5`2/5`3 women success stories?
Replies
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Wow, really glad I saw this thread! I'm 5'2" & just started a month ago (but it's taking me a while to figure things out, so I'm a total newbie). It's great to see how well everyone here has done, congrats!!!3
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Lost 53 lbs. 176 to 123. 8 more vanity lbs to go.12
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titotito48 wrote: »
Oh, he** to the no! I began by walking then as I dropped weight I became more active. I ended up joining a gym and lifting weights and some cardio 4 days a week. More than that is just too much for me.
You can lose weight without exercising but what happens is that you lose muscle mass along with the fat. You can mitigate the muscle loss by lifting weights which has really reshaped my body. I'm at 129lbs and into a size 4 Petite (US).
You want to maintain as much muscle as possible whether you're young or old (like me).9 -
I run on my treadmill 4 days a week. I am up to 5.15 miles per workout. I would love to start lifting but I'm afraid to gain weight on the scale as I know muscle weighs more than fat. Did this happen to you or did it help you lose faster? I have plateaued for the last 4 to 5 weeks so if I can get enough evidence that It will help me to lose then I will start lifting.titotito48 wrote: »
Oh, he** to the no! I began by walking then as I dropped weight I became more active. I ended up joining a gym and lifting weights and some cardio 4 days a week. More than that is just too much for me.
You can lose weight without exercising but what happens is that you lose muscle mass along with the fat. You can mitigate the muscle loss by lifting weights which has really reshaped my body. I'm at 129lbs and into a size 4 Petite (US).
You want to maintain as much muscle as possible whether you're young or old (like me).
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titotito48 wrote: »I run on my treadmill 4 days a week. I am up to 5.15 miles per workout. I would love to start lifting but I'm afraid to gain weight on the scale as I know muscle weighs more than fat. Did this happen to you or did it help you lose faster? I have plateaued for the last 4 to 5 weeks so if I can get enough evidence that It will help me to lose then I will start lifting.titotito48 wrote: »
Oh, he** to the no! I began by walking then as I dropped weight I became more active. I ended up joining a gym and lifting weights and some cardio 4 days a week. More than that is just too much for me.
You can lose weight without exercising but what happens is that you lose muscle mass along with the fat. You can mitigate the muscle loss by lifting weights which has really reshaped my body. I'm at 129lbs and into a size 4 Petite (US).
You want to maintain as much muscle as possible whether you're young or old (like me).
No, that's not how it works. Muscle does not weigh more than fat. They weigh the same but fat takes up more space by volume in the body. Also, you can't build muscle while in a calorie deficit. As I mentioned before, resistance training will help maintain most of your current muscle mass. Building muscle mass is very difficult and to do so you need to continually eat in a surplus (calories over your maintenance) to first gain weight and muscle then cut the fat by dieting (bulk and cut) several times over long periods of time.
Lifting will reshape your body in a good way -- you can't bulk up because you don't have the same amount of testosterone as men do so that will never happen.
You will keep your bones strong by lifting and you don't have to lift very heavy to begin. I take Body Pump classes at my gym and I can't believe the difference. I actually can see muscles now and I'm almost 66 years old.
I did a lot of cardio when I first joined the gym but fell in love with lifting and do so 4 days a week (1 hr.) and only do minimal cardio now (1.5 hours in 30 min. increments after lifting).
It's not a question of losing faster with cardio or lifting; cardio burns more calories than lifting but lifting reshapes your body and preserves your muscle mass so both are beneficial.
If you're in a plateau then first look at your logging for accuracy. How are you estimating your calorie burns. Have you set MFP for too steep of a deficit?
If you're logging as accurately as possible and you're getting adequate nourishment then one thing I do is take a break from dieting every two months or so because I've been in a deficit for so long. I eat at maintenance and take a week off from the gym but still stay active walking and such. Then after a week I'm back to my calorie deficit/gym routine and start losing again.
I don't know your personal stats so I can't comment too specifically about your plateau but the above has worked for me. Hope this helps!
Trina37 -
I'm 5'2 and I've lost 50 pounds. I have another 16 pounds to go to my ultimate goal of 102lb. After that, I'm going to focus on putting on muscle.3
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titotito48 wrote: »I run on my treadmill 4 days a week. I am up to 5.15 miles per workout. I would love to start lifting but I'm afraid to gain weight on the scale as I know muscle weighs more than fat. Did this happen to you or did it help you lose faster? I have plateaued for the last 4 to 5 weeks so if I can get enough evidence that It will help me to lose then I will start lifting.titotito48 wrote: »
Oh, he** to the no! I began by walking then as I dropped weight I became more active. I ended up joining a gym and lifting weights and some cardio 4 days a week. More than that is just too much for me.
You can lose weight without exercising but what happens is that you lose muscle mass along with the fat. You can mitigate the muscle loss by lifting weights which has really reshaped my body. I'm at 129lbs and into a size 4 Petite (US).
You want to maintain as much muscle as possible whether you're young or old (like me).
No, that's not how it works. Muscle does not weigh more than fat. They weigh the same but fat takes up more space by volume in the body. Also, you can't build muscle while in a calorie deficit. As I mentioned before, resistance training will help maintain most of your current muscle mass. Building muscle mass is very difficult and to do so you need to continually eat in a surplus (calories over your maintenance) to first gain weight and muscle then cut the fat by dieting (bulk and cut) several times over long periods of time.
Lifting will reshape your body in a good way -- you can't bulk up because you don't have the same amount of testosterone as men do so that will never happen.
You will keep your bones strong by lifting and you don't have to lift very heavy to begin. I take Body Pump classes at my gym and I can't believe the difference. I actually can see muscles now and I'm almost 66 years old.
I did a lot of cardio when I first joined the gym but fell in love with lifting and do so 4 days a week (1 hr.) and only do minimal cardio now (1.5 hours in 30 min. increments after lifting).
It's not a question of losing faster with cardio or lifting; cardio burns more calories than lifting but lifting reshapes your body and preserves your muscle mass so both are beneficial.
If you're in a plateau then first look at your logging for accuracy. How are you estimating your calorie burns. Have you set MFP for too steep of a deficit?
If you're logging as accurately as possible and you're getting adequate nourishment then one thing I do is take a break from dieting every two months or so because I've been in a deficit for so long. I eat at maintenance and take a week off from the gym but still stay active walking and such. Then after a week I'm back to my calorie deficit/gym routine and start losing again.
I don't know your personal stats so I can't comment too specifically about your plateau but the above has worked for me. Hope this helps!
Trina
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Thank you for your timely response. I get how it works now. I will continue my cardio and slowly start adding in lifting.3
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titotito48 wrote: »Thank you for your timely response. I get how it works now. I will continue my cardio and slowly start adding in lifting.
Good job! You'll be glad you did! As someone else said, Cardio and lifting are like chocolate and peanut butter -- they go together.7 -
I'm 5'1.5 and weigh 144, I've piled on around 24 pounds in the last 2 years. I would like to get down to 120. I am ill at the moment but have decided that this would be a good time to implement a lifestyle change. I hope you don't mind, but I will be adding you guys. Thank you.3
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This is great, I feel like most posts are for much taller ladies! I am 5'2 and have 15 lbs to lose to get to my first goal weight of 125! It's been a battle after two kids. I'm currently eating a grain, dairy, and sugar free diet. Please add me, I'd love the inspiration!7
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titotito48 wrote: »I run on my treadmill 4 days a week. I am up to 5.15 miles per workout. I would love to start lifting but I'm afraid to gain weight on the scale as I know muscle weighs more than fat. Did this happen to you or did it help you lose faster? I have plateaued for the last 4 to 5 weeks so if I can get enough evidence that It will help me to lose then I will start lifting.titotito48 wrote: »
Oh, he** to the no! I began by walking then as I dropped weight I became more active. I ended up joining a gym and lifting weights and some cardio 4 days a week. More than that is just too much for me.
You can lose weight without exercising but what happens is that you lose muscle mass along with the fat. You can mitigate the muscle loss by lifting weights which has really reshaped my body. I'm at 129lbs and into a size 4 Petite (US).
You want to maintain as much muscle as possible whether you're young or old (like me).
No, that's not how it works. Muscle does not weigh more than fat. They weigh the same but fat takes up more space by volume in the body. Also, you can't build muscle while in a calorie deficit. ...
Trina
Sorry, but you CAN build muscle while on a calorie deficit. Is it the most efficient way to go about it? Probably not, but you still can. That's how I've been doing it for the past year and a half.
For @titotito48 's case, she's just starting out with lifting - so she will see some pretty significant muscle gains at the beginning even if she's eating on a deficit. This will begin to slow down and even out as she progresses and at that point, it's really maintaining the muscle mass she has while burning fat (recomp / shape).
The Women 5'4" - 5'5" success thread has more details on training, nutrition:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1238509/women-54-5-5-with-results-pictures/p1
Hope that helps!
Edit: YES! to lifting + cardio together!
PS: This is me
65 -
titotito48 wrote: »I run on my treadmill 4 days a week. I am up to 5.15 miles per workout. I would love to start lifting but I'm afraid to gain weight on the scale as I know muscle weighs more than fat. Did this happen to you or did it help you lose faster? I have plateaued for the last 4 to 5 weeks so if I can get enough evidence that It will help me to lose then I will start lifting.titotito48 wrote: »
Oh, he** to the no! I began by walking then as I dropped weight I became more active. I ended up joining a gym and lifting weights and some cardio 4 days a week. More than that is just too much for me.
You can lose weight without exercising but what happens is that you lose muscle mass along with the fat. You can mitigate the muscle loss by lifting weights which has really reshaped my body. I'm at 129lbs and into a size 4 Petite (US).
You want to maintain as much muscle as possible whether you're young or old (like me).
No, that's not how it works. Muscle does not weigh more than fat. They weigh the same but fat takes up more space by volume in the body. Also, you can't build muscle while in a calorie deficit. ...
Trina
Sorry, but you CAN build muscle while on a calorie deficit. Is it the most efficient way to go about it? Probably not, but you still can. That's how I've been doing it for the past year and a half.
For @titotito48 's case, she's just starting out with lifting - so she will see some pretty significant muscle gains at the beginning even if she's eating on a deficit. This will begin to slow down and even out as she progresses and at that point, it's really maintaining the muscle mass she has while burning fat (recomp / shape).
The Women 5'4" - 5'5" success thread has more details on training, nutrition:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1238509/women-54-5-5-with-results-pictures/p1
Hope that helps!
Edit: YES! to lifting + cardio together!
PS: This is me
You won't gain muscle mass; as you lose fat the muscle mass you maintain by lifting will show unless you eat at your maintenance calories, not a deficit, and it is a slow process.
"It’s a three-step process, and it looks like this:
First, figure out your maintenance calories. Input your information into your MFP Diet Profile, then set your goal for “maintain my current weight” and hit “update.” The number you were given is your Maintenance Caloric Intake, or Maintenance Calories (MC).
Next, figure out your training day calories. Take your MC, and increase it by 15%. Keep in mind, training days are ONLY days you train with weights.
Finally, determine your rest day calories. Take your MC and decrease it by 10%. Rest days are any days you DO NOT train with weights."
https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-basics-of-body-recomposition-how-to-lose-fat-gain-muscle-at-the-same-time/3 -
titotito48 wrote: »Thank you for your timely response. I get how it works now. I will continue my cardio and slowly start adding in lifting.
Good job! You'll be glad you did! As someone else said, Cardio and lifting are like chocolate and peanut butter -- they go together.
Great! Now I want a Reeses cup6 -
titotito48 wrote: »I run on my treadmill 4 days a week. I am up to 5.15 miles per workout. I would love to start lifting but I'm afraid to gain weight on the scale as I know muscle weighs more than fat. Did this happen to you or did it help you lose faster? I have plateaued for the last 4 to 5 weeks so if I can get enough evidence that It will help me to lose then I will start lifting.titotito48 wrote: »
Oh, he** to the no! I began by walking then as I dropped weight I became more active. I ended up joining a gym and lifting weights and some cardio 4 days a week. More than that is just too much for me.
You can lose weight without exercising but what happens is that you lose muscle mass along with the fat. You can mitigate the muscle loss by lifting weights which has really reshaped my body. I'm at 129lbs and into a size 4 Petite (US).
You want to maintain as much muscle as possible whether you're young or old (like me).
No, that's not how it works. Muscle does not weigh more than fat. They weigh the same but fat takes up more space by volume in the body. Also, you can't build muscle while in a calorie deficit. ...
Trina
Sorry, but you CAN build muscle while on a calorie deficit. Is it the most efficient way to go about it? Probably not, but you still can. That's how I've been doing it for the past year and a half.
For @titotito48 's case, she's just starting out with lifting - so she will see some pretty significant muscle gains at the beginning even if she's eating on a deficit. This will begin to slow down and even out as she progresses and at that point, it's really maintaining the muscle mass she has while burning fat (recomp / shape).
The Women 5'4" - 5'5" success thread has more details on training, nutrition:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1238509/women-54-5-5-with-results-pictures/p1
Hope that helps!
Edit: YES! to lifting + cardio together!
PS: This is me
You won't gain muscle mass; as you lose fat the muscle mass you maintain by lifting will show unless you eat at your maintenance calories, not a deficit, and it is a slow process.
"It’s a three-step process, and it looks like this:
First, figure out your maintenance calories. Input your information into your MFP Diet Profile, then set your goal for “maintain my current weight” and hit “update.” The number you were given is your Maintenance Caloric Intake, or Maintenance Calories (MC).
Next, figure out your training day calories. Take your MC, and increase it by 15%. Keep in mind, training days are ONLY days you train with weights.
