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.

@ACuppaAlwaysHelpsFor me it’s just been a combination of eating less (specifically less bread) and moving more. My son started pre-school last September so I’ve been walking an extra ten minutes back and forth in the mornings.

I was 10.5 stone after having my daughter in May 2024 so it’s been slow and steady progress since then.

I can’t seem to get below 56kg. I have given up my gym but started on the Caroline girvan workouts instead but I’m being careful not to lift heavy so I don’t damage my pelvic floor further. I probably need to start looking more carefully at the quantities I’m eating but it’s all healthy stuff at least. I’ve only been running with the dogs so it’s a very slow pace overall - I should probably get out for some without them but they make me feel so guilty. Think I’m craving more sweet food since I started the progesterone and I’ve definitely been bloated a lot more often. Hopefully it settles down.

I lost weight so easily to begin with but now I’m lighter it just doesn’t seem to come off, probably because the amount I am eating hasn’t changed. But I have to be careful to get enough fibre so can’t eat too little.

On a plateau, and brain not really in the game, but the positive is that I'm also maintaining without too much bother.
Still loitering around the high 62s-low 63s.

I'm feeling better than when I was firmly in the 63kg zone last summer before gaining into autumn/ winter. I think muscle/ fat proportions have improved.

Hopefully proper momentum should return in September when routine resumes. I'll be getting more NEAT movement in and less opportunity to drift into the kitchen. Until then, maintaining is not a bad thing.

I’m still 56kg. Decided it might be time to start tracking my food - and my breakfast alone is over 600 cals. I think I might be eating quite a lot! Not sure what my aim will be, might just track for a few days and see if there’s anything obvious I should be cutting out. And I’ll be putting a teaspoon of tahini in my overnight oats rather than the free pour I’ve been doing as a start!

Officially on holiday, just as well as I haven't had focus since school broke up.

Time to enjoy (with a modicum of responsibility)

I had to give up snacking. Hungry between meals? Tough. I’ve learned to tolerate it. Snacks made me more hungry and pissed my deficit up the wall. Only lost a few pounds but it’s a habit I need to keep.

Hope you have a lovely holiday @BogRollBOGOF

Did you decide to keep tracking your food @Fibrous? How’s it going? I use Nutracheck and find it helpful.

Well done on your progress @orangegato

How’s everyone else getting on?

Hey everyone, I said I'd join ages ago and then promptly disappeared. I managed to lose about 4/5lbs for my holiday but it was excruciatingly slow and then of course I put on about 2 on the holiday.

I'm seriously back on the wagon now and my daily routine is:

Coffee (milk 200ml) x 2
1 whole grapefruit
Some 0% greek yoghurt with oats and a small bit of apple juice
My dinner - home-cooked, whatever I happen to be making for the family

5km walk every day

Man is it boring but it appears to be working! being 5'0 makes it so hard, I have to eat what feels like nothing to lose weight.

I'm still losing and gaining the same 2kg 😂

But also 😭

I'm 8.12 - I'd be happy just to get back to 8.8 - my clothes are tight so I can't say it's water weight!

I’ve not weighed myself for a bit (might brave it tomorrow) but I’ve been gorging myself on lots of food I haven’t been able to eat for months as my health issues seem to be resolving themselves. I’ve also quit the gym as that was contributing to my injuries but I’ve not been running enough to compensate for that. I’ve also been slacking off on the yoga. Not had a routine for a bit as I was away and my mother has been here too, hogging my tv so I can’t follow exercise classes and driving me to binge eating 😂. She leaves tomorrow so hopefully will get back into a routine.

Also on holiday and have been struggling with food after a great start to the year. Now back where I started pretty much. It's so much quicker to put it on than loose it.

Holiday is going well. I'm eating enough salady stuff to keep the bleurgh bloat feeling at bay. More relaxed than I would be at home but not too mad on the sweet stuff.

DH loves Wagon Wheels. I always call them "disappointments" to remind myself that they're a disappointing waste of calories to burn off after the event 😂

Morning all!

I'm 8.10 this morning.

It's taken 4 weeks to lose 3lbs.

I'm tracking every calorie (1600 max, I can't eat any less as I feel dizzy, my RHR is 39 as it is) as well as fasting 6pm until 12noon, and my ankle is a bit better so I'm back running, but not much - around 15km this week. Doing 12-15k steps a day.

I'm going to up my weight workouts in an effort to hold onto muscle.

My revised goal is 8 stone 3 - I'll be bang in the middle of a healthy BMI then, instead of being at the top end, and my clothes will be comfortable again!

If I continue losing approx half a pound a week, that's 14 weeks.

'Only' half a stone to go 😭

Hope everyone who is on holiday is having a lovely time.

Well done @Vallan That’s a really good loss. I also have a similar RHR.

