fit and fun sized - those under 5'4" - January 2012

thurberj

I am so glad to have found this thread!! I'm 4'11 inches and 57 years young. I can say that now because after 2 straight years of planning weddings, moving, morning the deaths of my mother-in-law and favorite uncle (mom and dad have been gone for awhile) I focused my efforts in June 2011 to getting fit and healthy to avoid heart meds......Cholesterol and triglycerides went way up.

With the help of MFP and a trainer to kick start my exercise program, I was able to reverse the bad lab results and avoid the meds. I have stalled in the weight loss over the holidays and want to lose 10-15 additional pounds in 2012. The inches seem to be coming off as I build more muscle and burn the fat.

I just gave away some clothes that were way to big and I vow never to need those sizes again. My biggest challenge is that my husband and I are very social and love to entertain. I like my wine and a cosmo on the weekends, but that is why I love losing weight this way. With planning you really do not have to deprive yourself.

Please feel free to add me as a friend. I need support but love to support others especially those who have a common connection. Those last 10-15 are killers, and it is so hard to lose weight when you are vertically challenged!!

I wish you all much success :drinker:

runnercheryl

Just calling in to say hello!

Did over five miles on the bike yesterday! Plan to do that once a week alongside my usual routes of two miles or more, but will see how it goes because this week is extremely tough. Taking an extra day off on Friday - too much to do before I go wedding dress shopping on Saturday!

lindsayclimson

Check in 1! So my past 2 weeks have had their good and bad points!

Week 1 - Sun - Thurs I ate healthily and stayed at or around 1200 calories every day. On the Thursday I had a friends 21st where I had several cocktails and a McDonalds afterwords :noway: Friday and Saturday I didn't eat great or make it to the gym so my calories were up to about 2000. I lost 0.8lbs.

Week 2 - This week I have stuck to the 1200-1300 mark every day, but not so great foods. For example, it is a collegues birthday today and we are all going for pizza, then I'm having fajitas tonight with my boyfriend. I am still on target for calories as I'm going to a body combat class (~600 cals) and going on the cross trainer for a bit after (~300 cals). My week has pretty much been like this - slave in the gym to earn the foods I want to eat.

Next week I want to make good choices with my food, and think less about the calories. The difference in eating good foods and bad foods for a few days is incredibly noticeable on my stomach!

Well done everyone and keep it up!

RunnerGrl31

Hi everyone! I'm Heather and I'm 5' 3" (or 5' 2 and 3/4" if you want to be picky) and I currently weigh anywhere from 140-142 lbs (water weight shifts a lot for me). I just started MFP last Saturday and will be doing my first weigh-in tomorrow. I hope it goes well!

Dieting is a new thing for me. I work out regularly and have always had a pretty balanced diet, but I've never counted calories or done any kind of official dieting routine. I eat well, but I think I always eat more than I should. I've had the goal to get back down to 130 for a long time. I came close last summer when I was training for my marathon (132), but never quite made it. And of course right after the marathon, I gained back 5 lbs :P I may eventually move my goal to the 120s, but for now I would be really happy just with 130. We'll see.

I'm already on the path to getting back into a regular running routine, and it feels great! Sticking with cardio for me isn't so tough anymore, though, it's core and strength training...but I hope that will change! I'm working on starting a routine of pilates for abs and upper body strength training. My biggest goal for this year is to be strong and lean for Tough Mudder this fall!

I would love to get to know some of you and be part of this shorty support group. I know that we'll all be able to reach our goals!

jam0525

Hello all, 5'3 and trying to figure all this out. Reading all the posts is very helpful and motivating. My first time posting. Hope I do this right??


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You did it just right. Welcome.

Jeannie

jam0525

Welcome, welcome all the newbies!

You have joined this group just by posting here.

To all posting their updates, good luck this. weekend. They see to be the hardest time to stay on track.

My old dog is bumping my elbow. Lol. Guess I better see what she wants.

Jeannie

barbiecat

:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: my day was full of walking dogs in the snow and shoveling snow off the driveway----good calorie burners and useful, too

:bigsmile: I am reading "Strong Women Stay Young" and starting the strength training program in the book. I think I am going to like it. It is simple to follow and doesn't require getting down on the ground or going to the gym and is written for anyone no matter what their age or fitness level so there are no excuses for not doing it.:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

thurberj

Just checking back in. Fridays are my hardest days......I made it through only going over 1200 cal by 97 calories. Friday is my "rest day" from exercise, but I drank a lot of water and only 1 glass of wine :-) Today I will be playing tennis for 2 hours so that will give me some extra calories for the weekend wine....lol I definitely kicked up the exercise this week....hope it helps! Good luck to you all!!!

jam0525

Hello everyone,

vance-How are you doing with the C25K program? I’ve heard it works and have often thought of trying it myself.

