anyone been chubby most of their life?

N

nightowl81

Cathlete
Just wondering if anyone here has been chubby/overweight even when a kid and if you managed to get lean and atleast firm and what you did.

I started gaining weight around 7 or 8 and from there I've always had some extra on. In high school I was taller than most anyway at 5'9" and weighed 150-160, so not obese, but not thin or fit either. I read when you gain weight as a kid those fat cells are permanent.

The only time I managed to get thin was a walking 5 miles everyday with a very strict diet I couldn't really maintain. I was 130-140 then and everyone would tell me how beautiful I looked and all that...but as soon as I gained the weight back no one gave anymore compliments and I don't feel good about myself.

Are some people's bodies just set on holding extra weight? Has anyone outsmarted their bodies to get down to their goal weight? I know it's a bad mindset to have, but it does get depressing not being able to get to my goal.
 
I was a HUGE baby and then chubby as a kid. As a teen, I yo-yo dieted all the time and developed eating disorders. If I starved myself and over-exercised, I was able to stay very lean. Otherwise, I would get chubby again. I'm overweight now because I've been stress eating for about a year, but normally I'm a little plump with normal eating and consistent exercise.

My mother and grandmother were both bigger since birth also - I think part of it is genes in my case. My daughter is long and lean like her father.

Erica
 
Hey nightowl! Yes, I was a chubby kid. I wasn't extremely obese, but was always a few pounds more than other girls my age. I am also your height and was also about 150-160 in high school. I really slimmed down in college (finally discovered the magic of exercise) but honestly, I yo-yo'd up and down in my 20s. With 2 difficult pregnancies behind me, I finally decided that I was going to be FIT and set a great example for my kids.

I lost 70 pounds and now wear a size 4 with a body fat % of 15%- I weigh around 140, although I'd love to be closer to 130. I DID change what I thought was my lot-- big boned, soft, etc. Nope. Don't want that and just made up my mind that I could be whatever I wanted to be. It isn't easy, but this is the only way that I feel like I'm living my best life, if that makes sense. I can gain weight easily I guess, but I also gain muscle easily. So that's a good thing. :) I just eat right and exercise a lot. I have even decided that I love exercise. Who knew?

You can do this!
 
Hi Patti- From your avatar pic you look great, nice arms! Do you just eat very clean and do Cathe (or advanced workouts like hers)?
 
Thanks! I do eat pretty clean, although eating well consistently is still a challenge at times- I have far more good days than bad, however. I am far from perfect but I'm not giving up. :) I did WW for a long time- I don't have a problem with their program, just that I played a numbers game, never really paying attention to the quality of what I was eating. Processed food but low in points? I ate it. I tend to eat a lot more whole foods now and I like that I get to eat MORE of them rather than the processed stuff.

As for exercise, I really do workout hard and often- 6 days a week. I am right now doing a 3 day split and 3 days of cardio, but that has varied in the past. I love circuits, even though I'm not doing them at the moment. I discovered the wonders of rotations this past year, so I'm doing one right now. (FitnessFreak's January rotation, if you're interested.)

I find that it is a process. I'm always reading and trying new things. It helps keep me motivated. I will never say I've met my goal just because it changes from time to time. I think I have to continue to have a goal in order to stay motivated.

HTH!
 
I was always chubby as a young girl also, which is hard. I am 5 feet tall. During my teens, I got down to a very thin size 2/4 with no exercise but VERY low calories -- I was probably eating between 800-1000 calories, not good.

My weight went WAY up with pregnancy, but I have lost all that weight and then some. I am now about 134 pounds or so, which many people would think is heavy for someone of my height, but I am not overweight -- wear very loose size 6 pants.

I am very curvy, though -- big boobs, small waist, big hips, big butt. I like my curves, and I have a lot of muscle (thanks to Cathe!). So I don't really care about the number and whether or not it seems high. I think most people would never guess I weigh that much to look at me.
 
I was also always chubby growing up. I think I went on my first diet when I was 12. I yoyo dieted for almost 20 years!

Something in me finally clicked when I got pregnant. I started walking and had reasonable weight gain. However, I had been about 40 lbs over my goal weight before getting pregnant.

After having my baby, I continued walking daily for an hour, then I started doing weights. I lost 60lbs over about a year and a half.

As I got stronger I increased my weights and the cardio to more intense workouts. I have a lot of lean muscle mass now, and I kind of think the muscle is what is helping me maintain my weight. I also eat well and watch the portions. If I have processed stuff to often, I can tell.

But other than eating clean and within reasonable portions, I don't need to do too much except mix up the workouts and keep the weights heavy.

I had a second baby in the meantime and I went back to my new weight and have been able to keep it there. I wear a size 2. I never even wore a size 6 in highschool!

So, be encouraged, it can work, but it has to be a complete lifestyle change, at least for me it was. As long as exercise and consistent healthy diet wasn't a regular part of my life, I was struggling. But now I am in my best shape ever, and it feels so great, there is no way I'm going to slack off and allow myself to be lazy. It is way worth the work and discipline!
 
That is my life story!

Yes, I was the fat girl in school. Always, until I was almost 20. I am now 29. See my website sometime : www.embracethechallenge.net and click on my bio for more information. I went from like 180ish to 128. I am now comfortable in the upper 130s though at 5'6", years later. I am proud of that weight and have a lot of muscle as well.

For me, it was a lifestyle change. Better eating, becoming active, having a positive attitude (not feeling sorry for myself anymore), etc. It the whole reason that I am now a personal trainer - in order to help others who are in my situation. You just have to really get out of your comfort zone to see results. For most, walking isn't enough. Walking is great, but usually not enough. Remember, the more muscle you have on your body, the more fat you will burn. It will rev up your metabolism. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions.

Clarissa
 
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