*CLOSED TO NEW MEMBERS* Shorties Club

*EDITED December 17, 2012*

I'm Sara. I know there's a bunch of "short girls" clubs but I can never seem to find one that fits. It's always "5'4" and under with a lot to lose (40+)" or something too specific, so I decided to create my own group! This is for shorties (like, true, honest, really-freaking-short people... 5'3" and under please) to vent, trade advice, or just chat. Here are my stats:

Gender: Female
Age: 22
Height: 4'11"

SW: 140
HW: 145
CW: 125
GW: 115
It amazes me how people so close in height can have such different goals and plans, so I'd really like to share.

Our weigh-ins are every Wednesday morning, if you would like to participate in that. The scale isn't everything, though!

@nmward. Can't wait to hear how the bathing suits turn out!

@bskmek. Good Luck with those last 4 pounds. The last few pounds are always the toughest.

@sally. I love going to the zoo. We went all the time when the kids were younger. 90s is hot for running. People think I'm crazy, but I'd rather run when it is really cold. That makes me move because I am cold. When it is hot, I get headaches and feel just miserable.

@sara. You have such a great attitude about your job and your life. Definitely being happy is way more important than money or prestige. Those things will come and go, but being happy, well, there is no substitute. Tell me how the Avengers is, we want to take the kids this weekend

@burton. Great job on the progress. I only weigh myself first thing in the morning. Pretty much the same time every day! I have once or twice weighed myself in the middle of the day and been shocked. Never Again! It just freaks me out.

Well we have a busy weekend. At least 4 soccer games between our two kids. My daughter is in a tournament so if she keeps winning we could have as many as 7 games. At least the weather will be nice. My husband and I are going on a date tonight to my favorite Mexican restaurant of all time. They serve everything tapas style so we order a few small plates and I get to eat lots of yummy things instead of just one thing I really like.

My maintenance is going well. I like the way I look and if I continue doing what I'm doing I should continue to tone and tighten which is really make a big difference in how I look and my confidence levels. I have people ask me all the time how I did it, do any of you get that as you lose weight? When I tell them I count calories and exercise they seem very disappointed. I think they want me to say I drank something or am taking something. They don't like hearing that I watch what I eat and exercise every day. Oh well, at least I know I'm being healthy and not doing some crazy fad that will just hurt me in the long run.

Have a great weekend everyone!

nkfromm enjoy the mexican. It's my favorite too. You are doing so great on your maintenance.

nmward, I'd wait till the bottoms get here then take them with you when your shopping, that way you can see what the different tops looks like with the bottom.  I have one bottom and like three different tankini tops that go with that one bottom.

I like running when it's in the 70's. I just came back from my run and it's about 85 not quite as hot as the other day, but still hot.  I was so defeated the other day I didn't even try to run again till today, but today it felt good to do so.  I'm at the point in the program where the intervals stop. Today was 10 m run, 3 m walk, 10 min run (5min warmup and cooldown).  On Sunday I had a 20 min run, which I did okay.  My next 4 workouts are 25 min runs, wish me luck.  Next week, I'll be able to concentrate on the running because it's my week off of lifting...

nkfromm, that's great maintenance is going well. You are going to have to give me tips when I get to that point because for some reason maintaining make me nervous. I am afraid I will just gain.

Sally, I think that is what I am going to do. They should be here on Tuesday. One of the things I like about the bottoms is that they are just plain black and white so I think I can easily match them with a lot of tops like you do.

@sara- that's awesome! I hope it all works out for you. And I agree that life is too short to be doing something where you are not happy. I'm kinda finding that myself but I definitely want to give finance one more shot before I forgo it all together. Hopefully I will hear back from more places soon. 

@nmward- is there a victoria secret near you that sells the bathing suits, even if its a limited collection? I know the one at the mall near me does so its always worth going and trying them on before you give up on the top. I do love the bottoms though! And keep up the good work, you will reach goal soon

@sally- awesome job with the running! I need to get back into it asap. Its finally getting nice here in the northeast so I really have no excuse not to be running outside. 

So I am back up in the 125s again after that night where I freaked out when I saw the scale say 127. Its funny because I remember being 127 a few years ago but I was still like a 4/6. Now I am a 2/4 but I really dont ever want to see those numbers again. I don't know why I put on that one pound overnight and can't seem to shake it. I really want to be back to like 122 by the end of may but it doesn't seem likely with my eating patterns due to work. Its so frustrating but I know I am half the problem. I don't workout as frequently anymore and need to stop grazing in the morning after I eat breakfast. 

