Were you EVER that thin?

katimama

I'm 5'4 and currently weigh 214 pounds (I had a baby 11 months ago and am still trying to get back down to my pre-pregnancy weight of 185). Currently my goal is to get back down to 185 and then to reevaluate my next goal at that time.

I was just reading a story about a women who was always the "fat sister" and then after having her SIXTH child she lost 100 pounds and weighs in at around 115. Her story was SO inspirational, yet I still feel that I could NEVER be that weight. I think to myself, she's a one in a million ... I could never achieve that level of success.

Growing up I was always athletic but never 'thin'. I look back now on pictures of myself in high school and college and think "Why did I always feel so fat? I looked good!" But even with that I was never 115 pounds. In college I weighed about 150 and always wanted to get down to 125. I just never thought that was even possible.

So here is my question ... for those of you who, at one point in time, weighed more than 200 pounds and NOW weigh under 140 pounds ... were you that thin at any point in your life? Or were you always overweight growing up but as an adult have achieved dramatic weight loss and been able to keep it off?

I guess I'm just wondering "how possible is it?" I figure as I was NEVER the skinny girl that I could never BE the skinny girl... I would be over the moon to weigh 150 pounds again and I think it's possible. But anything below that seems unrealistic.

tenintwenty

Everyone gets skinny eventually. If you were locked up and denied food, you'd get down under 100, easy.

Kelley528

To say anything below 150 is unrealistic means you are sabotaging yourself. Just because you have never been below that weight doesnt mean it cant be done. all that means is you have never been decicated of focused on weightloss before.

Your pre-pregnancy weight is a good first goal. When you get there defiinitely re-evaluate where you want to be weight wise.

I am 5'4 and started at 180 lbs. Every body shape is different and holds weight differently. I am currently 143lbs and a size 4 or 6. I think 125 lbs would make me look sickly and I would lose my curves. My goal is 138 only so I could fit comfortable in a size 4. I dont want to be stuck in between sizes. Honestly, if one size fit right now I wouldnt even try to lose any more weight.

Keep losing weight then figure out where you want to wind up as you keep losing intervals but dont say there is no way you cant reach a certain weight when you havent even tried.

PaigeAnderson100

It seems like the doubts that you have for yourself are really sabotaging your success!
I weighed 283 the day that I had my daughter 3 months ago and now I weigh 241 pounds. I am trying to get down to 144 pounds and sometimes I truly do think that it will be impossible just because, I have been over 200 pounds for as long as I can remember. I fear the unknown and I have no idea how I will look when I get down to that size or how I will feel at a healthy weight.
You can do this. Don't let anything get to you.

TavistockToad

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but you just seem to be giving yourself an excuse before you even start!

Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right....!!!

LishieFruit89

I've never experienced this.

But there was a lady who posted yesterday, and I've seen her posts before. She was 217 on Easter 2 years ago and 117 yesterday.
I think the thread's name was "2 Easters 100 pounds apart" or something like that, search for it.
She's had 6 boys and looks amazing.


The only reason you wouldn't be able to do it is yourself. If you kept yourself from succeeding. It is possible. You'll just need determination, willpower, and work to get there.

pkw58

Ok, so here is my story...I am 5'8" and I had not seen 135 since my mid 30's, not seen 140 since my early 40's and weighed in at 174 pounds on Christmas Eve , 2012 at age 53. So after immediatly starting to track my calories on another ap, I researched all that week and ended up on the Dukan website on New Year's eve and committed to the 4 phases for at least one year. The true weight Dukan's website set for me was 139... I went to a performing arts medical doctor and he set my weight range at 125-135... Honestly, I really would have been happy to see 140 again, but lo and behold I found myself at 140 and then down to 128 during the consolidation phase (third phase) and continue to be right in that doctor suggested weight range of 125 -135.

I absolutely am astounded but when you commit to a lifestyle, sometimes you exceed even your own expectations. It doesn't matter what nutrition / exercise plan you undertake, but for me, consistency wins.

