Encouragement for those with less to lose

Since I joined MFP in Sept 2011 I have:

lost 10lbs
lost 4cm from my waist
lost 5cm from my hips
lost 1.5cm from my upper arms
lost 5cm from my thighs
got back into running, have run 5km and now working on 10km

I can now wear my UK size 10 clothes comfortably again and the size 12s I had started to buy have gone to the charity shop.

I don't worry too much about what I eat on special occasions eg over Christmas or when I'm away for the weekend with my lovely man or how long it takes to lose the weight, as long as the overall trend is downwards.

I still like to think that chocolate is an integral part of a normal human diet

I feel MILES better about myself and I'm looking forward to wearing a bikini in Dubai this summer and feeling good in it (even though I'll be 44 by then!)

Like your philosophy!! Especially about the chocolate!
I don't have much to lose - a bit like you I am looking to go from a UK12 to UK10 and to look ok-ish in a bikini.
Struggling a bit - one of my big problems is beer - think I need to look for another kind of tipple! :drinker:

i hear ya, i am not going to omit foods from my diet as it will make me fall down harder... just eat in moderation and watch portion sizes. I still sneak in a bite of chocolate once in awhile or eat out... I too only had a good 10 lbs wanting to loose 15 if i really had the motivation. I knew people said it was going to be hard but never knew how hard. since i won't restrict my diet extremely it has been hard. I have lost 6-7 lbs since end of oct and a few inches, i do fit my clothes a whole lot better and actually have been buying 1 size smaller in any of my new clothes, so i am happy. i still had a goal date to loose the 1st 10 and i only have 4 weeks to get there, but as long as i see the scale going down, not up .. i'm happy!

Good luck to you all! It takes hard work and even years but if you have your mind set to reach a goal, you will! I had a long struggle and it took years, but I reached my goal. I looked my best before my wedding this past November (we all want to look good for that special day but gained a little since Christmas (of course!) so I want to tone back up. It took me a month to start getting serious again and that is the problem for alot of people..staying on track! Also, knowing the correct way to enter a healthy lifestyle will play a huge roll!

I'm so happy to see a post like this!

I don't have much to lose, maybe 10 lbs or so, and am looking forward to toning. When people find out I'm trying to lose weight I always hear "but you're already skinny". Yeah, skinny is not the issue...flub is the issue. I am going to start the 30 Day Shred program and hoping that the toning part occurs We can do it, ladies!!

i had that too from my father in law, you don't need to loose weight. For me i was at the max bmi and weight for my height, so i needed to get a bit under. I didn't expect to drop 20-25lbs as i'm not 18 no more but just to be in the healthy range was all i wanted to do.

I actually have to gain some, then lose what I gain, plus a few, etc., but overall, its all about lowering my body fat.

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Well I did gain a bit so now that is what I am trying to do ha!

yep i have the same things said to me, I get the "but you look good for a mom with 2 kids" but i want the "you look good" period! i also haven't had the nerve to wear a bathing suit for 5 years so ya nuff said

I actually have to gain some, then lose what I gain, plus a few, etc., but overall, its all about lowering my body fat.

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Well I did gain a bit so now that is what I am trying to do ha!

gotta say, you are looking pretty good in your pics - keep it up!

I'm currently maintaining, which in some ways is harder than losing (I realize that this is the way I'll eat forever, now. I'll never eat as much pizza at one time as I reeaallly want!)

Losing another 5 or 6 pounds would be okay, also, but mostly I am aiming to decrease body fat and increase muscle mass.

People shouldn't comment on whether or not you should be trying to lose weight. It is none of their business! I spent most of my 20's naturally slim, just because I used moderation in my eating. I can't tell you how many times people rudely commented "you shouldn't pass on dessert, you need some meat on your bones" etc. Eventually I listened to them, and ended up very close to the obese catagory! Thankfully I found MFP and lost back down to my slimmer self. I just hate that I spent 10 years being fat!

Even now, when I am well within a healthy weight, I still have people commenting on how I am too skinny.

So to all of us who are slim or close to slim, and just trying to be healthy for life, More Power to Us!!! Don't listen to the nay-sayers. They'll just make you fat.

I actually have 10 to go... I also have that skinny fat and being 5'2, 126 pounds ..10 pounds up or down makes a BIG difference. .
I STILL eat my chocolate but Ive found that eating a few (like 10) M&Ms kills the cravings and keeps the calories down...
(each M&M only has like 5 calories...10=50calories) I can live with those numbers..plus they taste oh so yummy. It seems that the less you weigh the harder it is for the pounds to come off. anyone else noticed this?