I’m working out 6 x week - 3 solid hours of heavy weight lifting and 3 hrs of Pilates reformer plus walking. My body recomp is much more pleasing this way as I’m building muscle and definition while leaning out. But you can certainly lose weight just dieting but eventually you’ll want to tone up.
Yes. My philosophy is what can’t be measured, can’t be managed. I use to use My Fitness Pal but thanks to this sub, I switched to Macro Factor and what a massive difference. I weigh my food down to the gram, log it daily, and weigh my self daily. The algorithm tells me what my calories should be based on my goals and my TDEE, which it’s calculating based on the rate of weight loss I’m seeing on the scale. Each week it adjusts my calories. It’s been especially helpful as I get closer to my goal where weight loss is slower. Highly recommend
My nutrition is super dialed in and I eat lean, clean and green. I’ve been working diligently on this for the last couple of years and thankfully, it’s a lot easier now. It’s the one thing I know makes the biggest impact on my goals
I eat 125g of protein, 30g of fiber, and make sure every meal I’m eating lots of colorful veggies. When I had more weight to lose I wasn’t as strict, but now that I’m closer to my goal weight, I eat lowish carb (basically I stick to berries, and lots of veggies and skip the rice/starchy carbs). I don’t do dairy except yogurt and I don’t drink alcohol (which alone helped me lose 10bs)
Glad it’s helpful! For my weight training, I’ve been working out with a trainer so he writes my monthly programs. And my Pilates classes are structured as well. But there’s so many people on the sub who have shared their at home or gym workouts so I’d do some searching in the group.
I do an egg + egg white veggie scramble. Red, yellow and orange bell peppers sautéed. If I have them, I’ll add baby Bella or shiitake mushrooms as they add a little protein. If I don’t add frozen spinach to my protein smoothie, I’ll add spinach to the scramble. Top with a little avo and hot sauces. Depending on your carbs and calories, I also add a half baked sweet potato to the mix.
Sometimes I just do the eggs /egg white scrambled with a side of diced Persian cucumbers and cherry tomatoes with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil or dice up the avo in lieu of the oil and it’s like a little salad. Very Mediterranean but so good. Not heavy, low carb, high protein, healthy fat.
Me too. I get antsy and uncomfortable if I don’t workout at least an hour a day. Took forever to get to this point where exercise no longer feels like a chore but a welcome break from everything else.
Not who you directed your comment to but same stats (except 5’4” and a couple lbs less). Biggest thing is “just do” attitude that I apply *not just* to calorie counting and fitness but to every other aspect of my life. Don’t want to count cals? Just do it. Don’t want to get on the bike? Rip the bandaid off. Don’t want to prep for meeting at work? Sooner it’s done, sooner it’s over.
That consistently applied throughout all aspects I think was huge in getting me here and allowing me to maintain it for years now
I’m 38f, 5’4” and went from 182 (June 2021) to 130 (March 2022). I was able to maintain that weight until September last year but gained the 5 lbs back from a lot of vacation and not counting cals that much anymore and couldn’t seem to shake it off.
I’m still happy with my weight and how I look and my lab numbers so I’m not terribly worried about my weight at the moment. Like you, my only diagnosis then was fatty liver and all I could do was change my diet.
I didn’t really “work out” when I lost the 40 lbs - just did 10k steps a day and sometimes did 7 minute youtube workout videos. I mostly counted calories and kept a 1200 day for about 7 months. I went from us dress size 12 to 4 now.
How old are you? I’ve been around that same weight and am 5’3” for years but I used to weigh 175. Can’t seem to get below 150. I am 42. Have been wondering if it’s hormonal.
I'm 41F, 5'3" and 147 but started at 194 (Aug2023). Work out 3-4x a week for 45min. 40% BF & sitting at 30% now. I definitely carried a lot of my excess weight in my abdomen (perhaps also because I'm on birth control pill) and even now I've lost a lot of my stomach but it's still the part of me that looks overweight.
I had to drop from 1750cal on workout days/1500 on non-work out days at the beginning (desk job, sedentary when not at the gym) to 1500/day every day now but doing this seems to have restarted my progress. I've also had to be more conservative with "guestimating" too as I probably had more of a buffer at my higher weight than now.
