Any 5'0 starting at 165 pounds?

sadhanagopal

Hi

Any 5'0 starting at 165 pounds and met with success? My target weight is 140lbs. How long did it take you? And what was your diet like? Can I do it by walking alone?

It would really help to know your stories that would keep me motivated as I start on my fitness journey ..again!!

CoyotesGirl1976

Not quite, but Im 5'2" and started at 175. I've been losing since February 2014, with all manner of missed gym days and diet slip-ups. If you're going to just be walking and not changing anything else, it could take quite a while. The main things I changed with my diet are less processed food and smaller portions. I still eat out, but I make better choices. I still even have the occasional diet soda or fruit flavored fizzy water. I started with walking, graduated to a Couch to 5k program and I've begun running 10k on the weekend. Build slowly, keep going, you've got this. I would love to show you my transformation, but I can't figure out how to put a photo in here. :sad:

DonnaDancel

Thanks.. Me too. 5'2 starting 175.. Recently went through menopause and it's been tough..I love reading about success!

kimpossible262

Hi! I'm 5''3" and started at 153, and am now down to 148. My goal weight is 125. I'm doing P90X3. I felt it was important to build some muscle, which helps boost metabolism and burn fat more than cardio alone. To answer your question about walking, the answer is yes, if you were to walk at a brisk pace for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, and if you switched to whole, non-processed foods, you would see changes. Not sure what your diet and exercise habits are right now, but honestly, making lots of small changes and sticking with them will make a difference. Good luck in your journey, and keep me posted! Also, I'm here if you have any other questions. I used to be in great shape, but a bottle of wine a night packed on 20 pounds in 6 months. I used to run marathons, and now I can barely do 3 miles without getting so winded I almost pass out. But I keep chipping away at it doing P90x3 workouts, using the elliptical, and doing work with weights about 5 times a week. I've lost 5 pounds in 3 weeks and an inch off my waist, chest and hips already! You can do this!!!

adidrea

I'm 5'3" and once went from 165 to 140. It took me about a year because I generally lose weight slowly but it's very possible! I have since then gained the weight back (oops) and am trying again!

Walking is a great workout but it does take a little longer to get a significant calorie burn. Try to aim for 60 minutes rather than 30 per day if you're just walking. Also, lifting weights is great!

Good luck

Ahmaknits

Hi, I'm 5'0 and started at 190. I started in mid May and have lost 20 pounds so far. I'm really bad at the exercise part, but I have been counting calories and drinking water. I do need to get motivated on exercising, walking or something. Good luck with your lifestyle revamp!

sadhanagopal

Thanks so much!! It makes me feel good to know that I am not the only one. I am making changes to my diet one day at a time. My biggest pitfalls are my emotional eating issues and very, very carb heavy Indian diet. I also do not like to eat fruits. I am trying to break old habits and create new ones.

Have started doing Lesline Sansone 3 mile though it does get a little monotonous at times.

What do you do when the weather is not good to workout, like when its raining or too cold?

jiagetsfit

What do you do when the weather is not good to workout, like when its raining or too cold?

I prefer working out in the comfort of my home. You can add some bodyweight exercises like squats, pushups, lunges in addition to walking. Youtube is a goldmine for free workout videos.

UmmSqueaky

I'm 5'1 and although I started much higher, I passed 165 lbs not that long ago. I'm losing at a rate of a pound and a half a week on average. The kind of exercise doesn't matter so much as the fact that you're creating a calorie deficit. In the past, I've exercised, gone to the gym, blah blah blah, but without tracking what I eat, I wouldn't lose weight.

Is it possible to eat less of the bread and rice (not going low carb or anything, just less) and increase the veggies in your average meal? That is an easy way to cut down on calories while still feeling full.

If you haven't done so already, get yourself a food scale and check out http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Good luck!

blb85

I'm 5"0" (and a half an inch, as I like to always add... haha) and started out at the end of January 2014, bought a scale a week later and found I was 158 lbs!!! (Biggest I've EVER been in my life) My weight has been fluctuating a lot ever since... I saw a loss when I stuck to a 1200 calorie diet during the weekdays and made sure to put in about 20-30 min YouTube work-out too from then to the end of March. I think I got down to about 152. Then I started a new job and moved-in with my boyfriend and had a wedding I was in the bridal party (so lots of parties in April and May leading up to the big day) and I gained it all back from end of March to May (I also wasn't tracking). Now I just seem to be maintaining at about 156... I am hoping that next summer I can be down to 125ish so I can finally wear a bathing suit that I'm proud to wear at the beach in Chicago (where I live).