NovemberJune

Hello! I started at 229 and I had been overweight or obese (mostly obese) for about 10 years before I started my weight loss 2 years ago. When I started out, I didn't honestly believe that I could get down as low as I am now. I wanted to get into the "healthy" range, under 145, but I felt that if I got to the 170s I would be soooo happy and that was honestly what I expected. I didn't think it would be possible to get down to the 140s.

Here I am in the low 130s, planning to lose a bit more fat then try to gain a bit more muscle. I will probably end up right here in the 130s, or possibly 120s or 140s.

Good luck!

ETA I have 2 kids, 5 years old and 2.5 years old

calisunrise

Sorry if this sounds harsh, but you just seem to be giving yourself an excuse before you even start!

this. most teenage girls are able to get down to 125 unless they're over 5'9

StheK

You definitely can do it, if you want to. Whether or not you SHOULD is another question. For instance, I could get down to 130lbs, but I'd look like a skeleton. I know because I did it once- and it wasn't healthy for me. I don't know what your ideal weight is and I'm not convinced that you do either, since you seem to think you looked just fine at 150, but are still pining for 125 for some reason. There is more to life than the number on the scale- set yourself reasonable goals, and then when you reach them, decide if you really want to set another one. Do it because it makes you feel good and makes you healthy, not because it's a magic number.

casy84

I started this dreaming of reaching my LW and now that I'm at it I still feel I can do better . Never say never, it's all up to you!

Elif84

It's possible if you make it possible. My highest was 165 at 5'3" and thought 125 was a great goal weight. I'm at 125 now and I still have a lot of pudge on my body and I definitely know I can get to 115 if I work at it. I'm trying very hard right now to get there (by lifting weights and clean eating) because I want to and I know I will get there. If you have doubt in your mind, you most likely won't get to where you want to be.

katy_trail

OP just described me. I look completely fine and healthy at 170ish and thats where I'm going. the last time PI weighed 100lbs I was in 6th grade. Summer before hs i was 130ish. A whole lot depends on your frame size. body type and level of muscle.
At least pick a weight for after puperty people. I have a lot of muscle and some hips. I'm built to be a mom and lift heavy.
I finally accepted that and love the possibilities.

ETA: that read as a lot of hips, but once I get close to goal I'll be proportioned I'm not that lady that sets world records with her hips.

katimama

I've never experienced this.

But there was a lady who posted yesterday, and I've seen her posts before. She was 217 on Easter 2 years ago and 117 yesterday.
I think the thread's name was "2 Easters 100 pounds apart" or something like that, search for it.
She's had 6 boys and looks amazing.


The only reason you wouldn't be able to do it is yourself. If you kept yourself from succeeding. It is possible. You'll just need determination, willpower, and work to get there.

Her post was the one that got me really thinking "wow, it was possible for her, but is it possible for me?"

His_Buttercup2015

I second that. I actually researched what a healthy weight for someone my height is that went off my bone structure (I believe it was on ehow or ask.com). For someone large boned and 5'6" 150 was about average. Makes sense to me since I was about that my sophomore year in high school (my smallest ever) and I was slim but not anorexic looking. So that's what I'm shooting for

litatura

I was always a normal weight growing up and didn't have a weight problem until after I had my son in 2002 (not only did I NOT lose the baby weight but I managed to add to it!). I'm 5'3" and tipped the scale at 214.5 lbs. at my heaviest less than two years ago. Now I'm 121 lbs. , a size 2 and back to my high school weight. I didn't do it through surgery, pills, fad diets, starving myself, etc. - I did it through regular exercise and changing my eating habits and it sure as heck didn't come off over night (it was slow and steady). My original goal was 139 lbs. as I just wanted to be back into a normal BMI range and thought I'd be lucky just to get down to that. However, as you can see, I've gone on to lose another 18 lbs. beyond that and I'm definitely not skin and bones. My advice is to work hard, set healthy goals (not ones that are impossible to achieve, but don't settle for just 'good enough') and don't expect overnight miracles. You'll do great!

Weebs628

I hear what everyone is saying about not self-sabotaging, but there's a point to where you have to set realistic goals for yourself. I was never an overweight teenager. I weighed 125 pounds when I was 16. As an adult, I would never try to aim for anything less than that cause I have and always had a muscular build. Even though I'm 5'3" There's no way I'd want to be 115 pounds. Try setting smaller goals for yourself so you don't get discouraged or overwhelmed. I set my goals in 10 pound increments.

