I'm a size 1? When did this happen?!?!

bcf7683 · September 2012

That is awesome. Yes that happened to me last year. I'm the smallest I've ever been in my life and I didn't reach it until age 50. The smallest I'd ever been before was size 8, yet I got down to a size 2.

It's funny because I've lived my life over weight and because I worked out so hard everyone thought I had big bones. Once I lost all the fat I realized how tiny I really am. I have strong bones from lifting, but they are not big, they are dense (DXA showed my 51.5 year old bones are the same as a super fit 30 year old. If that isn't scientific proof that lifting weights keeps you young I don't know what is) Most women who are short like me, once they lose the weight they will find they are tiny too. We pretty much have close to the same body structure once the fat is gone (based on height).

Although my muscles are not big (girls just don't get big, no matter how much we lift, we don't have the hormones for it) I have too much muscle for most skinny jeans though, plus I'm sort, only 5'1"

And yes the profile picture is really me! LOL

Hahaha- I have the same problem with skinny jeans. I have to buy them to fit my thighs, not my waist. I usually have to go up a size in skinnies to fit my legs. Another odd problem.

tracyjoys · September 2012

What a great NSV (non-scale victory)!!! It will take your mind a bit to catch up/adjust to your new size. Own it - you earned it!

CyeRyn · September 2012

Think size 3 would be kids size clothing? I sometimes buy girls stuff age 12-14 :laugh:

I think odd sizes are considered Juniors even sizes are Womens. I've tried figuring it out before so I usually just say I'm a size 7/8 instead of choosing one or the other. Some times even the clothing will say its both. My friend has a pair of a pants that read 1/2.. she was like "when did they start making half sizes?" I had to inform her that it was a size 1 and 2 depending reading it as juniors or womens. I try not to look too deep into it.. it either fits or it doesn't.

MMKE4ever · September 2012

That is so awesome! Congrats!! :flowerforyou:

tbruegg · September 2012

I was once tiny but then the babies came, bad 30 year marriage, depression and the list goes on...... I would be happy to fit into a 10 comfortably again and believe me when I say at 59 the journey is harder.
I AM SO VERY HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!! GIVES ME HOPE!!!!!!!

Goal_Driven · September 2012

I had that feeling when I fit into a size 8... not no 1.. but I'm still pretty happy about it

californiagirl2012 · September 2012

Think size 3 would be kids size clothing? I sometimes buy girls stuff age 12-14 :laugh:

It is! LOL. I have to shop in the juniors section sometimes. Never in my life would I image that this would happen, shopping in the juniors section at age 51! LOL! Cute stuff over there BTW and much less expensive.

Leeanne1974 · September 2012

I'm trying to work out what that is in UK sizes lol. Well done anyhoo.

It would be a size 3.....

bcf7683 · September 2012

I wear a size 1/2 in aeropostale jeans, but whenever Im bloated and have to wear my 3/4s I feel like the biggest cow in the world. Congrats!

Haha... I still have the "UGH" days too when I just feel like wearing a pair of jeans that are loose- the size 2 jeans feel like plastic wrap. I think it just comes with being a girl...

MelanieNeal24 · September 2012

I started out with A LOT of cardio... It's all I did. I was on 1200cals/day and was I doing Zumba and Body Pump (alternated every other day) before work, and running 2-4 miles after work each day... Once I hit 24lbs lost, I started weight training mainly. Lifting really heavy. My brother is a football player and he's always been in the "lift heavy stuff" state of mind so he got me going in the weight room. I honestly LOVE it. I look forward to going to the gym and lifting. All the cardio I do now is 10-15 mins of HIIT style running on a treadmill after my lifting set each day.

How long did you usually do cardio for each day?

Fozzi43 · September 2012

Think size 3 would be kids size clothing? I sometimes buy girls stuff age 12-14 :laugh:

It is! LOL. I have to shop in the juniors section sometimes. Never in my life would I image that this would happen, shopping in the juniors section at age 51! LOL! Cute stuff over there BTW and much less expensive.

Absolutely ! I can buy 2pairs of kiddie jeans for the price of an adult pair

srpthlgy · September 2012

Mine was definitely the first time I really went clothes shopping! Right after I hit 30lbs lost, I went out in search of new work clothes. I went to Express with a friend and I grabbed a 6 and a 4, figuring the 4 was a long shot. Turns out the 4 fit with a little bit of room to spare! That was exciting for me. I haven't fit into a 4 in over 6 years and now that I'm down another 6lbs, those are getting loose on me too. It's insane to think that I might be ready for a size 2.

californiagirl2012 · September 2012

I was once tiny but then the babies came, bad 30 year marriage, depression and the list goes on...... I would be happy to fit into a 10 comfortably again and believe me when I say at 59 the journey is harder.
I AM SO VERY HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!! GIVES ME HOPE!!!!!!!

Don't give up! I did it age 51 and I believe it's achievable at any age! Even against menopause, low thyroid, adrenal fatigue, arthritis, frozen shoulder, cyst in my hip joint. It's all a mindset. We all have issues as we age. My story here http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/740340-i-lost-60-lbs-at-age-51-anyone-can-any-workout

kickingitup · September 2012

Congrats!!!! I always come in here to read success stories to motivate me thru the day. Thanks for the story.

liapr · September 2012

That is amazing!! So happy for you

What an awesome "aha" moment and so inspiring to us all

californiagirl2012 · September 2012

I started out with A LOT of cardio... It's all I did. I was on 1200cals/day and was I doing Zumba and Body Pump (alternated every other day) before work, and running 2-4 miles after work each day... Once I hit 24lbs lost, I started weight training mainly. Lifting really heavy. My brother is a football player and he's always been in the "lift heavy stuff" state of mind so he got me going in the weight room. I honestly LOVE it. I look forward to going to the gym and lifting. All the cardio I do now is 10-15 mins of HIIT style running on a treadmill after my lifting set each day.