My issues are socializing and emotional eating. I am a huge foodie and I love to eat. Living in Chicago is hard since there are sooo many good eats and everyone wants to go out all the time and eat. I can't say no to that! So I just need to learn moderation and ways to modify my orders to keep myself in check. I also realized that if I want to eat, I need to step up my work-outs too. My 20-30 minute low-intensity workouts are good for if I am eating just 1400 calories a day; but I find sometimes I wind up eating almost 2000 calories or more a day. To compensate, I joined a gym where I take the 60 minute classes and switch up between BodyWorks (weight endurance class mixed with some cardio sometimes or tabata), Step Aerobics, & Zumba.

My biggest suggestions are to keep with the work-outs and try to maintain as close to the MFP/TDEE recommended calories a day. I noticed you mentioned you are doing Leslie Sansone walking DVD, I recommend you also check out JessicaSmithTV (she's got some good walking videos). Start adding some toning/strength work-outs too.

We can do this!!!

sola24

I am 5 ft.. though I didnt start that heavy but I am very small framed and it used to look like a lot on me.. What helped me is just increasing my activity and pushing myself.. I walk to work which is 2 kms away so I get about 4km walk 5 days a week. also I started to giv 20-30 mins everyday for exefcising. I was so unfit very basic fitnessblender exercises used to drive me to tears and sore. From there I have made it to Jillian Michaels and Shaun T. Which is a big success for me. I am more energetic and stronger than before.

one more problem I share with u is my carb rich Indian diet. What I did is, I decreased my intake of rice. I cannot live without rice so I made it a point to have not more than 1-1.5 cups a day. I will distribute it like 1 cup rice and lot of veggies and dal and may be some chicken and egg for lunch.. and similar with 0.5 cup rice and 1 very thin roti for dinner.. slowly my body adjusted.

Stay strong, you can do it.. We are all there to help you out.

AllOutof_Bubblegum

140 pounds at 5'0" seems really high to me...isn't that still clinically obese (or close to it) for that height?

skalkbrenn

It depends on your body frame and fat vs. muscle mass as well. I am 5ft but am a medium body frame which means I can weigh up to 130 and not be considered overweight. This will give a better estimation. :-) http://bmicalculatorforfemales.com/default.aspx

StrongHealthyPowerful

140 pounds at 5'0" seems really high to me...isn't that still clinically obese (or close to it) for that height?

Technically 140lbs for a 5’0” person is still in the “overweight” section of the BMI chart (not the obese section), but BMI is a pretty imperfect measure to be honest. It doesn’t take into consideration what your body composition is, so I don’t really know if it’s the best indicator of a “healthy” weight or not.

All of that aside, I know I do much better when I set smaller goals for myself. I just reached my goal weight a couple days ago, but am debating setting it for 5lbs lower now that I’m here. We’ll see. I say, find the place where you feel healthy and strong.

SamNicoll

I'm 5ft and started at 182. Now 131 and aiming for 126 at which point I'll review. Taken a couple of years - progress has not been linear and I had a couple of lengthy 'maintenance' breaks when I had major surgery. Exercise not essential for weight loss but has many benefits - walking is good!

rides4sanity

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/rides4sanity/view/time-to-share-the-belly-photo-ughhh-616669

This is a blog I wrote about my loss and struggles... I'm am down to 110 now, but the story is the same and I wore a bikini to the beach sagging skin and all...

Good luck!

sadhanagopal

It isnt clinically obese but is still overweight. But I feel if I set my sights any lower than that, I will definitely lose motivation to even get started. I am in this for the long haul and am in no hurry.

GrMaumPeggy

I am 5 foot and started at 175 pounds. Last Sunday was my hubby's August birthdays get together at this nice Italian restaurant in Santa Cruz, California. Not the best deal for my weight loss so basically started this week at 174. Just working nice in slow on eating small healthy meals and drinking lots of water. Good luck evrryone. My goal is to reach <130 lbs. I will turn 64 yrs on Oct. 3.

bear2303

I'm 5'3 and started out at 174. I'm now around 144 and trying to get to 135 if possible!

I mostly started by changing the way I eat and exercising at least 3-4 days a week and lifting. I think that lifting has really helped a lot!! I lost about 30 pounds in about 3 months but the last 2 months have been a yoyo for me of going up 5 and losing 5 and so on.

