Weight loss in tall women vs short women

SuperStorm

I'm frustrated.
One of my best friends joined MFP not too long after I did and has been a machine! I'm super proud of her, but she irritates the hell outta me! I'm 5'11" and she is 5'3" and while I was about 87lbs overweight, she was 100+lbs overweight. I commend her on her accomplishments, but I'm irritated because they look better than mine!
I lost 37lbs before I jacked myself up and had to restart, and she just passed her 40lb loss mark. Her 40lb loss shows a LOT more change in her than mine did in me. Everyone pulls out that "it's because you carry it better being so tall" crap and yes it might have some truth to it, but that doesn't make me any happier! I've also noticed it a lot on the general community Success Stories. These petite little things lose 10lbs and it's insane the way their faces change! I lost almost 40lbs and just had to buy one size smaller pants...my shirt size didn't even change, and I'm not busty in the slightest...it's all gut...so that to me is uber frustrating! :grumble:
Are any of you losing weight with short people or if you're not, are you at least seeing what I'm seeing? I want big results with little numbers too dammit!! LOL

Jenn152

I hate to be the bearer of bad news here, but this is our reality. If you allow it to hinder your focus, you will not be successful. So suck it up and get to work :bigsmile:

You will see results if you stay focused. This IS and SHOULD be only about YOU... not about your 5'3 friend who is doing it with you. Although it is great to have someone to talk about the daily lifestyle change with, in the end, you aren't doing this for her.

Stick with it and you will see the results. Good luck! :happy:

sarahp86

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CoryIda

It is true that it takes more weight loss to show up on those of us who are tall, but on the flip side, it takes a lot less weight GAIN for it to show on the shorties. It's one of those things where there are pros and cons to both.

The good thing, though, is that the closer you get to your goal, the more noticeable each pound you shed will be (not compared to shorties, just in general).

paulcer

Well, really that's why I'm in this group, it's nice to share with others who are more like me. I look forward to seeing before and after pictures of other tall women. The changes for us do tend to be more subtle in photos but, I personally think more striking in real life because a tall woman is just awesome to start with.

insights2

I totally understand. I am working out with a friend who is 5'2. I am 5'11. When I lost weight several years ago, no one noticed until I lost like 25 pounds. She's lost 6 pounds now, and people are already noticing....

jamie31

It is true that it takes more weight loss to show up on those of us who are tall, but on the flip side, it takes a lot less weight GAIN for it to show on the shorties. It's one of those things where there are pros and cons to both.

The good thing, though, is that the closer you get to your goal, the more noticeable each pound you shed will be (not compared to shorties, just in general).

I agree 100%. I didnt really notice much of a difference in my appearance till I lost about 70lbs. Now if I lose 5lbs it is very noticable

cherdan

I can understand your frustrations. We as tall women should definitely not be comparing ourselves to the average woman/short chicks, because our builds are way different. There are both pluses and negatives to losing weight at 5'11" (my height). I do think genetics play a big part.. how and where your body stores fat. I tend to lose all my weight on my upper torso.. I once was curvy/had an *kitten*, and now I'm getting used to being a small-chested woman and having practically no butt. However, I love how incredibly lean my upper body looks. I look like I lost a lot more than the 65 or so lbs I have.. people have told me they thought I was around 140, which is my UGW and still about 20 lbs away! The bad part of looking so slender up top are old friends/family freaking about me getting "too skinny," which gets really annoying. All they see is my very prominent collarbone sticking out, not all the fat and hanging skin off my hips! I wish people would stop comparing me to the "average" woman, who is still a hell of a lot smaller than me! The other down side is being of a larger build I have learned that the whole "I dropped 5 sizes - I'm a size 0 now!" is largely a myth/media mass marketing bull****. At my highest known weight *ever* I was 274 lbs and about a size 20/22 pants. I'm now over 100 lbs less than that, and can't fit any lower than a 10, which to the typical housewife whose body image is dictated by the mass media, is "plus size" and not slender/healthy. Let's face it.. the US media, and, for the most part, the world, doesn't take "us" into account - tall women - just as much as they ignore plus size women, women of color, mixed race and the disabled! Any one who is an "other" is never going to be factored in to these one-size-fits-all guidelines of health and beauty. It's just too much work for Joe(lynn?) Schmoe to wrap his head around.

beccyleigh

I hate to be the bearer of bad news here, but this is our reality. If you allow it to hinder your focus, you will not be successful. So suck it up and get to work :bigsmile:

You will see results if you stay focused. This IS and SHOULD be only about YOU... not about your 5'3 friend who is doing it with you. Although it is great to have someone to talk about the daily lifestyle change with, in the end, you aren't doing this for her.