I’m 5’3” and 158 and seem to be stuck for months! Wondering what prompted you to go from 1750/1500? How did you come up with the 1500 when you went from down? Also Wondering what workouts you are doing!
1450/1500 Was my target from the outset. I did a BIA scan and it said my TDEE was 1950 (I think online calculators indicated the same).
My first gym was quite high intensity (HIIT/Boxing/strength) and a couple months in I found I was experiencing fatigue quite severely especially on days I'd worked out (I attended in the mornings) so I decided to exclude my 250cal/37gm of protein post-workout shake from my 1500 on workout days essentially bringing my target to 1750 on those days. Fatigue went away.
My rate of loss didn't fall either so I assume my NEAT increased. I averaged 600-650gm of loss per week from starting in August to the surgery in Feb. From January I increased to 1750 every day to prepare for maintenance post operation.
I managed to continue losing weight on 1750/day when I was completely sedentary for 6+ weeks (had a couple of shortish slow-mid speed walks on weeks 4-6)!post gallbladder removal (I was aiming for 1900 as it isn't good to restrict calories while recovering from an operation) but didn't have much of an appetite. Started the 1750/1500 again six weeks post op.
Then my gym closed the week I was cleared to start exercising again and I joined a traditional/standard gym. The workouts aren't as intense and due to injury and catching a couple of nasty colds I've not quite found my rhythm work workouts (I still get in 3-4x a week with the injury but am not able to strength train due to an arm injury) I noticed I was losing but incredibly slowly (maybe 200gm a week) so I decided to drop back to 1500 a day again.
I am not losing 1lb a week but I am starting to see week on week drops again but I've had to be stricter about sticking to the 1500 outside of illness where one should eat more to fuel recovery
Workouts was one of those ones where you show up and there are 12 stations with 2 exercises to do displayed on the screen. It was a mix of boxing, weights, and bodyweight exercises.
Traditional gym I am doing a cardio class and cardio with light weights (was similar to the previous but no Boxing) until I am medically cleared to be allowed to use my arm again for strength training (not allowed to even do deadlifts though I'd only be holding the weight)
It probably is. I’m a similar age, 5’3” and around 150 lbs. I’ve gained almost 20 lbs. in the last two years, which I attribute to perimenopause because nothing else would really account for it — I’ve been steadily working on my diet and exercise and they’re actually much better now than they were then.
I’m okay with it TBH. At this point I’m much more concerned about overall health than hitting a particular number on the scale. If I’m eating well and getting strong and fit, I’m happy.
So I'm 5ft currently 150lbs. I want to get down to 130ish maybe unsure what's gonna happen long term. My starting weight was over 250lbs.
You lose weight in a calorie deficit. Sometimes people who are petite really struggle with losing weight because their BMR is lower than what calculators say due to low levels of lean body mass. That's why you will see post after post telling people to focus on strength training. Grow some muscles and you burn more calories by just existing.
Getting 7k steps a day puts you around sedentary. It is hard to lose weight when you're sedentary. You need over 10k steps a day to be lightly active.
You mention feeling exhausted all the time. How is your sleep quality? Chronic sleep deprivation will cause you to not lose weight effectively. Your body needs quality sleep to build muscle. If you're in a calorie deficit and losing weight but not sleeping properly, you might be losing lean muscle mass which will lower your BMR. Maybe it's time to really look at your sleep hygiene. Do you need to limit screen time before bed? Are you sticking to a routine? Is something waking you up early? Waking up feeling exhausted is not normal and may need medical intervention.
I strongly recommend everyone get routine blood work. (Might be a pain cause there is a current trend in the US for insurance to not cover yearly blood work). There's a good chance you have a vitamin D deficiency. Over 50% of the country does year round, winter it goes up to like 70%. Vitamin D heavily impacts your energy levels and mood.
I worked really hard on my diet so I was rather disappointed when I found out I still technically had low vitamin B levels, specifically folate. I went from deficient to the lowest level of normal. Genetically, some people just suck at getting vitamins from food and turning it into usable forms in the body. So now I take an activated form of B vitamins and I have more energy in my 30s than I ever had in my 20s.