The biggest thing is just consistency, you can have a really good day but what creates weightloss is multiple good days in a row! I find that it is so much easier to stay on track if I allow myself a little cheat everyday rather than saving all my goodies for one day because then it normally turns into multiple days!!! Carb heavy diets are really hard and my previous diet was probably 70% carbs 25% protein and 5% fruit and veg (seriously!!) but what i have found helps is to just modify food that I love by replacing the carbs with a salad! Sounds crazy but it has worked! So instead of eating tacos on a flour tortilla i have a taco salad! Instead of having cheeseburgers and fries I have a lettuce wrapped burger (still with bacon!) and parmesean green beans instead of fries!! For a Indian diet im sure you could replace a lot of the rice and breads with salads and cut the calories a ton!!

deana727

I'm 5' 0" too. I started logging on MFP at 162 lbs a couple months ago, and have been losing at about a pound a week. I am exercising daily, and like you my initial goal was also 140. But I am happier and more confident than expected with the progress, so to challenge myself I set my goal to 120. I don't expect to reach it in a few months but maybe in a year. No matter what, I know I'll be more fit.

I've been told I was overweight all my life and can't remember weighing less than 140 as an adult, or for the past 10 years less than 150. I stopped weighing myself when I hit 175 but knew needed to I start eating better, less fast food, less beer. That was a couple of years ago. I wish I had tried MFP then, but I was making slow progress on my own and forming good habits.

You mentioned the carb heavy diet, I can relate! I know I cannot live without rice, but gradually over a few years, my body has adjusted to the right portions. I say a few years because I visited an old favorite teriyaki place I hadn't been to in so long. They use the same size bento box filled with more than 2 cups of rice and covered with a lean protein and vegetables. I used to eat it all, every last grain of rice. This time I ate until I was full, and the leftovers lasted for 3 more meals. What a surprise! I could never cut out carbs completely, especially rice, because the deprivation only makes my stomach growl louder. But consistency, discipline and a gradual approach really helped. I bought a special rice serving spoon so that I was never guessing the portion. If I finished a plate and wanted more, I had more, but sensibly.

There are so many great workouts online now, I agree they get monotonous so do mix it up. And if you have done 3-mile a few times, by all means you are ready for the 4 and 5 Your body can always do more than you think. Be patient with yourself, just don't give up!

cali8_love

IM 5'0 IM try to get back at 165bls IM 187.4 pounds right now

desidieter

I'm 5'1 and started at 185 Ibs. I need to weigh in again, as I haven't recently (my scale is broken at the moment and I haven't had a chance to get a new one), but in 48 days, I think I've dropped at least 10 pounds....maybe even 15. I do some walking but also incorporate some dance, aerobics, and kickboxing, as well as light strength training. Walking will give you results, but I recommend interval training and strength training to help you get lean and tone as you drop the pounds. And, of course, food makes a huge difference.

Numberwang22

Hi

Any 5'0 starting at 165 pounds and met with success? My target weight is 140lbs. How long did it take you? And what was your diet like? Can I do it by walking alone?

It would really help to know your stories that would keep me motivated as I start on my fitness journey ..again!!

Hi, I'm 5'3 and started at 161, currently at 150 but same goal as you. It's taken about 10 weeks I think and I'm thinking another 8-10 to get the rest off? Had a holiday mid way which set me back a little!

I'm mainly living on Indian food while dieting... Tons of veg sambar/curry type dishes, small amounts of rice, chapatti and nan. Eating so much veg there's even room for the odd treat... I think the main thing that is working for me is only having 30g portions of rice (uncooked) rather that a full serving.

marinashakeel

hi i am 5ft and i started at 152 lbs.. am 124lbs now.. yes you can do it by walking alone.. i lost my first 18 pounds in three months by walking .. so yess you can.. best of luck

VenusSparks

HEY-O! I'm technically 4'11 but I always say im 5'0 lol. Anyway I started at 180 mid-June and I am at 166.4 today. I know 13 lbs in 2 months is not the greatest but I guess some is better than none hehe. I eat very healthy but I do have slip ups every now and again with food but I make sure to burn the calories off. I also do my best to stay within my calorie goals. Workout wise I do a lot of exercise videos - Just Dance, Walk Away the Pounds, Taebo, Jilliam Michaels. I also go to the gym and get on all the cardio machines and do strength training. I plan to get with the free trainer at the gym so I can get a lot stronger. Itry to workout at least 3-5 times a week. I plan on hitting 130 or 140 by Christmas.

