Losing weight when you're small to begin with?

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sarajanelafleur95
sarajanelafleur95 Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all! This is my first post, I'll try to make it short and sweet. I am 4'11, 128lbs, and 19 years old. I have always been near this weight, and 115 is the smallest I've ever been. I've never dieted before, but I am very uncomfortable with my body, as I'm the biggest I've ever been and I've hit that "overweight" mark on the bmi scale. I'm totally at a loss when it comes to TRYING to lose weight, rather than letting it happen naturally. How the heck do I start? I've always eaten a healthy, mostly clean diet. I don't exercise too often because I am on my feet for 40 hours a week and don't live near any gyms. I'm mostly frustrated that losing a single pound a week, I'm limited to ~1200 calories a day, which I find to be TERRIBLY boring and difficult.

Do any other petite women with small calorie limits have any advice for me? I feel like I don't even know what to eat without starving myself. Thanks!!

Replies

  • Ani45
    Ani45 Posts: 47
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    Hi ya ! Thats me ! I mean I am not small .. but kind of short and don't have a lot to lose ! I am 5'3 currently 125 and want to be 110 but in order for me to lose and sustain this weight I have to eat very little and move quite a lot. So 1200 is a goal for me as well ! Sometimes I eat close to 1800 but sometimes its pretty close to 1200. For example today I ate a ridiculous amount of broccoli and cauliflower for dinner and I ended up with 1000 for the whole day.
    So my advice - eat LOTS of veggies and lots of fruit. Good luck


    EDIT: I sent you a friend request as we have the same calorie goal :)
  • manicautumn
    manicautumn Posts: 224 Member
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    Hey, feel free to add me.

    I'm 5'0 with 1200 + Fitbit adjustment (200-600 extra).

    Today, for example, I'm doing:

    ~205 calorie breakfast (coffee and a Lara bar)
    ~500 calorie lunch (espresso, spicy tuna roll, and 2 pieces of salmon nageri)
    ~475 calorie dinner (basmati rice and broccoli bites)

    Then I'll probably have a piece of pumpkin pie later tonight with my extra Fitbit calories.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    ^^^ very low protein.

    I'd be making sure that every meal has some protein and fibre first and foremost as they are very satiating. Drinking plenty of fluids (non calorie) to ensure hydration and some people eat when they are actually thirsty.

    Smaller people have a much smaller margin and basically if you want to eat more then you have to move a little bit more. Doesn't have to take a long time either. HIIT is great for this.

    But the biggest thing I see is that no gym nearby doesn't have to mean no resistance training. THis is a little at home full body program that I wrote that just requires a pullup bar, resistance band and a back pack. I'd be doing something like this to ensure that you are losing predominantly fat not muscle.

    3 sets of 8-10 for each exercise. 1a then b means supersetted and then moving onto next pair.
    1. a pistol squat
    1.b. overhead press or alternatively feet elevated and hips bent to 90deg pushup (should work shoulders more than chest)
    2a weighted pushup (use your back pack here or band wrapped over your shoulders and held in hands)
    2b chinup (use resistance band wrapped under knee to assist)
    3a single leg Romanian deadlift (using your weights or backpack)
    3b db reverse flys (sets of 15 for this one)
    3c leg raises (easiest version is laying on the ground, then hanging and raising bent legs, then hanging and raising straight legs)

    OHP can be done with household items. Same with single leg RDL and reverse flys.
  • JustAnotherGirlSuzanne
    JustAnotherGirlSuzanne Posts: 932 Member
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    I'm not small to begin with, but I do know how unmanageable a 1200 calorie diet can be! What you can try doing is change your settings to "maintain" rather than to lose 1 lb a week. Then as long as you eat under the number it gives you (and you eat back a portion of your exercise calories) then you should lose. It may not be as quick as you'd like, but it would be more sustainable for you.

    Also, when you don't have much to lose, 1 lb a week is too much. If you'd prefer to leave your settings to losing then try a 0.5 loss? It may give you a couple hundred extra calories. :)

    Just make sure you're getting your macros and micros in. It's not easy on such a low calorie diet!
  • timmemin
    timmemin Posts: 72 Member
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    I get that being on your feet all day is exhausting. That being said, if you want your body to look good, you need to make working out a priority. As well, make sure you are getting protein and/ or fiber at every meal, including snacks. I'm at 1210 cals/ day and I still get at least one snack a day and occasionally even a glass of wine. If it is important to you, make room for it. Record it early. Eat accordingly.

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