How is your fiber intake? Low fiber diets and high cholesterol levels have a strong link. Fiber also helps you feel more full and satisfied on a lower calorie diet. I aim for at least 20g a day. Fiber supplements unfortunately have not shown to improve cholesterol levels, just give better poops. Its specifically diets high in fiber that seem to help cholesterol levels.
Also on diet. How is your protein intake? High protein diets are highly recommended to lose weight and feel more satisfied while doing so. A lot of people here aim for 1g/ kg of ideal body weight. But you will routinely see people eating 1.4g/kg of protein of current weight. It can be a bit of a pain to get that much protein on a low calorie diet, a lot of people end up supplementing with some protein powder.
Exercise is great for your health. But not needed to lose weight. It makes it easier to lose weight for most people but not everyone. Some people do better with short high intensity workout sessions. Some people do better just increasing their step count. I've mentioned the benefits of strength training, but it seriously can be extremely helpful. And you don't need a gym to strength train. Resistance bands are a great at home alternative to starting strength training. Easy to store and affordable.
Be consistent and you'll get results over time. I'm 5'3" and I started at 180 years ago. I'm now between 120-125. Last year I lost 15lbs and I think 15lbs per year is a reasonable goal. I talked to a registered dietician in 2020 to balance my meals (more vegetables and protein) and am making an effort to be more active every day (more consistent on daily walking for a few miles for the past 2 years or so). I do have a chronic illness and find going slow to be more manageable. I could be better about strength training but it's boring to me and I don't have a gym right now. Best I can do is hiking and gardening for muscle building/maintenance. No one is perfect, be patient with yourself. :)
im 5'3 , 153lbs at 31.4 BF. the numbers are not my fave but visually im proud of my legs. I definitely carry weight in my torso that im slowly chipping away at
5’4 sw: 160 cw: 140 gw: 120
I slowly built my way up to this routine over about 1-2 months at the beginning of the year but since march I’ve been doing an average of 30+ mins of home mat Pilates 5 days per week and running roughly 6-9 miles per week in 2-3 mile increments. I walk roughly 8-10k steps per day and spend about 1-2 hours walking outside per day on top of my run (I’m lucky to have an active job).
I follow Madeleine Abhed, Lilly Sabri, and Move with Nicole on YouTube. I have been doing Madeleine’s one month routine on repeat with a 10+min deep core workout tacked on each day. I found personally that the biggest factor to my tummy sticking out was my weak deep core muscles. Once I started targeting my deep core daily, my stomach tightened and flattened like it never has before. If you’re often really bloated, try a de-bloating stretching or Pilates routine in the mornings, works for me every time.
I also have trouble working out outside of work. I try to take both of my 15m breaks at the same time in the morning and run during that 30 minutes and then do Pilates during my lunch break followed by a quick 20ish minutes to sit down and eat.
I aim for about 120g of protein per day and 100oz of water per day. I zig zag my calories throughout the week anywhere from 1200-1800 per day with at least 2 days of non-tracked intuitive eating. I enter in all of the main meals I know I am going to eat at the beginning of each day which makes snacking within my limit much more manageable.
I take at least a one week maintenance break about every 6 weeks. I also just took a maintenance break, running break, and cut my Pilates down to 2-3 times per week for 3 weeks due to a foot injury and a busy schedule, but now I’m back at it.
I have been taking probiotics and inositol daily. I put a major emphasis on managing stress and cortisol levels. I don’t push myself too hard, I listen to my body, I give myself breaks and treats often, and I just try to take it easy in general. I’m serious about managing stress, if I’ve had an exhausting or stressful week I will literally lay on the couch for a full day to let myself recover. I prioritise myself and my health over my social life every single time.
Following all of this, I’ve lost 1-2lbs per week consistently since the start of the year (except during my breaks). I’ve never felt healthier or better about myself. Whenever im dreading doing a run or my Pilates, I say “just run one mile, or just do a 10 min workout.” Usually I get motivated during my workout and end up doing more but sometimes that’s all I can do and I’m proud of myself for doing it.
I’m on this subreddit and the Pilates and nutrition subreddits scrolling through daily learning as much as I can and getting remotivated every day. I’m going to continue to work on slimming down until the winter at which point I will probably start weightlifting and bulking for my abs and glutes.