How long did you usually do cardio for each day?

This is PERFECT. Lifting and cardio.

If I could encourage ladies to lift. You don't have to be afraid of getting big because we don't have the hormones for it. Lifting makes you younger and wards off osteoporosis. I've been lifting a long time (and running, HIIT, all that). My recent DXA scan shows that my 51.5 year old bones have the same density as a super fit 30 year old. Now if this is not scientific evidence that lifting keeps you young I don't know what is. The fitness level makes you look young when you are older like me. I can't change the wrinkles in my face, or make my skin younger (except eating healthy), but my body can be fit and young looking.

Girls, start lifting now if you want to have a good quality of life when you are older like me!

And, if you don't want the hard muscle look like I have just don't get as lean as I did. Keeping a little more fat gives a softer tone look with the muscle, and there is nothing wrong with that! You can have whatever you want! leaner = more ripped, keeping a bit more fat is a little more softer feminine look. But either way muscles are required! LOL

bcf7683 · September 2012

I started out with A LOT of cardio... It's all I did. I was on 1200cals/day and was I doing Zumba and Body Pump (alternated every other day) before work, and running 2-4 miles after work each day... Once I hit 24lbs lost, I started weight training mainly. Lifting really heavy. My brother is a football player and he's always been in the "lift heavy stuff" state of mind so he got me going in the weight room. I honestly LOVE it. I look forward to going to the gym and lifting. All the cardio I do now is 10-15 mins of HIIT style running on a treadmill after my lifting set each day.

How long did you usually do cardio for each day?

The Zumba (Tues/Thurs/Sat) and Body Pump (Mon/Wed/Fri) were an hour in the morning before work. After work I'd run for about an hour, depending on my schedule for the night

RBXChas · September 2012

The weirdest thing is I still feel like I'm not the girl who can fit into a size 1/2. I still see tiny, tiny girls and think "holy crap she's skinny."

It's such a weird little mind game.

My mind is still trying to wrap my mind around my current clothing sizes (I say sizes because every store, style, and cut is different.) I once held up my size 4 jeans and didn't think they looked that small. I bet compared to my old size 16s (or in my old "size 16" eyes) they look tiny. It's a total mind freak.

But YAY for you!!!

KatieTee83 · September 2012

:DD Love it! Congrats, girl!

nixerific · September 2012

I was in the 10/12s area too! Now I'm in the 8/10s area! I would loooove to be in a 4/6 area! Great Job, that's an amazing nsv to not even know you're a one!

bcf7683 · September 2012

But honestly, the best balance is lifting AND cardio. I'm exiting the fat loss stage so I've eliminated most cardio. But a good balance if still wanting to shed fat is alternate days, or do one in the morning, one in the afternoon.

I started out only doing cardio because it's all I knew. I didn't know much about lifting until my brother got a hold of me and wouldn't let me back on the treadmill until I lifted enough heavy stuff to make him happy :laugh: But in all honesty, you want to get weight training into your routine so that the weight you are losing is fat, not fat AND muscle.

Lesa_Sass · September 2012

This past March I was so frustrated shopping for a new out fit for my anniversary dinner with hubby. One of the sales ladies saw my face and inquired as to why I was in distress. I asked her, Why is it when I was a 9/10, everything was a 2 and now that I am a 2, everything is a 9/10?

I was a size 4 for a while and after incorporating more low GI foods and more calories into my diet, I am actually a 0-2, according to the way it is made. And yes, I get horrible nasty looks from sales gals, I am very quick to give my age and how hard I have worked. If they still wanna be nasty with me, that is on them. I work hard to look like this, I have the power to make it happen, AND I DID!

irisic · September 2012

Congrats, this is amazing and these are the best moments to enjoy and celebrate!!!

alaliberte · September 2012

Congrats! I just want to state here that sizes have changed a lot since most of us starting shoping for ourselves in the early 90's. I used to be a solid 8 and now without doing anything different, I'm a 6. Most of my pants that fit me back then, still do (the ones that have survived!). But, I think the pants manufacturers are sizing pants differently these days.

You hear about Liz Claiborne and other fancier labels with larger sizes and smaller tags.

I am really not knocking your progress...a size 1 is super small and a success in any book! My wide bony hips would never fit into that size! But, just want to state that fact here incase anyone else has noticed that also.

megleo818 · September 2012

I went to a thrift store recently and saw a cute skirt on the rack. I looked at the size and it was a 6. I tried it on, and though it was a tiny bit snug by my old standards, it fit nicely and looked good, so I paid the great-big price of $3. When I got home and took the price tag off, I realized that it wasn't actually a 6 but a 0! Yes, it's kind of a fluke 0, but it did help me realize that I really AM usually a 4 these days. Weird.

bcf7683 · September 2012

Congrats! I just want to state here that sizes have changed a lot since most of us starting shoping for ourselves in the early 90's. I used to be a solid 8 and now without doing anything different, I'm a 6. Most of my pants that fit me back then, still do (the ones that have survived!). But, I think the pants manufacturers are sizing pants differently these days.

You hear about Liz Claiborne and other fancier labels with larger sizes and smaller tags.

I am really not knocking your progress...a size 1 is super small and a success in any book! My wide bony hips would never fit into that size! But, just want to state that fact here incase anyone else has noticed that also.

Yes, I've noticed this too. That's the part that blew my mind actually- I usually wore the biggest pants at Gap, I always thought their sizes were the ones who ran really small!