@sally - Thanks! It went well - I'm going back Monday morning from 7:30-9:30 or so to observe and do kind of a "working second interview." I think this is good because I'll get to really see how friendly and helpful my coworkers are - I don't want to get stuck in that kind of environment again where I'm supposed to teach myself everything! Your day sounded awesome at the zoo!

@nmward - I'm due for a new suit - I love shopping for them at Target so maybe I'll go soon! Your tattoo sounds cool. I am a HUGE (huge) Batman fan, and I wanted to get an original artists sketch (such as this one) with a quote from one of the comic books written underneath. I want either my dad or a guy friend to write it out - I don't want it to be perfect handwriting and I want it to be more personal. 

@nkfromm - Thanks for the kind words. Sometimes I doubt myself but in the end I have to do what makes me happy (or at least happier than I am right now!) This job keeps getting weirder, too. She sent me home early on Tuesday and told me not to come in for the rest of the week because she didn't have anything for me to do. Then she calls yesterday and tells me not to come in next week either. It's not like I'm complaining since I hate it there, but what kind of full time job is this? I just don't like how she does business. She's very scatterbrained and all over the place. Have fun at the soccer games and Mexican restaurant! I'm going to a local place tonight as well. I'm hoping for a big taco salad with like 70% lettuce and other veggies, 20% beans and 10% cheese. Trying to keep it healthy.

@burton - Thank you! Bets of luck with everything, I'm sure you'll hear back soon.

This past summer I had an excel spreadsheet calendar that I used to keep track of my workouts. I would plan them ahead of time and cross them off as I completed them. It kept me accountable and I was in great shape - I want to start doing that again! I don't know why 45 minutes to an hour a day is that hard to get done. I just keep making excuses! 

Good Morning everyone.  Hope you all had good weekends.

Sara good luck today.  So when do you find out if you have this job?

The calendar is a good idea.  I write out my workouts for the week on a sheet of paper and keep it on my desk at work.  That way I can look at it and say okay well today, I'm supposed to lift or run or whatever.  It sure makes it easier to get up and out when it's written down. I like the idea of crossing it off. I may have to steal that idea.

Thanks to you all for being so supportive. I'm happy to say that yesterday I ran for 22 mins straight without walking.  It felt so food to do that, and say to myself, "hey look what I did".  I know that there's no way I could have done that 6 weeks ago.  After I got back my daughter wanted to go on a walk, so we walked 2 miles on top of the running 2 1/2. So I got plenty of exercise yesterday.

Hope everyone has a great week.

@Sara, I like that tattoo! I really like the idea of having someone write it out for you. How was your interview?

@Sally, good morning! It sounds like your workout day yesterday was the same as mine. I went running with my roommate and she said she just wanted to go on a short run, but then we somehow ended up running about 2 miles and then we just walked the two miles back home. Not quite what I call short since I hate running, but it felt great.

I  am excited to be able to work out again. I ran on Saturday and Sunday. I planned on waking up early to lift weights before work this morning, but I had a hard time sleeping last night so I slept in instead. I plan on doing it today after work and grocery shopping though. I think my weight is starting to come off! I weighed in at 116.8 this morning. That is .6 higher than last Wednesday, but I should be starting my period today so I am hoping the when it is over I will be somewhere in the 115 range. I can't wait until next week to actually see the progress.

@Sally - So it ended up being more of me observing them for an hour and a half, and then she said she would call me by Monday because she has more interviews this week. That's good news because although I'd love to work there the pay is lower than I'd like, and I applied to about 20 jobs this weekend so that gives me time to maybe hear from one of the other employers this week! And great for you about the running!
When I got home I had five strawberries as a quick snack and then went to the gym and did 25 minutes on the elliptical (roughly 8 resistance and 6.5mph) and 20 minutes on the stationary bike (5.3 miles or so). About to do a Women's Health Magazine leg circuit and then shower and have lunch! I'm planning on doing a parfait with Chobani Greek yogurt, blackberries and Kashi GoLean Crunch.

@sara, well it's a start, she was impressed with you enough to call you back... I can understand about the pay though.

Your lunch sounds great. I love that combo. Although, mine is currently with strawberries because they are in season here and are wonderful.  When the blackberries come in though, I'm going to try those.

