Does anyone else find half a stone makes such a big difference?

[FeelingSadToday1]

Why do I carry weight so badly? I am relatively short at 5ft 2in and used to weigh 11st 9lbs which looked and felt awful on me! I lost weight and got down to 9st 2lb which felt so much better! I was then unwell for a while (ulcerative colitis) and went down to 8st 10lb unintentionally, and this was far too thin for me.

I am now fighting fit again after months of steroids and monthly infusions but now weigh a steady 9st 9lbs, which is still within normal BMI, I can still mostly fit in all my clothes but I look and feel massive. I carry weight around my stomach so I now have an overhang, my face is puffy, I have back boobs and cankles. I guess a small amount could be water retention from the drugs.

I have lost weight before so its not an issue, I will shift it, its more of a solidarity post really from anyone else who half a stone can be the difference between bikini body and feeling uncomfortable enough to cover up.

I almost want to pst pictures to show what I mean!

My friend always used to say half a stone was a dress size to her , never was to me but everyone’s different of course

I know exactly what you mean and my taller friends don't understand this at all

I'm 5'1 and if I gain ANY weight it is immediately noticeable. It all goes on my stomach/Hips too so I very quickly start looking pregnant if I gain weight.

Edited to add...... when i gain weight i remind myself of that one eyed green monster off monsters Inc 🤣 really skinny arms and legs and just a wide body

Agree. I’ve been trying to lose half a stone for about 10 years!

I'm 15st 7. Getting back under 15 would make a world of difference to my shape and health.
Used to always weigh 14st 7- got to 13st 12 and felt amazing.
That half stone is important.

Half a stone for me would mean I wouldn’t be sitting in agony in my work trousers on the train right now 😭

I'm taller, 5'7", healthy BMI and very fit but even for me, half a stone is the difference between feeling fit and well and heavy and slow. Although it doesn't really make a difference to my clothes, people do remark I've lost weight when I've lost it.

Makes a big difference to me at a lighter weight. I'm 5/2 also.

Currently around 9 to 9 stone 2 and been at that for a a few months. At 9 stone 9 and BMI of 25 I still looked on the bigger side. Took photos to see the difference. There is a big difference in how I look with that 7-9 pounds on or off.

At my biggest I was over 13 stone, clinically obese - weight gain caused by overeating in pregnancies, comfort eating, stress eating etc. Tbh there wasn't much change losing half a stone when I was at that weight.

It's true for me especially these days. In my younger days if I gained weight it tended to go on my legs and hips first (traditional shape). Now well into middle age and it's my waist and abdomen (apple shape). I'm much more aware of that as my clothes get uncomfortably tight around the waist and my tummy also sticks out. I hate how I look in swimwear because my torso looks like a big round tree trunk which doesn't seem to go "in" at the waist. Half a stone off and waist reappears and abdomen flattens down.

Trying to lose half a stone at the moment. It always seems to be the hardest bit to shift! I don't want to be skinny, I just want to have a waist again!

Have heard the "apple shape" fat like this is worse for your heart and organ health so that's another reason, besides my vanity.

This
me and my sister do slimming world and the people who say oh I’ve lost 7lbs that’s a dress size????
I mean HOW
unless you were a 16 squashed into a 14 and can now do the zip up on your skirt but can’t sit down in it because it’ll burst 🤣

Yeah so far I have lost 4 lbs and although it’s not noticeable to others I feel better for it.

I am 5'6 (and a half!) so two inches taller than the UK average. I really notice half a stone, so I don't think it has to be related to your height. It is probably related to exactly how your body distributes that half a stone. If it's laid out in a thin layer all over it won't make a huge difference visually. If it all goes on your waist and chin you are really going to notice it.

I also notice it in terms of how easy movement is. At 10.5 stone I get a bit puffed walking up mountains, even when I'm doing them regularly. At 10 stone I feel much lighter and I only get puffed if I run up them. It's the difference between climbing unburdened, or carrying 8 tins of tomatoes in a backpack!

Yes Dp, moves between 10 and a half and 11 stone. He looks 10 years younger at 10.5

I am going to post pictures as some are saying they cant see how 7lbs can be the difference between a dress size. So picture one was August last year and I was 9st 2lbs. Second picture was 2 weeks ago and I was 9st 8lbs. Granted I am not stood fully upright in the second as it's a screen shot from a very unflattering video! but it's clear to see I look much heavier!

Yes, I understand. Every extra pound goes on my tummy!

But what I find really hard to understand is that I’m the same height as you, around a stone lighter than you, but currently look like your second picture. I only look like you in your first picture when I’m under 8 stone. It’s so strange isn’t it, that we’re the same height but I have to weigh around 7st10 to look as good as you do at 9st2?!!

It’s weird isn’t it. At 8stone 10lbs I looked Ill (I mean, I was) but even yess as health I lost my boobs and bum completely.

Yes, @FeelingSadToday1 - it is so strange. I’ve been thinking about this again this morning. I’d love to know the answer! Do you have quite a lot of muscle mass? I’m trying to work out where I’m going wrong and why I have to weigh a stone lighter than you to look ‘ok’ (and even then I don’t look as good as you look in your first picture!).

What’s your strategy for losing your half stone? It seems we’ve both got a similar aim in how much we want to lose and body composition.

Yes I’m around the same height and have put on a stone (after losing almost 7st) and my overhang is dreadful, my legs suddenly look like tree stumps and my bingo wings are swinging around. Can’t believe what I difference it has made. Took some photos on a birthday day out and my face is so round and chubby!

I didn’t look thin at bmi 23 but now I’m probably 24/25 and I look overweight!

Well the percentage loss of 7lb is much more at a lower weight than a higher weight, so it makes a lot of sense as to why it feels much different.

Normal muscle mass. I was quite fit last year in that I had a horse so did yard work and riding but no real exercise so to speak. To lose weight I need to be at a significant calorie deficit (thanks peri!)

I have started swimming again but very gently as my health is only just recovering.

I did a boditrax scan yesterday at it said I was only 60kg, which is even more surprising! Everything was in the green bar body fat which was in yellow at 35.4%.

sigh, would be lovely to just feel comfortable and confident wouldn’t it!

I'm around 5'6" and have only lost 4kg/9lbs but people are telling me I look thinner. However in my case I think it is because I've been going to the gym for six months so have much better muscle mass. I'm still big round the middle and have more tummy than I'd like but my BMI is under 30 and I'm definitely feeling better. Some of my trousers fit me better but I wouldn't say that I've gone down a size.
I'm on Wegovy, quite a low dose, and find it helps for most of the week, but if I have one meal at the end of the week when I let myself go it scuppers any loss. And I'm completely ignoring the recommended nutrition targets, I followed them for a few weeks and got nowhere, they're much too high for me - despite my exercise at the gym.