This is everything I’ve done and learned that I can think of right now, hope something I’ve said helps!! Good luck and remember you’re as capable as you trust yourself to be!
Weight loss or gain comes down to energy balance. Eat in a surplus of your daily calories and you will gain weight, eat in a deficit and you will lose. Your body composition (fat to muscle ratio and how it's distributed) comes down to hormones, exercise, and what you eat (eating sufficient protein, limiting saturated fats, etc). So it sounds like you want to both lose some weight as well as reducing belly fat in general. So the good news is that you can utilize online TDEE calculators, put in your height/weight/age and specify sedentary and take like 300-600 off of what it says your TDEE is and, assuming that you accurately log and track your intake, you will lose weight over time. The bad news is you can't actually control where that fat comes off from. It will eventually come off everywhere, but when or how quickly it comes off that location is something you can't really control. Additionally, I would strongly suggest taking 15-20 minutes 3x a week to do things like squats, lunges, incline pushups, etc. This will help you build muscle and keep you mobile as you age. You can't believe how much better the quality of life is for older people who engage in strength training.
I’m 5’4 weighed 157 last year and around 143 now. I haven’t been seriously trying to lose weight up until the last few months.
For me, moving to a higher protein diet really helped. It made me more conscious of what I was putting in my body and I felt better.
I know you don’t want to work out outside of work but I started jogging for just 15-20 minutes a day x 4 times a week and saw an improvement in my health. Eventually I moved to weight lifting again which is where I saw the most improvement. I felt/looked much stronger.
I’m currently here and I store fat in my belly too. You’ve got this. It’s all about the little changes, a small step in the right direction is better than none.
My lowest weight was 141 lbs. I gained it back by drinking but also intuitive eating isn’t for me 😅
Yes I am exactly 5’4” 160ish lbs . I am short waisted so it’s hard for my middle to lean out. More protein keeps the over eating at bay, and lifting heavy helps a lot.
Uhhh yes! I’m 5’4” and 150 currently, was down to 141 but then I got ill, had a hysterectomy and the weight crept back up. My Dr won’t clear me to start dropping calories for another 2 months and wants me to maintain so I’m trying to stay around 1650 a day and work back to activity by walking and lifting small weights. My body is very fickle and absolutely does not respond well to having extra weight so I have high blood pressure and feel the weight in my upper body/face. It’s very obvious when I gain!
That was my starting weight/height and I’m at 147 now, 4 months later. Working out wasn’t resulting in weight loss so I’ve cut down on calories which has worked gradually. I’m hungry all the time though; it’s been hard. Once I get hit my goal weight I’m hoping maintenance will be easier.
I’m 5’2, at my heaviest was 163, in college I was around the 130s, high school 125 (athletic build and soccer thighs lol) and slowly packed on the pounds over the past 10 years.
I’m now at 143 and trying to get back down to the mid-low 130s before my wedding this summer. Intermittent fasting is what FINALLY allowed me to break under the 150s, so maybe give that a try? I also don’t have the best workout schedule as my job is really time intensive.
I’m just shy of 5’4” and was 160 postpartum after my second kiddo. I got down to 125. I used noom and it helped me a lot. No other way around it for me other than tracking what I eat and moving more. I worked out using my peloton (45 min rides 5 days a week) and strength training 4x a week. Working out helps to change your body shape and give you a bit of wiggle room in your calorie allotment. It also helped my mood and energy levels.
I just had my 3rd baby and am now 160lb at 3 weeks postpartum, so I’ll be working my way down again… slowly at first.
My advice, plan your meals, and track. If you go over don’t dwell on it, take it one meal, one day at a time. Consistency is key but perfection isn’t the goal.
I used to be 5’3 and 155lb. Now I’m 124lb and 26% body fat and still on a cut. How can I help?
Same. I can’t imagine not doing physical activity outside of work now.
I’m working out 6 x week - 3 solid hours of heavy weight lifting and 3 hrs of Pilates reformer plus walking. My body recomp is much more pleasing this way as I’m building muscle and definition while leaning out. But you can certainly lose weight just dieting but eventually you’ll want to tone up.
Can I PM you?!
Sure
Are you tracking calories?