Stick with it and you will see the results. Good luck! :happy:

yeah, what she said

lik_11

I agree that it's frustrating! For the holidays- I went home with a 15# loss... and no one noticed (ok- 1 person!). There were several comments about how good my jeans looked on me- but it was ME not the jeans (I did not correct)!!! Now- I'm focused on when I see my family in July. How much weight can I be down- then?!?!

I'm trying to use my frustration with my family as motivation for my workouts. It works surprisingly well

mrsdizzyd84

I agree with what everyone else has said. 13 pounds in I'm still probably another 10-15 pounds away from dropping a dress size. Most people don't think I'm over weight at all, so they can't understand why I'm restricting calories and working out. I'm doing this for me not for them. I know I'm over weight, and I'm determined to fix it.

MamaLutt

I completely understand your frustration. I'm down over 12 pounds now and while *I* can see a very slight difference in the mirror, I know that the rest of the world is clueless about it. My sister is 5'6" and lost 40 pounds, which brought her from a size 14/16 to an 8. The 90 that I set out to lose will only drop me three sizes overall. UGH! It really is frustrating to put in the effort and not have anyone notice, but it will be worth it in the end!!!!

As a side note -- I'm not telling anyone except my husband and one friend that I have prediabetes or that I'm working on losing weight. I don't want people to be looking at my body to see if I've changed. I just want them to notice on their own! It's probably silly, but I'm really curious to see how much weight I have to lose before people start commenting on it.

mistersmithsbox

At one point in the game, I'd lost around 100#.
I dropped 2 sizes.

I always thought it was because I was super heavier than the 200# shorties I see. Turns out it must be the height.

ajh1014

I'm in the same boat! At 6' it takes a long time before anyone will notice. I've lost a total of 20 now, and it will probably be another 20 before I can get a smaller size of jeans out of my closet. Just our fate. Hang in there and love being tall!

FitnessBarbie99

That's why I'm here with you wonderful gals.
I don't feel like a freak for posting that 170 pounds is my goal weight.
The 4 friends that I joined up here with are soooo much shorter and soooooo much younger. I can't begin to "compete"

One has lost 25 pounds in the same time I have lost 5.

That said, it's nice not to have to buy new clothes every 10 pounds. That has got to be a pain and expensive.
I have shed a few items from my wardrobe, but most of it fits pretty well and will fit when I get to goal weight more than likely,

My focus is to swap fat for muscle by working out. I want this lanky body more lean!

Riley4ever

If you're 8" taller then you shouldn't compare weight loss - if you actually convert your weight loss into a % (of your total body weight) then yours is the more impressive achievement and remember the more overweight you are then (usually) the quicker the weight will come off initially but it will even out as you both get closer to goal.

I agree with the other comments that you should support your friend (and ask for her support in return) and focus on your own goals. Good Luck

dollymixsix

Reading through this thread has been a big help to me! I'm 6ft, have lost 14 pounds and I'm feeling frustration that I can't see a single difference. Going to power ahead though and wait patiently.

neaneawy

I know what you mean about the clothing sizes not changing. I've lost 17 lbs so far and it's just my clothes comfortable again. I see other women with a 15 lb. weight loss and they drop 2 sizes. I still take encouragement with the little progressions. My belt is buckling two holes over now! My jeans are staying up without tugging all the time. It feels good!

vestarocks

I am so happy that I found this group. I've never had anything like it before. I have a friend that is 6ft but she doesn't have a weight issue.

taramcgrath

Loving this group!

I'm 6ft and was at my heaviest when I joined MFP 248lbs and a UK Size 18, I lost 19lbs, put most of it back on and lost 21lbs again. I've got 40 odd lbs to go to get to a healthy weight and be the weight I was when I was at University but I know that I will only really drop a couple of dress sizes because of my height, it's frustrating but I know more than anything I will feel happier looking at photos of myself at that weight so dress size is really just a number!

jan_andrea

I'm down 53 lbs and only just into the second clothing size down -- started with 24 being pretty snug, and now I'm in a 20. Would love to hit 16 so that I can shop in a normal store :P If it's taken me 50 lbs to lose two sizes, though, I'm guessing I'll be between 16-18 at goal weight :P

KristalDawnO

You know what? We can still turn heads packing this weight around! Lets see some lil shawty pull that off hehe

hamburgerthighs

I'm 5'11 and I have a small frame with very little muscle tone, so I store a lot of body fat before it becomes noticeable. I had to lose almost 30lbs before anyone noticed. I'm tired of explaining BMI instead of weight as a better measure of fitness. If I have to hear one more person say, "but you are tall" ONE MORE TIME!!!!! I'm prob going to freak out.

benevempress

My whole adult life I've wanted to be a size 8. Never has happened. I'm now a 10 and resigning myself that I'm not likely to get smaller. (Age 48, 5'10" and 148 pounds) I saw this on another thread and wanted to scream "It's not fair!"

willworkoutforwine wrote: »

I'm 5'1" 180lbs, hourglass shape but not sure of my current measurments

I hate how much sizes vary from brand to brand! I have a wide range in my closet but 12 is my go-to size right now and I'm hoping to be in a size 10 after I drop another 5ish lbs. I'll probably always wear a L top because I'm a DD cup and don't seem to lose much weight in that area very quickly.

First, 5 pounds to drop a size? Second, if I put on 27-32 pounds there is no way I would still wear a 10. I don't know how this person can do it being 9 inches shorter than me. Third, how come she gets to keep ALL of her breast size and I lost almost all of mine?

mangrothian

I'm 6'1, and I lost 20kg (45ish lbs) before I went down a pants size. Now, at 120lbs down with another 45-50 to go, smaller weight losses make a bigger difference visually.

I just keep reminding myself of the laws of volume. There isn't much difference between an 1cm cube and a 2cm cube, but there is a massive difference between a 50cm cube and a 51cm cube

deannc1

I feel all your pain. At 6' and a mixed frame I have to drop 30+ pounds to change pants size. I'd lost 70lbs and and went from a 20 to a 16! I've got 50-60 more to go...will probably wind up a size 12--14.

amandammmq

Chiming in... I've lost 17 pounds in the last 5 months, and no one has noticed at all! I know my boyfriend just said he could tell (after I specifically asked) to humor me. And although my tightest pants feel a bit looser, I definitely won't need to go down a pants size for at least another 10-15 pounds. I'm a size 16 now, and I'm about 5'11", 193 pounds. I do think I'll manage to get down to a size 14, but I am really wide hipped and I may never fit into my size 12's again. SIGH...

I'm working on being less hung up on weight and sizes, and focusing more on fitness and health, and preventing future health problems. It's not easy, though, as I am a bit vain and I care about how I look!

amandaatwork

I know. I have people give me funny looks when I tell them I have to lose 20 lbs to go down a size. A lot of it is my height, but I'm also an hourglass shape so I lose and gain it all over. It takes a while when that's your body type, I think.

amandammmq

OK, so I have now lost ALMOST 30 pounds, and I"m indeed down a SINGLE pants size, and down from an XL top to a L. Very few people have said anything, although to be fair, I frequently don't notice on others either unless it's a LOT of weight. I can think of one coworker in particular who is shorter than we are, but who probably lost over 50 pounds. The difference is quite profound, from obese to actually slim.

I am still trying to focus on how I myself feel, rather than worrying about whether or not other people notice!

Riley4ever

Yep, your opinion is the only one that matters! It’s nice to get compliments and you may find you start getting them but they’re not necessarily attributed to the weight loss. I got loads of you look happy/younger/well/fresher etc etc 😆