Melis – What are you doing for exercise? Have you tried any water exercises? Years ago my DD had to do them as part of her rehab after an extensive hip surgery. I really began to believe it them and still do them as a warm up to swimming.

Thurberj – I, too, believe in planning and not depriving. Some people have success with just cutting out some things for just about forever, but that has never worked for me.

To all the newcomers and those returning to this forum – You will find friendship, support and understanding here. We are all in the same place. This is a safe place to vent and to talk about what concerns you.

To all the younger Moms here – I, for one, just love baby pictures. Actually, I love all the pictures that get posted. It is really great to get to know everyone and to share what we are going through.

We all have gotten the “wake up call”. That is what brought us to MFP. We can do this.

Jeannie

PS: Will post my own update tomorrow. good luck today.

fauxfatale

Hi all! I love baby pictures too, but also pet pictures so feel free to post those too

I am 5'3", 35 years old. I have gained and lost the same 20 pounds at least five times. As you all know it is really hard to lose at our height and especially hard if you only have 10-15 pounds left to lose. I find 1200 calories a day to be very challenging so I try to work out every day, but even with the extra 300-400 calories of running-- my best burn-- I'm still challenged to stay under. I'm a comfort eater and I have a really hard time with sugar and carbs.

I'm looking for more support because I was doing GREAT the first few weeks of January, but now that it's grey and snowing again, I'm having a hard time staying motivated. Looking forward to meeting you all!

jam0525

hello everyone,

Last week was terrible calorie wise, but better exercise wise. I am averaging 1500 calories a day these days. I want to get back to 1300 a day again.

Barbie, that book sounds good. When I finish reading the book by Wendell Potter, I will look for it at the library. My book is very depressing. It is about the former healthcare exec that turned government witness against the healthcare industry. I use to work for them too, so it is really getting to me.

My major accomplishment is starting to look into the exercise options in the small town I live in. I am switch for the summer.

Take care and stay safe and warm,

Jeannie

runnercheryl

Hi everyone.

Just thought I'd let you all know, I've found my wedding dress! Going to pay my deposit next Saturday. It was the first one I tried on.

I'd seen it online months ago. I fell in love with it instantly from the pictures, but I expected I'd never be able to afford it. I tried to put it to the back of my mind, and told myself I refused to try it on in case I ended up loving it. Then, my freelance writing really took off and I started to think I could maybe push to afford it. I searched everywhere for a shop that sold it, and found one about a 40-minute drive from me.

Went in yesterday and told them I wanted to try it on first, before I got to any others. I figured if I loved it, I'd know. If I hated it, I could write it off and move on to looking at other dresses without the 'what if?'. Well, I tried it on first and it was just as perfect as I imagined. They let me try on loads of others and they were ALL beautiful, but that first one kept tugging me back. Got told it was on special offer, 20% off if I paid my deposit before the end of January, which made it much more affordable. I made up my mind after a few hours to think, and I'm having it.

I really thought I'd hate wedding dress shopping at my current size. I hate all clothes shopping, and the bulges I see, but every single dress I tried on made me look tall, slim and elegant. It was incredible. Apparently, I was one of a rare group of people that suited every style of dress. They're great for short, fat people!

barbiecat

:noway: :noway: The weatherman miscalculated and it dropped below freezing last night......so when I went out with the dogs for our walk around the neighborhood, it didn't take me long to figure out that the streets and driveways were dangerously icy :sad: so we came back to the house and went out to the big meadow behind our house where I walk the dogs individually in the morning and walked around there for our whole walk......there are lots of birds and good things to smell so the girls had fun....there was a lot of snow and no place was too icy to walk:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: while the girls were sniffing I did squats or jogged in place to keep my heart rate up......I didn't get nearly as many steps as I do when we are walking on dry roads but it was a fun and healthy workout for all three of us....today is our Isagenix cleanse day so we'll be taking it easy the rest of the day.......there's a ton of laundry (towels from the dog grooming yesterday and towels from drying wet, icy dogs during the week).:bigsmile: ......in the afternoon we'll watch the football games....as former residents of Northern California we'll be rooting for the 49ers and I went to college in Baltimore for a year so I'll root for the Ravens in the other game.

:bigsmile: Jeannie, when I read "Younger Next Year" one of the recommendations was to join a gym and go there regularly. I am gone from my house too much and don't have the "wiggle room" in my budget to join even a modest priced gym so I have been on the lookout for how to do strength training at home. "Strong Women Stay Young" has a great strength training program designed to do at home, simple to follow and meant for women our age. It requires purchasing some dumbbells and ankle weights but that's a lot cheaper than joining a gym........also none of the exercises has to be done lying down......as you know, that was what always slowed me down with those great "Butt 'n' Gut" exercises.:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: Cheryl, I am so happy to hear about your wedding dress.:bigsmile: I learned a long time ago that if you relax and take it easy, you will intuitively know what decision to make

:bigsmile: :flowerforyou: fauxfatale, best wishes in finding ways to stay fit and active and motivated in the winter.......someone told me to start by getting out of my chair :bigsmile: :bigsmile: there are lots of good things to do indoors when it's too nasty to go out and many of them can be done to upbeat music or while watching TV:bigsmile:

billiestern

I am 5.2 and it is so true, any amount of extra weight really shows. I want to have a body I am proud of by this summer. I have been eating to much of fatty, salty foods. I don't really like sweets, so I guess that is good. I need to start exercising consistently, it is so hard to be motivated, I know once I start feeling and seeing the diference nothing will hold me back. I just need that push to start and stay motivated till I see results.

