Petite support thread... continued

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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.

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.

Happy bloody Saturday. Weighed in this morning at 52kgs exactly.

Started this journey in August last year at 60kgs, the heaviest I’ve been in my adult life (aside from pregnancy) how and why I got to that weight I have no idea but I have a feeling it was the antidepressant I’d been on for 18 months. I weaned myself off that slowly and came off it properly in Jan of this year.

I think I’m going to continue the ‘weight loss’ for another month & try and get to 50/ 51kgs and then start just trying to maintain/ only go up a few lbs. That feels scary to me though as I have no idea how to do that. I worry if I start eating relatively ‘normally’ now that all the weight will just pile back on!

We’ll see!

Hope everyone else is getting on okay!

Congratulation @Iloveleaveinconditioner that's amazing work.

I am currently 60kg. Heaviest I have ever been. This time last year I got down to 54kg and was happy with that but I have put on a lot of weight through emotional eating. I can see it in my face now which I hate but will hopefully trigger me to go back to being more sensible. Plus its hot now, so salads are more appealing than carbs.

Good luck with the maintenance.

Losing the will a little with petite loss. Can anyone shed any light? What has actually worked? Anyone else over 40, 5’2 and cracked this? I’ve hovered around 135 pounds for ages and would do anything to get back down to 115 pounds. It feels impossible. Help!

Hi all, mind if I join?

I’ve been steadily putting weight on over the years and I’m now around 11st at 5ft 1…

The crux came yesterday when I bought 2 new dresses in the sale, both size large to find that both did not fit me when I got them home! None of my clothes fit well anymore and it’s bringing me down.

I have decided enough is enough - I immediately binned my all chocolate 🍫. I want to start by just cutting out snacks and fizzy drinks and upping my fitness - I also got the treadmill out last night and did half an hour in the sweaty garage. I did 15 mins on it this morning.

Moring @thisist and @MrsJLevinson I too am failing, but have been on this thread for a while and have watched what those who have succeeded have done.

A will of iron, excellent mental health, a stable job and relationship, children and parents requiring little of your help are an excellent foundation. Anything that unbalances and the food and diet go crazy. So don't feel bad if you are struggling, life makes it difficult.

Then, regular exercise, like something every day. The most successful seem to mix it up, a bit of cardio, a bit of strength and a lot of walking/gardening etc. Generally active.

But of course diet is 80% of weight loss or something like that. Small regular meals and no snacking seems to be the best thing, going clean, reducing starchy carbs and counting. Feeling constantly hungry and craving food treats appears to be the norm. I'm sorry to say that, but its hard.

When I was loosing the stars were aligned in my life. I was running 5-10k 3x per week. Walking 10-15,000 steps a day on average, with 'good' days closer to 20. So waling 2k to work, a 20 min walk at lunch then walking 2k home, then pottering in the evening and walking to any clubs (kids clubs) that it was possible to walk to. I was eating a small (30g) portion of porridge for breakfast (or two poached eggs with spinach, mushrooms and cheery toms - dry fried to avoid extra oil). A salad for lunch with crustless quiche or ham, or mackerel on toasts as I was trying to reduce cholesterol and oily fish is good.

Then removing half of the carb/sauce sometimes protein helping of dinner from my plate for another day and replacing with extra veg or salad. I quit alcohol and all snacks. Lost about 0.5-1lb a week. Painful, but it did work.

Then life fell apart and I am back to square one.

Hi Hoola,

I can’t say that I have a will of iron - even harder with a DP at 6ft and can eat anything without putting on an ounce.

The snacking has got to go, I am often woken at 4am to let DCat out and I’m in the biscuit tin at 4am!!

Oh we have that in common MrsJ. I am 4ft 11, DH is 6ft 3! It makes it HARD. Do DCat leading me astray though!

Honestly it was so hard when I was succeeding. But I found eventually that smaller portions worked for me, I was still eating what everyone else ate, but in much smaller portions. After a while your stomach gets used to it and you don't feel hungry. Its the social thing that's a problem. While I can look at my plate of food and my DH's and logically i know that its correct. He needs more fule than me. It still feels like a deprivation. Especially when eating out etc. and the portions are the same for everyone, so you have to leave half of the plate, or skip a meal or two the next day. On that note, balancing over the week seemed more managable than a daily target.

hello, haven’t been here for a while.

I seem to be going in steps? I was stuck on 9 st 5 or 6 for ages. Then I dropped down to 9st 1 fairly quickly, over the course of a couple of weeks, without doing anything different. Now I have been stuck at 9st 1 for ages. I did have one great day (!) when I was below 9 st but then back up to 9 st 1 again.

Anyone else have this? It’s very weird.

