnancy weight was with DC1! 😳 I'm still BF so I'm hoping at least a couple of kg is boob weight.

My happy weight is anywhere between 50-52kg but my initial milestone goal is 55kg. I used to be pretty disciplined with diet and exercise but haven't been so for years now. Also struggling with my mental health atm which is probably a big factor.

I've just started up going to the gym again. Only a couple of times a week but want to get that up to at least 3-4 times. I'm doing couch to 5k on the treadmill and then weights. Ideally I'd love to do classes again but I just can't commit to specific times any more what with 2 small children and their varied routines. I also have a Peloton at home but just can't bring myself to be consistent with it for some reason, maybe once I'm in that 'zone' of craving workouts then I will be.

Diet wise tbh I don't actually eat huge amounts for meals and they are pretty healthy although I could always add more protein and veg. Where I stumble is sugar. I'm honestly addicted to chocolate and biscuits. It doesn't matter how filling or full of protein my meal has been, I still end up eating sweet stuff after. So I'm working on that!

Haven't heard of Caroline Girvan workouts so will check them out.

Well done on the stone!