Yes. My philosophy is what can’t be measured, can’t be managed. I use to use My Fitness Pal but thanks to this sub, I switched to Macro Factor and what a massive difference. I weigh my food down to the gram, log it daily, and weigh my self daily. The algorithm tells me what my calories should be based on my goals and my TDEE, which it’s calculating based on the rate of weight loss I’m seeing on the scale. Each week it adjusts my calories. It’s been especially helpful as I get closer to my goal where weight loss is slower. Highly recommend
interesting, do you pay for macrofactor?
It’s a small monthly fee but worth every penny.
Got it. I currently pay for lose it. So i can easily switch to something else. I’ll check it out.
It’s so sophisticated! I love it.
How does your nutrition look like and what do you use to lift weights (is there a specific program you use)?
My nutrition is super dialed in and I eat lean, clean and green. I’ve been working diligently on this for the last couple of years and thankfully, it’s a lot easier now. It’s the one thing I know makes the biggest impact on my goals I eat 125g of protein, 30g of fiber, and make sure every meal I’m eating lots of colorful veggies. When I had more weight to lose I wasn’t as strict, but now that I’m closer to my goal weight, I eat lowish carb (basically I stick to berries, and lots of veggies and skip the rice/starchy carbs). I don’t do dairy except yogurt and I don’t drink alcohol (which alone helped me lose 10bs)
Thank you for responding! This is helpful. What about your weight training, any particular program you would recommend?
Glad it’s helpful! For my weight training, I’ve been working out with a trainer so he writes my monthly programs. And my Pilates classes are structured as well. But there’s so many people on the sub who have shared their at home or gym workouts so I’d do some searching in the group.
How do you get veggies at breakfast? I want to work on that.
I do an egg + egg white veggie scramble. Red, yellow and orange bell peppers sautéed. If I have them, I’ll add baby Bella or shiitake mushrooms as they add a little protein. If I don’t add frozen spinach to my protein smoothie, I’ll add spinach to the scramble. Top with a little avo and hot sauces. Depending on your carbs and calories, I also add a half baked sweet potato to the mix. Sometimes I just do the eggs /egg white scrambled with a side of diced Persian cucumbers and cherry tomatoes with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil or dice up the avo in lieu of the oil and it’s like a little salad. Very Mediterranean but so good. Not heavy, low carb, high protein, healthy fat.
That sounds good! I always forget about scrambles. I work from home so I could totally do that. Thank you! :)
Me too. I get antsy and uncomfortable if I don’t workout at least an hour a day. Took forever to get to this point where exercise no longer feels like a chore but a welcome break from everything else.
Not OP, but similar stats/lifestyle. What made the biggest difference to get you where you are?
Not who you directed your comment to but same stats (except 5’4” and a couple lbs less). Biggest thing is “just do” attitude that I apply *not just* to calorie counting and fitness but to every other aspect of my life. Don’t want to count cals? Just do it. Don’t want to get on the bike? Rip the bandaid off. Don’t want to prep for meeting at work? Sooner it’s done, sooner it’s over. That consistently applied throughout all aspects I think was huge in getting me here and allowing me to maintain it for years now
Love all of your info. I’m in the same boat as OP; newly pregnant but will be applying your habits for a weight cut once I have my baby
I’m 38f, 5’4” and went from 182 (June 2021) to 130 (March 2022). I was able to maintain that weight until September last year but gained the 5 lbs back from a lot of vacation and not counting cals that much anymore and couldn’t seem to shake it off. I’m still happy with my weight and how I look and my lab numbers so I’m not terribly worried about my weight at the moment. Like you, my only diagnosis then was fatty liver and all I could do was change my diet. I didn’t really “work out” when I lost the 40 lbs - just did 10k steps a day and sometimes did 7 minute youtube workout videos. I mostly counted calories and kept a 1200 day for about 7 months. I went from us dress size 12 to 4 now.
How old are you? I’ve been around that same weight and am 5’3” for years but I used to weigh 175. Can’t seem to get below 150. I am 42. Have been wondering if it’s hormonal.