VenusSparks

hi i am 5ft and i started at 152 lbs.. am 124lbs now.. yes you can do it by walking alone.. i lost my first 18 pounds in three months by walking .. so yess you can.. best of luck

Walking will do you wonders! try to walk maybe 4-5 times a week for at least 30mins.. And of weather doesn't permit, you cant go wrong with Walk Away the Pounds

annar298

Hello there! I am not 5' but I'm close I am 4'11.5" and started at 189lbs!! Ugh I actually started about 4 months to 5 months ago eating a little healthier and then I started realizing that I didn't want much of the foods I craved all the time! I am right now at 149/148 a total of 40lbs and only been exercising for about a month and a half. I didn't have that much confidence in myself to work out at the beginning and I wish I did. You cant get there I have lost more than half and still have a long way to go but seeing a difference now really excites me. Good Luck! :flowerforyou:

Littlestandrews

I am 4'11 and started out at 169. It took me 5 months to get to 140 and from there I decided to change my goal from 115 (which was my initial goal) to 125. You can do it. And don't pay attention to people who say you will still be bigger. When I got to 140, I could fit into size 4 jeans. The only reason I decided to keep going to 125 (which is still considered 'overweight') is because I did not feel comfortable in my own skin yet. I weighed 125 in college and was active/healthy. Remember that gaining weight in muscle mass is a good thing. Lose fat, gain muscle. Get to 140, you can do it!

alee145

I'm 5'2" and 180. I am naturally muscular but I have some fat on top of my muscle. My goal weight is 145. I still want to have some fat, but at 145, because I build muscle easy, I will look really small. When I was 160 people would guess I was 135. Anyway, as far as exercise, I find that working out with someone who is WAY more advanced than you is motivation enough. I workout with one of my male best friends. He pushes me, and understands that I'm struggling but doesn't make me feel like I'm slowing him down. It also makes it fun because we chit-chat at the gym while working out and it's not a distraction from the actual workout.

Also, working out with someone who is used to going to the gym every day will keep you going as well. He comes to the gym sometimes to meet me even if he already went earlier that day, just to motivate me.

I know everyone's body is different, but working out at night until exhaustion helps me sleep like a baby. It's nice to get in the bath, throw in some bath salts to soothe my muscles, and get under the covers. Laying down feels amazing when you're completely wiped out from a workout. I go to the gym at 9pm, and I'm in bed around 11:15. I eat a very filling dinner around 7:30 and give it time to digest and drink water like a madwoman before heading to the gym and after I leave. I find this keeps me from eating late at night as well, because all I want to do when I get home is lay shower and lay down.

pugsleyjean

Hey there! I'm 5'2" and started in April 2013 at 163lbs which was my heaviest. I have lost 42lbs overall and today is my 1 year mfpversary! I have lost 16.8lbs in the last year alone and mostly my exercise is walking only.
During the first few months I had cut back on eating processed foods, limited my alcohol intake and eating smaller portions. The pounds started coming off quick. You would be surprised what an actual portion looks like when you start measuring your food! I still eat out every now and then, I still drink when I want to and go overboard when Im feeling really good :drinker: I just add in some more exercise on these days so I have some extra calories to have fun with.
I have started adding running into my exercise and love it. Learning to run and hopefully complete a 5k next year are my goals right now. Keep up with the good work and you will see the pounds shed quickly!

teecatin

I thought I was 5'0" (so many years of pretending and rounding up, I guess I started to believe it). A recent "Biomeasure" reading at my local Florida Blue (Blue Cross Blue Shield) office brought me back to the reality that I am actually 4'9.5". Maybe I've shrunk some, too - aging can do that. I started out at 128 lbs. and lost 2 lbs. on my own before joining. MFP. Altogether I've lost 12 lbs. since late May. This is the first time I've kept a food diary and worked on portion size. I still lead a very sedentary lifestyle. I try to keep my calories under 1200/day. I definitely go over sometimes and I'm consistently over my sugar limit. Because I have a history of losing (as much as 22 lbs) and regaining every last pound, I am allowing myself a daily sweet treat (usually Edy's Slow Churned) and there are no forbidden foods, although admittedly I eat very little animal protein. I'd be the first to admit this is the antithesis of a model diet, but it is working for me now because I'm not giving up anything, just controlling portions. So, in theory at least, I have nothing to rebel against and can do this indefinitely. I'm losing very slowly but that doesn't bother me because overall my line graph shows a downward trend (with lots of blips). Stay with MFP, log dutifully and you will see results. My wishes for great success are with you. With our shorter stature, we have greater challenges.