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.

I’ll go back and catch up on the thread later, but just a quick reply to @thisist … I started with the ‘Iron’ series. I think that is a good series to start with. I’ve then gradually worked my way through the different series.

Are you a beginner to weights? If so, ignore the weights that Caroline uses! I’m still lifting much lighter than what she uses.

There’s also an app, but I’ve not felt the need to pay for that - there’s lots on YouTube.

Having said all that, does anyone use a different YouTube programme for strength/weights? I’ve been doing Caroline Girvan workouts for a while now (and generally happy to continue), but wonder if anyone recommends anyone else?

Nothing obvious to report, the scales are stable, but I have felt leaner this week.

Also with the weather cooling off, I'm pulling out warmer layers and I think my full length leggings are feeling less snug than last winter.

Can I join please?
I've been following the thread for a while but I've never posted.
I've lost 3lbs this week putting me at 8.13, aiming for 8.7 first.
I'm 5ft 1.
It's hard, I've been losing and gaining the same 7lbs this past 3 months.

Can I join at just under 5 ft 4? (162cm). I'm currently 9 stone 2 but would like to get down to around 8 stone 12. I know it's only 4 pounds but we all know that's a lot when you're small 😊. Looking forward to hearing everyone's journeys

Awww I fell off the band wagon and after two months of thinking I was doing well and could just carry on without worrying as much of counting calories and just not eating between 6pm and 10, and I am back up to where I more or less was starting 😬😳

I am 5’3” and struggle to get below 55/56kg also. It’s just like a wall. I can creep up but not get below this weight.

I also can’t eat 3 meals a day. I eat one healthy sized meal around brunch-time and one small snack type meal around 5pm.

@bumptybum wow I couldn’t get by with that little eating. I couldn’t even manage holding off on breakfast when I tried intermittent fasting. I just caved and ate crap if I did that. I am pretty active though.

Im not sure how much scientific weight is attributed to the set point theory but I do seem to have spent most of my life around 56kgs, and it takes a lot to deviate from that.

Morning all, lovely to see lots of activity on the new thread, new people and lots of lovely suggestions.

I'm back from holiday and struggling to get back to routine. Also a really busy week so tired and reaching for food to try to boost my energy.

I'm 4ft10! Pre-holiday I was 54.7kg (BMI 24.4) Today weighed in at 56.2 (BMI 25) so less than 2kg gain, but it takes so long to loose. At 4ft10 I really don't have many spare calories to work with.

Today's plan is breakfast (porridge with water, oats, dates and a teaspoon of peanut butter). Lunch is rice noodles with leftover chicken and veg from last night's fajita's. Tonight will be chili and rice or chicken Kiev depending on what time the school clubs finish. I am so exhausted I cant even think about exercise. But am walking to work and back which is around 2.5km each way.

I think I need to get my bloods checked again as even after two weeks beach time I am exhausted. I generally have low, but not low enough for the NHS to care Iron levels.

For those calorie counting. I aim for 1350 per day. Struggle and when I am doing 'really, really' well on sticking to a clean diet I manage to average 1600 day. If I am also running three times a week alongside that and being generally active I might manage to shift 0.1kg a week. Its slow.

I don’t have anything to report, my weight is stable. I’ve bought a new type of Japanese rice and the whole family is crazy about it, it tastes absolutely delicious so we’ve been having poké, homemade sushi and everything else with rice basically every day.

Now that's the sort of good news story i like to hear in the mornings @CortieTat what's the rice? I love rice...and pasta......and bread well, all carbs really. Possibly my dieting downfall!

Will be joining, I'm 5ft and at my heaviest at over 9st, made worse by chronic conditions that make exercising quite difficult. So amazed at everyone's weight losses, very inspiring. I will pop back with all my details as currently at work. I cannot put any more weight 😫 please God!

The rice is Koshihikari from Niigata, it’s sticky (we have a rice cooker). I know what you mean re carbs, what works for me is having them padded heavily with vegetables so they are just 1/4 of a meal. This was my dinner yesterday, the rice is buried under everything else.

@CortieTat that looks divine!

I'm struggling with this too. My weight creeps up by a couple of pounds then I can lose that then its back up again and so on, not getting below 56kg.

Anyone else got a Christmas aim?
I'm aiming to get to 8.7 stone by Christmas. It's slow progress.