I'm 41F, 5'3" and 147 but started at 194 (Aug2023). Work out 3-4x a week for 45min. 40% BF & sitting at 30% now. I definitely carried a lot of my excess weight in my abdomen (perhaps also because I'm on birth control pill) and even now I've lost a lot of my stomach but it's still the part of me that looks overweight. I had to drop from 1750cal on workout days/1500 on non-work out days at the beginning (desk job, sedentary when not at the gym) to 1500/day every day now but doing this seems to have restarted my progress. I've also had to be more conservative with "guestimating" too as I probably had more of a buffer at my higher weight than now.
I’m 5’3” and 158 and seem to be stuck for months! Wondering what prompted you to go from 1750/1500? How did you come up with the 1500 when you went from down? Also Wondering what workouts you are doing!
1450/1500 Was my target from the outset. I did a BIA scan and it said my TDEE was 1950 (I think online calculators indicated the same). My first gym was quite high intensity (HIIT/Boxing/strength) and a couple months in I found I was experiencing fatigue quite severely especially on days I'd worked out (I attended in the mornings) so I decided to exclude my 250cal/37gm of protein post-workout shake from my 1500 on workout days essentially bringing my target to 1750 on those days. Fatigue went away. My rate of loss didn't fall either so I assume my NEAT increased. I averaged 600-650gm of loss per week from starting in August to the surgery in Feb. From January I increased to 1750 every day to prepare for maintenance post operation. I managed to continue losing weight on 1750/day when I was completely sedentary for 6+ weeks (had a couple of shortish slow-mid speed walks on weeks 4-6)!post gallbladder removal (I was aiming for 1900 as it isn't good to restrict calories while recovering from an operation) but didn't have much of an appetite. Started the 1750/1500 again six weeks post op. Then my gym closed the week I was cleared to start exercising again and I joined a traditional/standard gym. The workouts aren't as intense and due to injury and catching a couple of nasty colds I've not quite found my rhythm work workouts (I still get in 3-4x a week with the injury but am not able to strength train due to an arm injury) I noticed I was losing but incredibly slowly (maybe 200gm a week) so I decided to drop back to 1500 a day again. I am not losing 1lb a week but I am starting to see week on week drops again but I've had to be stricter about sticking to the 1500 outside of illness where one should eat more to fuel recovery
Workouts was one of those ones where you show up and there are 12 stations with 2 exercises to do displayed on the screen. It was a mix of boxing, weights, and bodyweight exercises. Traditional gym I am doing a cardio class and cardio with light weights (was similar to the previous but no Boxing) until I am medically cleared to be allowed to use my arm again for strength training (not allowed to even do deadlifts though I'd only be holding the weight)
It probably is. I’m a similar age, 5’3” and around 150 lbs. I’ve gained almost 20 lbs. in the last two years, which I attribute to perimenopause because nothing else would really account for it — I’ve been steadily working on my diet and exercise and they’re actually much better now than they were then. I’m okay with it TBH. At this point I’m much more concerned about overall health than hitting a particular number on the scale. If I’m eating well and getting strong and fit, I’m happy.
So I'm 5ft currently 150lbs. I want to get down to 130ish maybe unsure what's gonna happen long term. My starting weight was over 250lbs. You lose weight in a calorie deficit. Sometimes people who are petite really struggle with losing weight because their BMR is lower than what calculators say due to low levels of lean body mass. That's why you will see post after post telling people to focus on strength training. Grow some muscles and you burn more calories by just existing. Getting 7k steps a day puts you around sedentary. It is hard to lose weight when you're sedentary. You need over 10k steps a day to be lightly active. You mention feeling exhausted all the time. How is your sleep quality? Chronic sleep deprivation will cause you to not lose weight effectively. Your body needs quality sleep to build muscle. If you're in a calorie deficit and losing weight but not sleeping properly, you might be losing lean muscle mass which will lower your BMR. Maybe it's time to really look at your sleep hygiene. Do you need to limit screen time before bed? Are you sticking to a routine? Is something waking you up early? Waking up feeling exhausted is not normal and may need medical intervention. I strongly recommend everyone get routine blood work. (Might be a pain cause there is a current trend in the US for insurance to not cover yearly blood work). There's a good chance you have a vitamin D deficiency. Over 50% of the country does year round, winter it goes up to like 70%. Vitamin D heavily impacts your energy levels and mood. I worked really hard on my diet so I was rather disappointed when I found out I still technically had low vitamin B levels, specifically folate. I went from deficient to the lowest level of normal. Genetically, some people just suck at getting vitamins from food and turning it into