CLFrancois

Do not say unrealistic, it is.
1 pound a week for 2 years. Right?
But saying 50 pounds in 3 months... maybe unrealistic.
You can do it, you just have to focus.

katimama

When I started out, I didn't honestly believe that I could get down as low as I am now. I wanted to get into the "healthy" range, under 145, but I felt that if I got to the 170s I would be soooo happy and that was honestly what I expected.

Thanks! I'm feeling this right now and it's great to hear your story!

Pamko57

I have a history of being unrealistic about my weight. I'm 5'9." When I was in high school, I was in the 130's. I remember vividly the day I got my driver's permit. We had to list our weight, and I was the heaviest girl in my circle of friends. They were 5'4" and 115. Or 5'6" and 128. 5'2" and 120." As a silly 15 year old, the only thing that registered was that I was 132 pound, the heaviest in the group. In retrospect, I realy that 5'2" and 120 is actually "fatter" than 5'9" and 132.

But it didn't help that my mom had me dieting when I was 7. I was never fat, looking at pictures of myself when I was a little girl, I SEE that. But I didn't at 7. I was always tall and always solid.

I am large framed. My wrists are about 7.5." Even at 132 bracelets and boots have been a issue. I couldn't wear the cute little bracelets, and there's no fat on my wrists, even now. I could buy wide calf boots now, and feet are shrinkling but my calves not so much. Um. Maybe because I'm also athletic. I could walk 5 miles in just under an hour, and if I hadn't blown out my knee, I still could. I can bike 13 miles in 55 minutes today. (And mostly like will.)

On the flip side, as I gained weight in my thirties and again in my late forties and early fifties, I told myself I was large framed and carry weight well, which is largely the truth. But nobody carries 250 pounds, at least if you're not at least 6 inches taller than I am and/or an NFL linebacker.

I cross the line from looking a little overweight to looking downright chunky at about 225.

Do I think I can get back to my high school 132? Yes. Do I want to? Maybe. Yeah. A part of me does. Should I? I don't know. I'm shooting for 188, another 18 pounds. Then I'm going to go from my 1600 calories a day to 1800 and spend the summer being more active and work my way down to 168 by my birthday in September. After that, we'll see.

I would very much like to be under 150, just to see what that's like. At 165, people start telling me I look too thin, and I agree that my face starts looking haggard.

JesterMFP

I think it depends. You don't say how tall that woman was, and we don't know what her shape or body composition was like. If you have a large amount of lean mass then 115 lbs may be too light for your body. It might be just right for hers.

However, a lot of this is about your mindset. I think you aiming for 150 lbs - well it's fine. It would be slightly overweight, but again, that depends a bit on your body composition. I think that by saying that anything less than that is unrealistic for you, is a little unrealistic. I don't think it matters in the long run, because you can aim for 150, and re-evaluate when you get there. I hear a lot of women saying things like that - "oh I could never be below x lbs, and I would look sick/anorexic if I was". I think a lot of them are wrong, and just don't believe in their ability to lose that much.

As for me, I am 5'3" and I was 214 lbs. I have always been overweight - most of my adult life I have been obese. When I was 18 I was probably more than 180 lbs, so I have never had a particular "I looked good at this weight" goal to aim for. I set 129 lbs as my goal, based on BMI, my estimated body fat percentage, and what I estimated my dress size would be at that weight (for which I was spot on.) I got there, and have been maintaining for a few months. I could lose some more, and I probably will do once I've got my head around the whole maintainence thing. I could never imagine being this thin (and I'm by no means "skinny") but now I'm here, I know that I am able to lose more if I put my mind to it.

Set your goal wherever you feel comfortable, but don't put unnecessary limitations on yourself. Part of this is about losing that "I'm the fat one, I'll never be that "skinny" girl". That may take some time. You may be happy & healthy at 150lbs. You may get there and decide that you want to - and can - lose more. Believe in yourself. :flowerforyou: