Any women on here gone from 150lbs to 120lbs?

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Coffee_addict22
Coffee_addict22 Posts: 86 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Don’t come at me about how that’s unrealistic. I have a small frame and I was 115-125 for years. But I haven’t been able to get back down there for years.

I’ve been told that genetics just kicked in and I won’t be able to lose the chunky thighs before and that I should just embrace it.

For info:
Lost weight by IT went from 180(baby weight🤣) to 150. But have plateaued.
5’4”
28” waist
41” hips
23 inch thighs.
Can’t seem to lose the weight and most of my weight is in my hips, thighs and love handles😫

Please help me out and tell me what I need to do. I know I need to be more consistent with tracking but I’ve only been eating one meal a day because of IT. I know I’m not drinking enough water but I’m doing the best I can I have two kids.

Replies

  • trulyhealy
    trulyhealy Posts: 240 Member
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    i don’t think 120lbs isn’t that unrealistic. maybe start new exercises like strength training and lowering your calories slightly to break the plateau

    and the weight on your thighs, hips and love handles is probably coming off at a similar rate as the rest of your body it’s probably just because you’re more focused on that
  • Coffee_addict22
    Coffee_addict22 Posts: 86 Member
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    spiriteagle99 wrote: »
    I am 5'6" and weigh between 120-125, in maintenance for several years. I used to yoyo between 130-175 lbs. About 10 years ago, when I was 53, I got serious about weight loss and lost 50 lbs., mostly with lower carb eating. (Since I have a tremendous sweet tooth, low carb allowed me to cut a lot of calories without needing to be on a specific diet.) I began running and walking regularly, then increased my running so I was able to race half marathons and marathons. Once I was running 5 days a week for an hour or more and doing other exercise on many of my off days, I got my weight down to 120. I can maintain that weight mostly because of the amount of exercise I do. At my age, maintenance without exercise is about 1400 calories. That would be really hard for me to sustain, which is one of the reasons I have yo-yoed so often in the past. With consistent daily exercise I can eat 2000 calories or more without gaining weight. In choosing your goal, think about whether the level of calories and/or activity needed to maintain that weight are sustainable for you in the long term. Although it feels great to lose a lot of weight, it doesn't do much good if you gain it back as soon as you loosen up on your eating.

    This is inspiring!!! I love food. So food is my weakness and I have a sweet tooth lol. So I may try low carb. Anything specific that was your go to meal? Did you cut out desserts all together when you lost? I haven’t recently because we just moved, but I typically walk 45 min a day. In the past I walked anywhere from 25-35 miles per week. So I’m going to get back into that.
  • Coffee_addict22
    Coffee_addict22 Posts: 86 Member
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    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    I am just a little over 5'3". I went from ~150 down to 110 and now maintain between 114-119. It's not unrealistic, but it does take some determination. You just have to stick to a deficit and be patient. I also worked out a lot.

    This is encouraging because I used to be 115 and I would love to be there again. I plan on getting back into a walking routine and sneak in hiit when I can.

    Any tips on diet? I need easy and I’m okay with eating the same thing everyday lol. I just need it to taste good. Any specific low calorie go to foods you liked?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,947 Member
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    Coffee_addict22 wrote: »
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    I am just a little over 5'3". I went from ~150 down to 110 and now maintain between 114-119. It's not unrealistic, but it does take some determination. You just have to stick to a deficit and be patient. I also worked out a lot.

    This is encouraging because I used to be 115 and I would love to be there again. I plan on getting back into a walking routine and sneak in hiit when I can.

    Any tips on diet? I need easy and I’m okay with eating the same thing everyday lol. I just need it to taste good. Any specific low calorie go to foods you liked?

    I would focus on variety, not eating the same things. I believe weight loss and weight maintenance is far easier when I get a wide variety of foods and nutrition. My body "makes" me eat more when I'm lacking in anything so I am careful with macros and micros.

    Specific "diets" don't matter.

    Eat the food you like. Try to get more whole fruits and vegetables. Lean protein, some fats, legumes, grains, dairy.

    Learn to log accurately. Here's a thread for instruction:
    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1


    Then beyond that, log food and exercise and watch the trends. I would also suggest not making big changes until you have a good solid 4-6 weeks of tracking data. Then you are starting your experiment - all yours to run. :)
  • ahoy_m8
    ahoy_m8 Posts: 3,052 Member
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    Totally realistic. There are a lot of benefits to a small deficit (0.5 lb/wk). Be patient, nurture good habits, make small changes but be super consistent about the small things, and not only will you get there but also you will be able to maintain it long term.

    Spiriteagle99 makes such a good point about interconnections between goal weight, maintenance calories and maintenance activity/exercise. It makes sense to set a goal weight considering what calories & exercise are sustainable and desirable long term for you.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    Specific low calorie foods I go to:
    Kale or other greens
    Cauliflower
    Cucumber
    Zucchini or other summer squash
    Tomato
    Onion
    Poblano Peppers

    I like salad, roasted vegetables, cold crunchy vegetables, or hot stewed vegetables.
    I generally use chicken breast, chickpeas, or lentils for my lunch protein and I also like medium/soft boiled eggs as a snack or breakfast
    You have to find what you like and can stick with.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    I went from 150ish (don't know the exact starting weight because I was afraid to step on the scale) to 110. I'm your height. It can be done, it just requires consistency and patience for most people.

    I did it through logging and ensuring that I hit my calorie goal (which put me at a small, reasonable deficit) the vast majority of days.

    Where we store fat is based on genetics, but it isn't inevitable that we have excess fat in certain areas. My stomach area was the last to lose what I was as "excess" fat, but given enough time and patience, I even met goals there. So I wouldn't listen to anyone who is telling you you're doomed to have "chunky thighs," assuming your goal for what you want them to look like is reasonable.

    If you're not wanting to log, you'll need another method to ensure you're consistently in a deficit. Since I used logging, I don't really have good advice there. As far as water goes, it's a good idea to be hydrated generally (which you can do with water, but also just about every liquid you drink and also food), but it isn't going to prevent progress in weight loss. I personally only drink when I'm thirsty and drink a variety of low/zero calorie beverages, including diet soda and coffee.
  • errrrash
    errrrash Posts: 1 Member
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    yes!! i’m really short so i still have a ways to go to reach healthy weight but i was previously over 150 pounds and i’m currently at 126. i was at 120 a couple months ago, (the summer is harder for me to control my eating habits) so it is possible :) i am stuck at a yo yo kind of phase, though, due to my lack of motivation 😅
  • Opalescent_Topaz
    Opalescent_Topaz Posts: 130 Member
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    I am 5'4 and was hanging out between 123 and 126 (having used MFP to get there) until some medical stuff happened and now I'm working my way back down. If it wasn't possible, I wouldn't be doing this again.
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,003 Member
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    working on it. i was 153 and now 133. goal 125.
  • Lildarlinz
    Lildarlinz Posts: 276 Member
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    I’ve read somewhere whether it’s true is that only having one meal a day…your body lives off that…so it stores fat…I did the same and sort of 1/2 maintained and 1/2 piled it on but that’s because I was put on medication…
    I’ve found having smaller portions are filling me up

    Wishing you well and good luck :) xx
  • Itadakimasu7
    Itadakimasu7 Posts: 281 Member
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    Sometimes it's better to go by size (Small, Extra Small, Medium) rather than the number on the scale if you hold a lot of muscle. :+1:
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,389 Member
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    Lildarlinz wrote: »
    I’ve read somewhere whether it’s true is that only having one meal a day…your body lives off that…so it stores fat…I did the same and sort of 1/2 maintained and 1/2 piled it on but that’s because I was put on medication…
    I’ve found having smaller portions are filling me up

    Wishing you well and good luck :) xx

    No that is not true. Your body constantly uses food, and fat and glycogen stores for energy, and likewise stores excess energy as fat and/or glycogen. When you eat doesn't matter, and how many meals you eat per day doesn't matter either. All that matters is total calories.

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