Xbella

thanks for posting this thread. I have been an off and on member for the past few months. I love to have some friends and chat up and inspire. Its hard going at it alone. This past year was tough. Moved to a new area, left my job and extended family to move to new place with hubby. Its hard. However I know 2012 will be great. I am just 5'3. Great things come in small packages

Hhart2008

I'm in, 5ft 1" and am back on track to loose a whopping 84lb getting me down to a healthy BMI. I'm only 3 weeks in but have lost 6lb which is steady. I'm getting back into the gym - going on average 60 mins or cardio and some weights 3/4 times a week. So, im back on the road to a "Hot and Healthy Helen"


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jam0525

Cheryl- congrats on finding the dress! Can't wait to see pictures when the big day comes.

Welcome to our newest members. We are a pretty loose group here, but we are all trying to post updates at least once a week. Posting more often is better, but some times life gets in the way.

Barbie - funny :laugh: You should mention Gut NBut........I am thinking of starting it again.

Dinner is ready........

Gtg

Jeannie

junebug523

I didn't post last week...gah!

But...I have logged into MFP for 20 days in a row. This is the best I've done in a LONG time. I wasn't perfect over this weekend, but I can say that I didn't have nearly as much dessert-type snacks as I have recently.

I am working on having at least 1 serving of fruit and/or veggies per meal. I actually managed that today. I bought a bag of clementines and had one at breakfast, an apple for lunch along with my veggie soup, and a whole tomato for dinner. I can do even better, but this is a good start!

No weight loss yet. This week is my bloaty-period week, so I'm not even going to bother. I know I will be ridiculously depressed by what I see on the scale. I will weigh myself next week after things return to normal.

I didn't run last week because there was ice and horrible rain/flooding/wind all week. This week things are looking calmer so I'm going to start again with my pup tomorrow morning.

Things are going good! I'm having to focus on non-weight-related goals to keep me motivated, because that just doesn't seem to want to budge. I'll keep plugging away though. I feel much more in control of my choices than I have in a long time.

Hope everyone is doing splendidly! Keep working at it and celebrating the small victories! Those are what keep us going day after day.

barbiecat

:flowerforyou: Somebody asked where I get the motivation do so much exercise…..here’s an example. Today while I was walking the dogs I saw two couples in cars come up the two block dead end street to the clubhouse to play cards. Three days ago I talked to my 80+ year old neighbor who was shoveling her driveway and she told me that she leaves her house at 4:45 AM every day to go to the community pool to swim. I am active today so I can be like my neighbor, not like the people who drive two blocks to spend the afternoon sitting.

:bigsmile: And for further inspiration, I found these two quotes:

“No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everyone on the couch.”

“You will never have the butt you want as long as you are sitting on the one you have.”

:bigsmile: It was icy again this morning so I had to stay close to home and walk in the meadow behind the house and the grassy area across the street. There is still a lot of snow on the ground but the warm afternoons (40 degrees) are melting it. We saw a lot of tree limbs that came down during the wind yesterday but no serious damage in our neighborhood.

:bigsmile: Hubby took the dogs with him when he went to do some errands this afternoon so I did yoga thinking I wouldn’t be disturbed…….but Bernie the cat wanted to bite my fingers while I was doing twists and downward facing dog. Just about the time I thought I’d have to stop and lock him in another room, he moved to the chair and lay there and watched me the rest of the time.

Barbie from NW Washington

January goals:
*keep walking the dogs for an hour or more every morning no matter how cold, wet, or snowy.
* do yoga three days a week
*100 squats a day

jam0525

June - logging your food everyday is the key. Keep up the good work.

Barbie - I love both the quotes. I agree. I want to be like neighbor who swims, not like the couples who drove.

My two biggest problems right now are the lack of money to buy healthy food until the end of the month and having a cold house and a cold office space. I know I eat more when I am cold thinking it will warm me up, but it doesn't.

We pay off my daughter's hip surgery in March. Almost exactly two years after she had it. Our health plan would not cover the ONLY surgeon in the country who could do the surgery. Then we have to start paying off my son's hospital bills from last year. Still we should have a little relief come April.

Jeannie

PS: I wear ski socks and layers at work as it is and I am still cold. I do hate office buildings.