I was 8st6.5 this morning. I was 8st4 this time last year, but somehow went up to 8st12 around April this year. I really couldn’t understand how/why I gained that weight. I was stuck there for ages but finally starting to lose it again. I’d ideally like to get to 8st. It’s taken me 5 months to lose 5 pounds, so at that rate I’d get to 8st in March! However, I’m definitely more focused on body composition and won’t mind being higher than 8st if I can just lose some of the extra body fat (especially on my belly).

The post-holiday weigh-in has been done, +2kg. Hopefully it's mainly sugar/ warm weather bloat rather than serious work. I hadn't really lost since school broke up in July anyway.

Supermarket trip done this morning so there are healthy options now in stock. Some surplus snacks came home and they'll dwindle through the week.

The focus this week is on getting some core healthy routines back but not sweating the small stuff on getting a deficit going. It's going to be a muddled week with a bank holiday, DCs back to school and DH away. Next week will have some extra routine changes, but should feel more focused...

I also have a similar RHR, I wonder if it’s a short person thing?

I weighed myself yesterday and I’m 58.6kg so not gained that much. I’m finding it so hard to stop eating the sugary things, though. I’m wondering if it’s because I’m taking the progesterone pill again. I calorie counted for a bit and realised I eat a lot of calories! I don’t really want to eat less. Diets are so bloody depressing. I think this is why I never get lighter than this. I get here and don’t have the commitment to reduce calories to get lower. I’m thinking of joining the local fell running club. Maybe hauling my weighty derrière up the hills might give me some focus.

Yeah another one with a similar RHR - perhaps it is a petite thing 😄

Well I have no idea what I weigh now as I refuse to get on those damn scales but clothes are definitely looser on me, size 8 no longer snug and have lost an inch of the thighs (always makes me happy!), but that stubborn stomach role is still hanging around, although it has reduced.

I’ve been doing shorter workouts but with much heavier weights and I think this has definitely made a difference, less running too but I do walk miles every day. It’s just a slow and laborious slog when you’re petite!

That's so interesting about others having a low RHR too, it's like a whole different set of rules apply to us petites 😂

We need our own 'normal' RHR range, maintenance calories guide (as its definitely not 2000) and our own BMI range.

Going by clothes is such a good idea, especially when you lift weights.

There will surely be an element of body recomp.

My weight seems to be on my flanks, currently sporting some very awful lower back rolls at the moment!

I ate 1400k cals yesterday, it felt like nothing - I skipped breakfast but had tuna & edame bean salad for lunch, an apple, and then homemade red thai 5-veg curry (zero rice) for dinner.

It's so laborious weighing everything, and the only way I lose weight is going hungry.

If I have a small deficit, my body just maintains. So it has to be a chunky one.

I haven’t been logging my food recently but like you I eat from scratch, no upf and when I was recording it I was coming in at about 1400-1600 and yet I still go to bed with that very slight hunger.

I could never fast because I’m always raring to eat first thing in the morning. I also tend to eat my main meal fairly early to most, but then I am up at 5am so ready for that meal around 3pm with just a light snake up until 6pm. I wonder if this is a getting older thing - I’ll be having my main meal at 12 by this rate 😄

Is it too late to join… I am 5’2 and 64 kg. I came back from a holiday in May the heaviest I have ever been (70.8 kg) and decided it was time for a serious change. I have cut out snacking, bread and large portions and have eaten a lot of fish and salad. My initial goal weight would be 60kg which would still be heavy for me but a fantastic start.

I am married to a very tall feeder who is also on this journey with me although not quite so strict with himself. It would be great to have some support from fellow petites.

If it helps, my heaviest weight was 89kg (quite a few years ago now, I lost the main of it but never quite got to my goal weight of 50kg) so starting from 70kg is a much better starting point!

Also sounds like you have things under control and a great plan. You should see some good progress which will help keep you motivated.

I'm jumping back in after a couple of months off, school holidays, going away, and the move played havoc with my dieting. But now feel ready to go again.

So far today I have eaten some porridge made with semi skimmed milk and sweetened with sultanas, about to go for my second coffee. The rest of the day will be an itsu noodle cup as I haven't had time to go shopping for actual food and some frozen pizza. But maybe less than i would usually have of that.

I am hoping the return to school routine will help. I haven't weighed in since 21st July. Will see how I get on tomorrow.

School/holidays are tough for staying on track, i hope everyone has done better than me and enjoyed your summer holidays.

Better nutritional choices going on this week. It's been an "improvement and gaining momentum" kind of week rather than "best practice" and that's realism.

Bloating easing even with hormones being taken into account.

Hi 👋
I'd love to join! I'm currently around 10 stone but I'm somewhere between 5'1" - 5'2". Aiming to get down to 8 st 9lb as a starting point as this is the heaviest im supposed to be for my height (BMI). I've lost 7lb already on slimming world, then lost my way with it a bit. Decided to give it another go. I have been sticking to it all week and have a lovely chicken curry to warm up now that I cooked yesterday.
I would absolutely love to be back to a size 8-10 rather than the 12 that I am now.