It's almost noon, and I'm having a crazy day. Part of my job (the part I don't like so much) is having to do water cut offs for non payment. Well cutoffs are Wed and people are starting to freek out.  My phone has been ringing off the hook... Plus I'm just having a "sad" day. No particular reason, just sometimes happens that way with me.

@sally. Congrats on the run. You have made great progress. I know how good it feels to accomplish a run that you work so hard for.

@sara. Sounds like the new job hunt is going well. I am sure you will find something soon that you really like. Your workout sounds great and I love women's healthy magazine for new workouts. I found a sit up in there once that I still do and really see results from.

@nmward. When you get to maintenance I'd be more than happy to give you tips. Though I'm still figuring it out myself, I think this time I have found some things that are really helping. I still think they most important part of maintenance and dieting is that you have to realize it is a life change to live healthier, not just a means to an end. I still very seldom slip from my original diet that allowed me to lose 20 pounds, I have just allowed myself about 200-400 calories extra a day and I seem to be maintaining instead of losing 1/2 pound per week.

@burton. Just stay focused and you will get there. It isn't easy and you have to enjoy your life. I sometimes float up 1-2 pounds, but I know I haven't eaten enough to gain that weight it is usually water weight or too much salt or something like that. Just keep working on it and you will get there.

I had a nice weekend. Had some pretty yucky weather, but managed to exercise and eat pretty well. I did enjoy pizza and ice cream to celebrate my kids' soccer wins this weekend. I am glad I enjoyed that treat with them.

Happy Monday to all! If that is possible.

Day one back on the wagon went really well! Made dinner (which included pizza AND ice cream but all in moderation and substituting ingredients to make it more nutritious without losing any of the delicious!) And I already listed my other eats and exercises for the day.

It's amazing how much better my body feels after just ONE DAY of taking care of it again.

Plan today:
Breakfast: An egg with two slices of light whole wheat toast, a cup of coffee with light caramel creamer, five strawberries, fish oil and a multivitamin (272 cals) 

Snack: All natural dried fruit mix in a single serving bag (90 cals)

Lunch: Two NutriGrain Honey Oat Eggos with 1/4 cup light syrup and 12 blackberries (302 cals)

Snack: Fuji apple (80 cals)

Dinner: Crescent roll. (90) Caesar salad. (130) Multigrain angel hair pasta with garlic shrimp and summer squash. (280)

Dessert: Two squares Lindt 70% dark chocolate. (125)

Total for the day comes to 1,369, and my goal is about 1500.
Exercise plans: 30 minutes of cardio at the gym and p90x yoga for as long as Harry and I can last! We made it through an hour and fifteen minutes last time but that was without going to the gym first. I'd be happy with even just 45. 

Sara that sounds like a great day.   I'm trying a "new" recipe tonight, not exactly new, but it's been awhile since I fixed it.  Blackened tilapia with mango salsa with brown rice and garlic kale.  Mango's were on sale this week and for once, they looked good.

I'm feeling more like myself today. I'm in my rest week of NROF4W. I've been running, but that's all. Trying to force myself to not do anything those other days....

Have a great day.

@sally- awesome job with the running. Once you get into it, running really can be fun and I truly believe its the best exercise out there. And if you are feeling bored on your non-workout days what about going for a light walk? Nothing too strenuous or anything

@sara- its really amazing how well you can feel after treating your body right. I had steak for dinner the other night and didn't really eat that much, but its been so long since I've had red meat that I felt awful the next morning. Made up for it by going to the gym and eating a big salad for lunch/dinner. Because of my weird work schedule I end up eating at like 4:30 so its not quite lunch or dinner haha

@nkfromm- thanks for the kind words. I really hope the weight starts coming off. I know my downfalls and am working on changing them for the better. I also think once I get a real job again, my eating patterns will go back to normal and I wont be eating at 9:30 at night anymore which should help

@nmward- yay for the weight coming off! Now that you aren't loaded down with school and work I'm sure the weight will start to disappear pretty fast. 

Had a good workout yesterday, did 25 minutes on the eliptical at resistance 6 and 20 on the bike at level 6 also. Then stretched, did some abs and light lifting for another 20 minutes. I ran into my old spin instructor the other day and she convinced me to come back to class and there is no reason why I shouldn't be spinning. She mainly teaches in the afternoon/night but has a class on Saturday morning at 9:15 which I will be going to this weekend. I loved spinning and really need to get back into it. I also looked at the new gym schedule and there are tons of classes in the am at like 9 which I am going to start attending. Maybe getting back into spinning will help some of this weight come off. It sure did help keep my weight in check last summer. 