Finally, determine your rest day calories. Take your MC and decrease it by 10%. Rest days are any days you DO NOT train with weights."
https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-basics-of-body-recomposition-how-to-lose-fat-gain-muscle-at-the-same-time/
I understand what body recomp is : ) I have plenty of monthly body composition analyses receipts to show that you CAN (read: not impossible) actually gain muscle MASS while on a mild calorie deficit - it's just a lot slower, impractical and annoying.
Anyway, what you've mentioned is exactly what I said in my previous post. TLDR: Will get some muscle gainz in intial phase of lifting even if eating at deficit. Will slow down as lifting progresses, could opt for TDEE/more - really based on personal pref. The thread you quoted is really good for starting out, but there are sites specially dedicated to body recomp that touches on the topic a bit more.3 -
I've found these posts really inspiring. Please add me as a friend.1
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Hi, I'm 5ft 3 and - 149 lbs - first goal weight is 125lbs. I only started on Saturday so have no losses to post as yet. As long as I can give up my wine I will be fine. I do weights with a kettle bell and do squats and crunches.
Would love some support and motivation so will keep reading. Good luck all xxxx5 -
titotito48 wrote: »I run on my treadmill 4 days a week. I am up to 5.15 miles per workout. I would love to start lifting but I'm afraid to gain weight on the scale as I know muscle weighs more than fat. Did this happen to you or did it help you lose faster? I have plateaued for the last 4 to 5 weeks so if I can get enough evidence that It will help me to lose then I will start lifting.titotito48 wrote: »
Oh, he** to the no! I began by walking then as I dropped weight I became more active. I ended up joining a gym and lifting weights and some cardio 4 days a week. More than that is just too much for me.
You can lose weight without exercising but what happens is that you lose muscle mass along with the fat. You can mitigate the muscle loss by lifting weights which has really reshaped my body. I'm at 129lbs and into a size 4 Petite (US).
You want to maintain as much muscle as possible whether you're young or old (like me).
No, that's not how it works. Muscle does not weigh more than fat. They weigh the same but fat takes up more space by volume in the body. Also, you can't build muscle while in a calorie deficit. ...
Trina
Sorry, but you CAN build muscle while on a calorie deficit. Is it the most efficient way to go about it? Probably not, but you still can. That's how I've been doing it for the past year and a half.
For @titotito48 's case, she's just starting out with lifting - so she will see some pretty significant muscle gains at the beginning even if she's eating on a deficit. This will begin to slow down and even out as she progresses and at that point, it's really maintaining the muscle mass she has while burning fat (recomp / shape).
The Women 5'4" - 5'5" success thread has more details on training, nutrition:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1238509/women-54-5-5-with-results-pictures/p1
Hope that helps!
Edit: YES! to lifting + cardio together!
PS: This is me
You won't gain muscle mass; as you lose fat the muscle mass you maintain by lifting will show unless you eat at your maintenance calories, not a deficit, and it is a slow process.
"It’s a three-step process, and it looks like this:
First, figure out your maintenance calories. Input your information into your MFP Diet Profile, then set your goal for “maintain my current weight” and hit “update.” The number you were given is your Maintenance Caloric Intake, or Maintenance Calories (MC).
Next, figure out your training day calories. Take your MC, and increase it by 15%. Keep in mind, training days are ONLY days you train with weights.
Finally, determine your rest day calories. Take your MC and decrease it by 10%. Rest days are any days you DO NOT train with weights."
https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/the-basics-of-body-recomposition-how-to-lose-fat-gain-muscle-at-the-same-time/
I understand what body recomp is : ) I have plenty of monthly body composition analyses receipts to show that you CAN (read: not impossible) actually gain muscle MASS while on a mild calorie deficit - it's just a lot slower, impractical and annoying.
Anyway, what you've mentioned is exactly what I said in my previous post. TLDR: Will get some muscle gainz in intial phase of lifting even if eating at deficit. Will slow down as lifting progresses, could opt for TDEE/more - really based on personal pref. The thread you quoted is really good for starting out, but there are sites specially dedicated to body recomp that touches on the topic a bit more.
Very happy for you that you've reshaped your body, however you think you've done it. You look great! Carry on!
Best regards2 -
Love this!! I'm 5'3" and I lost 30 pounds with MFP 5 years ago. Through a combination of letting myself go and being diagnosed hypothyroid, I gained all that back and then some. Trying to get back into the swing on things and get this weight back off. Please anyone feel free to add me 3
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I'm 5'2.75". I started my health and fitness lifestyle on feb 27th and (almost 5 months ago...) and I'm down nearly 41 lbs from 217- 176.4. My first goal is 141 and then I'll reevaluate from there. Maybe 130ish? I really don't know since I've never weighed under 160 since about the 8th grade
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