Hi all, I’m five feet 2 and was weighed at the hospital recently coming in at 10st 10. I was so shocked and although clothes have got tighter I didn’t realise I’d got this heavy. Nothing much has changed except I’ve got older. So…from now I am aiming to leave at least 4 hours between eating with a focus on high protein meals. I don’t drink much alcohol but am partial to a Kit Kat and know I could drink more water.

my Mum dieted all through my childhood and I don’t want to be that person, but definitely need to make some changes. I’ll be checking in and weighing in!

Hi all. I thought I posted on Saturday, but it appears I’ve not checked in here since October. I’m just catching up on all the posts now. Welcome to new joiners.

Thank you to those of you who replied to my question about calories. It’s really helpful to hear what is working for everyone. @CortieTat - it’s amazing that you can eat so many calories! Have you always been able to eat so many? What training do you do? How heavy do you lift?

@Hatsofftoyouwinter I originally had a Christmas aim of 8st, but I’ve been bouncing around 8st6 for the last month, so that is not going to happen! I think I just need to keep on keeping on. I’m still trying to get the right balance of finding what the right calories are to lose a bit of fat, but to make sure I’m eating enough to have enough energy for exercise and to try to build a bit of muscle.

I don’t think I will join. Don’t have experience with losing weight for a special occasion but I do have experience with quitting smoking before some important events (that was a long time ago, haven’t smoked for years). I was always so happy I managed to quit I rewarded myself with huffing and puffing like Thomas the Tank Engine afterwards - that is, it never worked!
I think many people have that problem before holidays, they try to lose weight for a specific deadline and then reward themselves so vigorously on holiday that the weight bounces right back on.

@CherryBlossom2025 I have always eaten a lot, looking in retrospect at my diet when I started putting on weight it was easily 3000+ kcal a day. TBH, I really find it hard to believe that people can survive (and sometimes don’t even lose weight) on 1200 or similar numbers, I suspect there’s a lot of underestimating going on!

I don’t lift heavy weights, the workouts I do most often are LM Shapes and Grit Strength. I am doing Shapes now with a medium band, used to do light for the last three years! From my experience it’s the Shapes that gave me the fastest results regarding muscle definition and strength.

Yes and aiming for the same weight as you.

I’m jumping back on board, I was on the first thread and seem to be getting no where fast! I’m 5ft,3 and a half and 55kg and really want to get back to my original weight of 52kg.

I’ve always been active, never gone more than 2 days without exercise, that was until I started having sacroiliac pain thanks to an autoimmune illness I have. It’s totally floored me exercise wise, there’s so little I’ve been able to do - just about everything affects it exercise wise, so no running, no squatting and heavy weights, no lunges, you get the picture! So I’ve had to make do with walking and laying down to lift some very light weights - I am so frustrated and it makes losing weight that bit harder.

So today I’m going to start loosely logging my calories, hate having to do it but without the exercise needs must!

Hi All,

I like the idea of a Christmas aim, but know I'll fail!

I'm bouncing all year around the 54-58kg mark. Cant seem to get below 54.

I have had a rough few weeks and broken all my intentions, so back on the low cholesterol diet now and see how those Mediterranean lifestyle changes can help with the overall loss. I'd love to get to 50kg.

I had a nice low weigh-in of 62.6kg yesterday, but that was post-long run however, it's been a while since I saw a 62 which was before the summer holidays when I bounced back up a bit.
I'm still generally creeping downwards slower than a lame slug, but it's the right direction and sustainable.

Must not self-sabotage with those mince pies in December...

Ha! I've been ill and consuming an average of three mince pies a day. feeling a bit better today, though, so will be back on the exercise wagon this week I think.

Can I join , 5 ft 1 and 9 st 10 lb. Ideally a stone lighter really but god it’s hard now. The same pounds just seem to bounce off and on again. I’m fairly active, ride horses and muck out every day, walk dogs etc.have a breast reduction booked for next year and hoping to lose at least 4 lbs that way ( extreme cheating possibly ! ) . Would like to be a better weight before that though. Having egg for breakfast and trying to semi low carb. Bread is my downfall. I used to do low carb and lose weight easily but now eating that way with high fat makes my gall bladder twinge.

Ha! I've been ill and consuming an average of three mince pies a day.

God - this is my kind of diet! I’ve just bought my first box today but shoved them in the freezer. That way I can take one out at a time and not eat half the box in one go 😆 or that’s my plan anyway!