Original Post by burton1490:

@sally- awesome job with the running. Once you get into it, running really can be fun and I truly believe its the best exercise out there. And if you are feeling bored on your non-workout days what about going for a light walk? Nothing too strenuous or anything

@sara- its really amazing how well you can feel after treating your body right. I had steak for dinner the other night and didn't really eat that much, but its been so long since I've had red meat that I felt awful the next morning. Made up for it by going to the gym and eating a big salad for lunch/dinner. Because of my weird work schedule I end up eating at like 4:30 so its not quite lunch or dinner haha

Thanks.  Next week when I get back to lifting, I think I'm gonna do just that, take a short walk at lunch time.

What we call 4:30 dinner is linner.... My in laws (both retired) eat at like 4:30 every day and whenever they invite us for a meal it's at 4:30. So we call it "going over for linner" instead of dinner....

Sara, your meal plan sounds great!

Sally, have you taken your measurements yet? I am curious to see the difference after finishing stage two. I haven't done NROLW consistently enough to see changes. I was close to finishing stage 2, but then because school got so crazy, I took a long break. I have decided to just start over at the beginning of stage 2. I can't wait to see the difference when we finish the program.

Burton, spinning sounds like a great workout! I really need to try it.

I feel like I have been doing really well with eating well and exercising the past few days. I hope it lasts! I ran/walked 3 miles on Saturday and four on Sunday. Yesterday I started doing NROLW again. Today I plan on running again. My bathing suit came in the mail today!! I can't wait to get home to try it on. I will let you guys know how it worked out.

@nmward, I'm at the off week before stage 2, but in stage 1, here's what my results are

Bust up 1/4"

Waist down 1/2"

Hips same

Biceps down 1/2"

Thighs down 1"

Calves down 1/2"

And I've lost 2 lbs. (I weigh daily and finally this week the scales budged. I've been at 167 for the last three days so all total I've lost 20 lbs now) I think the larger #s on my legs are from the combo of running and NROLFW.  Overall, I'm very happy with these results because I've been eating more (about 200 to 250 more per day) than I was and I still had results going in the right direction.

Today was my first 25 min run and I can safely say I couldn't have even attempted that 7 weeks ago... I'm so proud of myself. And isn't that what we do all this for, to be proud of ourselves that in today's "norm" of unhealthy, overindulgence, that we can take control of our lives and live healthy.

I have a question, are you going to do the HITT sessions after workout b or the next day. I've heard some people say it doesn't matter which way you do it, I'm trying to figure out what to do and when.  I wish I had access to a recumbent bike.

I don't know why I thought you were on stage 2 already. I am glad you are just about to start it though so we can do the workout together! I will be ahead of you this week, but I am going to have to take a few days off of working out when my family is visiting next week so you should catch up. That's great the scale finally budged!! You are now only 2 pounds away from your first goal, right? Great job for running 25 minutes! You are making great progress! When I did stage 2 before I did not do the HIIT sessions because I did it during my lunch break and didn't have time and did not want to sweat too much. I might do it this time, but I am not sure. I am going to run on my days off of lifting, just like you are so I think that lifting, running, and doing the bike might be a little too much. Maybe I will just do HIIT while running.

That's great that we are at the same point. I reviewed the exercises the other day and the only one I'm not so sure about is the push press, I'm still not very strong in my upper body, so I'm not sure I'll "feel" that one in my legs on the squat, cause I know I can't lift but so much over my head. And the cuban snatch. I don't have a bench so I have to figure out how to do that one. I think I'll lean on my swiss ball.

I'm looking forward to start.  How long do the workouts take you?

The cuban snatch is really hard! I think it must work muscles that I never use, because looking at it doesn't seem very difficult. Leaning on your ball should work fine. The only issue just might be stability. These workouts take a bit longer than the first stage, especially for workout B. I think it is just because there are more of them. I think yesterday it took me about 30-40 minutes. I could be wrong though.

@sally- loveee that name! And its awesome to see your measurements are going down. Seeing your weight on the scale is always wonderful but I feel like seeing your measurements decrease is even more gratifying. 

@nmward- that was a lot of running all in one weekend especially since you said you have been out of it for a while! I would have died if I did that hahaha Also- I've heard the HIIT workouts are really great. They are all over women's health magazine so I'm sure they work wonders