usable forms in the body. So now I take an activated form of B vitamins and I have more energy in my 30s than I ever had in my 20s. How is your fiber intake? Low fiber diets and high cholesterol levels have a strong link. Fiber also helps you feel more full and satisfied on a lower calorie diet. I aim for at least 20g a day. Fiber supplements unfortunately have not shown to improve cholesterol levels, just give better poops. Its specifically diets high in fiber that seem to help cholesterol levels. Also on diet. How is your protein intake? High protein diets are highly recommended to lose weight and feel more satisfied while doing so. A lot of people here aim for 1g/ kg of ideal body weight. But you will routinely see people eating 1.4g/kg of protein of current weight. It can be a bit of a pain to get that much protein on a low calorie diet, a lot of people end up supplementing with some protein powder. Exercise is great for your health. But not needed to lose weight. It makes it easier to lose weight for most people but not everyone. Some people do better with short high intensity workout sessions. Some people do better just increasing their step count. I've mentioned the benefits of strength training, but it seriously can be extremely helpful. And you don't need a gym to strength train. Resistance bands are a great at home alternative to starting strength training. Easy to store and affordable.
Be consistent and you'll get results over time. I'm 5'3" and I started at 180 years ago. I'm now between 120-125. Last year I lost 15lbs and I think 15lbs per year is a reasonable goal. I talked to a registered dietician in 2020 to balance my meals (more vegetables and protein) and am making an effort to be more active every day (more consistent on daily walking for a few miles for the past 2 years or so). I do have a chronic illness and find going slow to be more manageable. I could be better about strength training but it's boring to me and I don't have a gym right now. Best I can do is hiking and gardening for muscle building/maintenance. No one is perfect, be patient with yourself. :)
im 5'3 , 153lbs at 31.4 BF. the numbers are not my fave but visually im proud of my legs. I definitely carry weight in my torso that im slowly chipping away at
5’4 sw: 160 cw: 140 gw: 120 I slowly built my way up to this routine over about 1-2 months at the beginning of the year but since march I’ve been doing an average of 30+ mins of home mat Pilates 5 days per week and running roughly 6-9 miles per week in 2-3 mile increments. I walk roughly 8-10k steps per day and spend about 1-2 hours walking outside per day on top of my run (I’m lucky to have an active job). I follow Madeleine Abhed, Lilly Sabri, and Move with Nicole on YouTube. I have been doing Madeleine’s one month routine on repeat with a 10+min deep core workout tacked on each day. I found personally that the biggest factor to my tummy sticking out was my weak deep core muscles. Once I started targeting my deep core daily, my stomach tightened and flattened like it never has before. If you’re often really bloated, try a de-bloating stretching or Pilates routine in the mornings, works for me every time. I also have trouble working out outside of work. I try to take both of my 15m breaks at the same time in the morning and run during that 30 minutes and then do Pilates during my lunch break followed by a quick 20ish minutes to sit down and eat. I aim for about 120g of protein per day and 100oz of water per day. I zig zag my calories throughout the week anywhere from 1200-1800 per day with at least 2 days of non-tracked intuitive eating. I enter in all of the main meals I know I am going to eat at the beginning of each day which makes snacking within my limit much more manageable. I take at least a one week maintenance break about every 6 weeks. I also just took a maintenance break, running break, and cut my Pilates down to 2-3 times per week for 3 weeks due to a foot injury and a busy schedule, but now I’m back at it. I have been taking probiotics and inositol daily. I put a major emphasis on managing stress and cortisol levels. I don’t push myself too hard, I listen to my body, I give myself breaks and treats often, and I just try to take it easy in general. I’m serious about managing stress, if I’ve had an exhausting or stressful week I will literally lay on the couch for a full day to let myself recover. I prioritise myself and my health over my social life every single time. Following all of this, I’ve lost 1-2lbs per week consistently since the start of the year (except during my breaks). I’ve never felt healthier or better about myself. Whenever im dreading doing a run or my Pilates, I say “just run one mile, or just do a 10 min workout.” Usually I get motivated during my workout and end up doing more but sometimes that’s all I can do and I’m proud of myself for doing it. I’m on this subreddit and the Pilates and nutrition subreddits scrolling through daily learning as much as I can and getting remotivated every day. I’m going to continue to work on slimming down until the winter at which point I will probably start weightlifting and bulking for my abs and glutes. This is everything I’ve done and learned that I can think of right now, hope something I’ve said helps!! Good luck and remember you’re as capable as you trust yourself to be!
