Is it realistic to believe I can weigh what I did at 17?

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here_I_go_again
here_I_go_again Posts: 463 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What do you think? I'm almost 49 and wondering if it's realistic to think I can get back to the weight I was when I was 17, before kids and marriage, and peri-menopause? An acquaintance says I can. Do you think so? Am I just setting myself up for failure or do you think in reality it can be done now at my age? I weighed 110 at 17 and now weigh 148. What do all of you think about this? Can it be done? I wonder if my body will allow me to get to that weight again at this age and time in my life...
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Replies

  • verptwerp
    verptwerp Posts: 3,659 Member
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    Why such angst over a number ?

    Just eat healthier and get moving ..... with each pound lost, you'll feel better & be happier ....... then you can decide if a number is that important .....

    Happy losing !
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    How tall are you? It's possible, but it may require more sacrifice than you think it's worth. I would first focus on eating to create a calorie deficit that you can sustain and working out several times a week. As you lose more weight and get into shape with a cardio and strength training appropriate to your goals you can revisit this.
  • jealous_loser
    jealous_loser Posts: 395
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    I think that all depends on your frame size. How tall are you etc?

    To be fair, I am trying to get back to what I weighed when I was like 14 (I have been this weight for a long time, ahahaha). Are you working out too? Is it more a size you would like to fit or is it "I just want to weight 117 no matter what"? I think it is more realistic to say, I want ____ measurement or to fit in ___ dress size.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    Why such angst over a number ?

    Just eat healthier and get moving ..... with each pound lost, you'll feel better & be happier ....... then you can decide if a number is that important .....

    Happy losing !

    I suspect it's not just a number for her, it's a symbol: of youth, health and all that goes with them.
  • WendyFitMomCHANGED
    WendyFitMomCHANGED Posts: 311 Member
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    Why such angst over a number ?

    Just eat healthier and get moving ..... with each pound lost, you'll feel better & be happier ....... then you can decide if a number is that important .....

    Happy losing !

    Agreed. just eat healthier and with each lb you'll feel better. The better you feel, the less the # will mean to you.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    height?

    Know that as you get older your metabolism gets slower so you would have to work harder for it, or eat unreasonably little.

    I'm 29 and weigh 120 at 5'7. I think most reasonable people would think it would be unsettling for me to be 110, and I like to be thin. But if you're a shorty, and you're willing to work for it, there's nothing stopping you!
  • mountainmare
    mountainmare Posts: 294 Member
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    I think that as a woman of a certain age you should be more concerned about long term health. I don't remember age 17--but do know that at age 21 I had an 18 inch waist and agonized over weighing 120. I did not worry about keeping my bones strong (if you get too thin you risk losing bone density) and also did not worry about retaining muscle mass. As you approach being a grown woman and going through menopause these things are really more important for a long and active life. Be sure to watch your weight and discuss with your doctor what would be a reasonable healthy weight for you to maintain for the rest of your life.
    I'm 62 so maybe my point of view is a bit different but the earlier you think about long term the better.
  • Roni_M
    Roni_M Posts: 717 Member
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    Personally, I think aiming for a clothing size would be a better option. Our body compositions change with age, child birth, etc. To get to that weight may be difficult and you likely won't be the same shape at that weight as you were at 17. You may be able to get to the same clothing size you were with strength training though, but you'll likely be heavier since muscle is heavy and you may look even better! Just my opinion though and everyone has one! LOL
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    Of course you can. The question is whether you should. Would that be a healthy weight for you?
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    I know I couldn't weigh 110 again like I did in my teens and early twenties. My lean body mass alone now is about 106 pounds, so to weigh 110, I'd have to lose oodles of muscle. Not something I want to do.
  • onikonor
    onikonor Posts: 473 Member
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    I think that may be a little overly ambitious. Women keep growing until they are about 23 so you would not have been fully developed at that age.
  • lmelangley
    lmelangley Posts: 1,039 Member
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    Well, I actually weigh 40 lbs less than I did at 17, so I guess it's all relative.

    But, as onikonor said, women keep growing until they're about 23. Plus, I've found that my body has shifted somewhat over the years, and my friends say the same. What is healthy for a 17 year old may not be so healthy for someone older. I'd recommend speaking to your doctor and maybe a personal trainer and get their take on it. You may end up 10 lbs heavier than you were at 17, but in better shape than you were at 17.
  • kazzari
    kazzari Posts: 473 Member
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    It is possible to get down to the size you were, I wouldn't worry about what the scale says. With diet and New Rules of Lifting programs (lifting heavy...other programs would also work), six years ago I got down to my current weight, which is ten lbs. more than my high school weight. But I am much fitter, more compact, so actually smaller with a hotter body than I had at 17...and I'm 50. It took me a good year of hard work and focus to get here and I've maintained.
  • here_I_go_again
    here_I_go_again Posts: 463 Member
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    thank you everyone, I am 5' 2" tall, or short I should write. I would like to fit in a size 6, regardless what the scales reads. :flowerforyou:
  • here_I_go_again
    here_I_go_again Posts: 463 Member
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    ^^Yes, exactly, and I want to be in a size 6 again!:smile:
  • here_I_go_again
    here_I_go_again Posts: 463 Member
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    Why such angst over a number ?

    Just eat healthier and get moving ..... with each pound lost, you'll feel better & be happier ....... then you can decide if a number is that important .....

    Happy losing !

    I suspect it's not just a number for her, it's a symbol: of youth, health and all that goes with them.

    You hit the nail right on the head^
  • knittingbandmom
    knittingbandmom Posts: 190 Member
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    You can do it. I did it and beyond a little in my early 40s. Doing it and keeping it off are, sadly for me, were two different things. What I did find out though was this. At 18 I was maybe 110. I got down to 108 and was thrilled. When I "popped" back up to 112/113 I realized I looked better, felt better, and it was easier to maintain. I'd love to know if you feel the same when you get there - which you will if you want to :-)
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    thank you everyone, I am 5' 2" tall, or short I should write. I would like to fit in a size 6, regardless what the scales reads. :flowerforyou:
    At 49, 5'2, you'd have to do intense exercises 7 times a week to maintain 110 lbs at ~2000 calories a day (recommended value on most nutritional guides). If you're up for that, go for it.

    Sedentary, I would recommend against it.
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
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    Please link to a 2000 calorie recommended limit. Maybe you're thinking of 1200?

    Of course you can get back to a size 6.
  • kazzari
    kazzari Posts: 473 Member
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    thank you everyone, I am 5' 2" tall, or short I should write. I would like to fit in a size 6, regardless what the scales reads. :flowerforyou:
    At 49, 5'2, you'd have to do intense exercises 7 times a week to maintain 110 lbs at ~2000 calories a day (recommended value on most nutritional guides). If you're up for that, go for it.

    Sedentary, I would recommend against it.

    When I transformed my body while in my forties, I lifted four days a week and rarely did additional cardio. I maintain the results I achieved by lifting three days a week and no cardio, except the occasional weekend hike or bike ride. The reason age is blamed is largely due to body composition changes over time. Once you reverse that by strengthening muscle and losing fat...lowering your body fat not just losing weight...age is not such an issue. Granted, I am not 5'2", so you will have to do it while eating fewer calories just because your body will require fewer calories, but you will adjust to that.

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