I feel like I’m eating pretty healthily (hot weather helps) and doing a fair amount of exercise but whilst I am looking more toned the weight stays the same.

Would love to see 8st 11 like a lot of you! Well done!

Oh and I also have a 6’3 can eat anything and stay slim husband. My young teen DD has inherited his metabolism and now eats more than me. So frustrating when they tuck into a mid afternoon crumpet and I have to resist. Sigh.

@minipieand @Hoolahoophop - It’s hard with DPs over 6ft - DP is actually 6ft 3 also.

Adding to this is that he only ever drinks full fat coke!! And as it’s in the house I often help myself.

Its hard!

I'm almost desperate enough to trade in the DH for a different model. But he does have his uses so I cant quite cut the ties just to help with my dieting!

To be fair he does try to help by cutting snacks himself (or eating them and having a beer after I have gone to bed) but the comparison to his dinner and mine is still stark.

As the thread is warming up I'll try again to get back to where I was with you all as company.

Some threads share progress. If that would help anyone.

Weight
Today's weight: 59.8kg
Target weight: 48kg eventually. 52kg I would be happy.

Diet
Breakfast: overnight oats made with orange juice, some Greek yoghurt and blueberries.
Lunch: left over stir-fry.
Dinner: Small portion of meatballs and pasta and a large portion of some kind of Asian slaw as I bought some cabbage and want to try it.
Snacks: Apple and a small chunk of easter egg after dinner that has been hanging around and needs using up.
(my fitness pal estimates all of that to be around 1605 calories which is more than I would like - if the day goes well i will cut out the grated cheese on the meatballs!)

Exercise
I will walk to work and back which is about 20 minutes each way, and will go for a quick 15 min walk at lunch time to buy some limes for the slaw. I will try to complete a 10 minute Pilates routine (for core as mine is getting painfully weak) and one of Joe Wicks 10 minute strength routines.

Mental Wellbeing
To cheer myself up after all that I will practice the piano, or have a go at turning a old sheet into a summer dress for wafting around the house during future heatwaves.

Seen this thread has picked up.
Its so bloody hard being short!! And loving food.

I was 11.1 in January. 5 feet and a tiny bit. I was miserable.
Did quite well dieting and then stalled in April around 10.5. I started wegovy. Now at 9.7 and feeling much happier. Target is 8.9, but compared to how I was I'm happy enough to stay close to this weight. I'm on the lowest dose and it's cost me £60 a month

Have you had any side effects from wegovy?

I am curious

@MrsJLevinson I had some reflux and an taking omeprezole. Otherwise no. Occasional slight constipation, but eating fruit fixes it.

Couple of headaches I guess. Need to drink a lot.

Thanks, I have thought about it myself. It seems like as petites weight loss is twice as hard.

This thread has suddenly got busy! Just catching up and realised I’ve not posted for a month (I hadn’t realised it was so long!). Lovely to have lots of people here. Welcome to anyone new.

Just read your post from last weekend @Iloveleaveinconditioner Amazing progress - well done!

@minipie I understand the frustrations. However - you do say you are looking more toned. That’s great! Sometimes our body composition is changing even if the number on the scales isn’t.

@Hoolahoophop I’d also like to check-in with progress. Do you want to share weekly or just randomly?

For me…
Today’s weight: 8st12
Target weight: I thought it was 8st, but not sure! Main aim is to lose tummy fat.

Exercise: I do dumbbell workouts at home (mainly Caroline Girvan, but my weights as not as heavy as she uses!) and walk 15,000-20,000 steps.

I track everything on Nutracheck but keep changing my mind how many calories to aim for as, although I want to lose weight/tummy fat, I also want to build muscle/strength and fuel workouts. Is anyone else using Nutracheck?

How is everyone doing this week and over the weekend.

I ate, a lot.

Starting weight 59.8kg
Todays weight 59.6kg (down 0.2kg on last week, oh dear!)
Target weight:48kg

Plan for this week.
7x Pilates core control
3x 3-5k run
3x 15 mins weights with Joe

Food
Lots of fruit and veg, minimize the carbs.

Good luck everyone.

Having posted that I was stuck at 9st 1, I suddenly dropped to 8st 13. Very exciting! But a few days and quite a lot of eating and drinking later I’m back to 9st 1. Gah.

I tend to do less exercise and more eating over the summer holidays due to kids being home so guessing that’s not going to help matters.

Hi all,

I did really well last week, only drinking water and no snacks / treats / takeaways. For me, making these changes is a big thing! Adding in more protein, veggies and fruits for a snack.

I weighed myself this morning and I am 10st 9. Not sure what I was when I last week as I decided not to weigh myself.