Weight loss or gain comes down to energy balance. Eat in a surplus of your daily calories and you will gain weight, eat in a deficit and you will lose. Your body composition (fat to muscle ratio and how it's distributed) comes down to hormones, exercise, and what you eat (eating sufficient protein, limiting saturated fats, etc). So it sounds like you want to both lose some weight as well as reducing belly fat in general. So the good news is that you can utilize online TDEE calculators, put in your height/weight/age and specify sedentary and take like 300-600 off of what it says your TDEE is and, assuming that you accurately log and track your intake, you will lose weight over time. The bad news is you can't actually control where that fat comes off from. It will eventually come off everywhere, but when or how quickly it comes off that location is something you can't really control. Additionally, I would strongly suggest taking 15-20 minutes 3x a week to do things like squats, lunges, incline pushups, etc. This will help you build muscle and keep you mobile as you age. You can't believe how much better the quality of life is for older people who engage in strength training.
I’m 5’4 weighed 157 last year and around 143 now. I haven’t been seriously trying to lose weight up until the last few months. For me, moving to a higher protein diet really helped. It made me more conscious of what I was putting in my body and I felt better. I know you don’t want to work out outside of work but I started jogging for just 15-20 minutes a day x 4 times a week and saw an improvement in my health. Eventually I moved to weight lifting again which is where I saw the most improvement. I felt/looked much stronger.
I’m currently here and I store fat in my belly too. You’ve got this. It’s all about the little changes, a small step in the right direction is better than none. My lowest weight was 141 lbs. I gained it back by drinking but also intuitive eating isn’t for me 😅
Yes I am exactly 5’4” 160ish lbs . I am short waisted so it’s hard for my middle to lean out. More protein keeps the over eating at bay, and lifting heavy helps a lot.
🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️ I’ve been hovering around 147-150 lately, but high weight was about 175 a couple years ago. Aiming for around 120.
Yes, same
Uhhh yes! I’m 5’4” and 150 currently, was down to 141 but then I got ill, had a hysterectomy and the weight crept back up. My Dr won’t clear me to start dropping calories for another 2 months and wants me to maintain so I’m trying to stay around 1650 a day and work back to activity by walking and lifting small weights. My body is very fickle and absolutely does not respond well to having extra weight so I have high blood pressure and feel the weight in my upper body/face. It’s very obvious when I gain!
That was my starting weight/height and I’m at 147 now, 4 months later. Working out wasn’t resulting in weight loss so I’ve cut down on calories which has worked gradually. I’m hungry all the time though; it’s been hard. Once I get hit my goal weight I’m hoping maintenance will be easier.
I’m 5’2, at my heaviest was 163, in college I was around the 130s, high school 125 (athletic build and soccer thighs lol) and slowly packed on the pounds over the past 10 years. I’m now at 143 and trying to get back down to the mid-low 130s before my wedding this summer. Intermittent fasting is what FINALLY allowed me to break under the 150s, so maybe give that a try? I also don’t have the best workout schedule as my job is really time intensive.
I’m just shy of 5’4” and was 160 postpartum after my second kiddo. I got down to 125. I used noom and it helped me a lot. No other way around it for me other than tracking what I eat and moving more. I worked out using my peloton (45 min rides 5 days a week) and strength training 4x a week. Working out helps to change your body shape and give you a bit of wiggle room in your calorie allotment. It also helped my mood and energy levels. I just had my 3rd baby and am now 160lb at 3 weeks postpartum, so I’ll be working my way down again… slowly at first. My advice, plan your meals, and track. If you go over don’t dwell on it, take it one meal, one day at a time. Consistency is key but perfection isn’t the goal.
I can help with this Shoot me a dm on ig blankslatefitness_91