Hoping to keep going as I am with making healthier choices, and incorporate more exercise. I will be tested next week as we are away visit family, plus my birthday is coming up.

I do need to shift the mindset that making these changes will mean I lose 5lbs in a week my body does not work like that.

I weighed myself this morning and I am 51.1 kgs, which I think is 8st 1lb or something?

In all honesty, I think that’s it for me now. I started last year at 60kgs and really just wanted to drop back down to 54/55kgs which is pretty much what I’ve weighed my whole, adult life. I’ve done that and then some and would like to not have to constantly count the calories so much moving forward.

I’d ideally love to maintain at this weight, I don’t mind going up to say 53kgs, but no more than that really. So now I need to work out how to do that, as currently, Mon-Fri I’ve been eating around 1200 cals a day so need to see what my maintenance will be.

I’m still going to fast 4-5 days a week I think as that doesn’t really do any thing for my weight loss anymore but it does make me feel a lot better.

Best of luck to you all, moving forward!

Yep, that's happened to me. Gutting but it does mean I can get there!

Morning all, its a new week.

How is everyone doing?

I seem to be back up to 60.1 so more than my starting weight. Doh!

I had a big celebratory BBQ Thursday, then continued eating (and drinking) all weekend.

But on the plus side last week I ran twice in the week alone, plus a park run at the weekend, did my Pilates every week day and did a Joe Wicks strength workout three times. So my exercise was good even if the eating was bad. I feel if I could match the two up I would be flying!

I'm feeling determined today, so have planned a 1300 cal food day. Will hope for the best!

@minipie I agree, the school holidays throw a spanner in the works, less routine to fit in exercise and more treats around the house. So really I should have started earlier! Well done on the drop, sorry for the bounce maybe its temporary!

@MrsJLevinson I think that the slowness of the decrease is why I fail, I get into a what's the point mindset when I am loosing so slowly. But summer is good for salads. I have been making some interesting things this week, we had a broccoli salad, some Asian slaw and I have very much enjoyed caprese salad with quiche. The veggie intake has been up and I have been eating the rainbow. Hopefully that will help.

@Iloveleaveinconditioner well done on reaching a weight you are happy with. What is your fasting routine? Maintenance is hard, its so easy to creep back to where you were before as one treat leads to another, or a bad day means an extra helping of comforting carbs. Good luck.

Ok, you need to tell us exactly what you have done to achieve 8 stone at our age???! This is my dream weight. The weight I was my whole life until sleep deprivation with my 2nd child kicked in. Please share all! 1200 cals Mon-Fri? Any eating window? How many cals Sat and Sun? Thank you!!

I agree with @thisist

I also have always been around 8st, but slowly gained weight over the last 18 months (I’m 43) and can’t lose it!

Check-in today using my Happy Scale ‘moving average’.

Last week: 8st11.7
Current: 8st12.7
Target weight: ??8st?? (Lose tummy fat!)

I’m hoping the gain is linked to the hot weather. I feel like I’ve been trying since Christmas to lose a few pounds. I keep hoping that some body recomposition is happening (I’ve slightly increased the weights of dumbbells I’m able to lift in my home workouts) but my tummy fat would argue against that hope!

Okay,

So I’ll try and put it as simply as I can.

Monday-Friday I fast for 20 hours so I stop eating at 18.30 the night before and don’t eat until 14.30 the next day. I do drink tea with skimmed milk during my fasting window but that’s it other than water.

Food wise Mon-Fri, I break my fast with chopped fruit (1 nectarine, some pineapple, grapes and strawberries) and 150grams of Fage 0% yogurt.

I then try and have a low(ish) calorie dinner most evenings, usually salmon with sweet potatoes and roasted med veg, those dim sum things that you can get in most supermarkets that are only like 250 calories for the whole pack, with rice and peas. Chicken knocci. Eggs and avacado on toast etc. Sometimes I’ll have pizza and chips for dinner and might sneak myself a mini packet of party rings (only 90cals) with a cup of tea around 3pm, so it’s not completely rigid.

And that’s it eating wise until the next day. It’s about 1200 cals a day which allows me to lose weight.

Then Saturday & Sunday I eat what I want, drink wine, eat chocolate, go out for dinner etc. I still fast a little bit as I just don’t fancy eating in the mornings nowadays, but I don’t have a strict time to eat, just eat around 1pm or whenever I need to.

I then get back on it again on the Monday.

Is it a bit boring/ restrictive, yes, but it’s allowed me to lose over a stone. It’s taken me a year though. But I plan to just carry on being stricter through the week (though will up the calories a bit now) and relaxing at weekends and hope to maintain around 52/53kgs.

sorry, that was long!