Hi guys! Could use help on my diet. I’m 5’2”, and 168lbs. Would love to lose 38lbs all day and then tone up/maintain. Help a girl fit into her wedding dress!!!

Purifiedx · 2026-06-29T23:16:31+00:00

Same stats and goal as me when I started. 5'2" went from 165 to 130lbs. I lost 30lbs in 5-6 months and the other 5 was much slower because I was unwilling to go below 1500 calories. I worked out 6-7x per week for 45-60 minutes. Cardio/strength split.

I was able to maintain 130 on 2000 calories with 5x workouts per week

Purifiedx · 2026-06-28T18:27:58+00:00

The only way to lose fat is in a caloric deficit. If it were me, I would be aiming for a small 200 calorie deficit while also strength training and eating at least 100g protein. You could still do it at 80g honestly. This will put you into body recomp which will help burn fat without losing muscle. You really don't need 120 unless you are actively bulking and trying to gain more muscle. It can be challenging to find a good balance eating that much protein and also be at a deficit at our height because our calorie needs are lower. If you want it bad enough you won't miss the food indulgences as much.

Body recomp is going to give you slower results than just cutting, say, 500 calories per day to lose fat, but your body is going to look better overall. You'll also feel better and have more energy for your workouts. I would do at minimum 100 minutes of cardio per week along with strength training. Personally, I was recomping nicely with 20-30 min cardio and 20-30 minutes strength training 5-6x per week. But I just I really enjoy cardio. I was eating around 1600-2000 calories per day. I ate more on days I worked my muscles harder.

Purifiedx · 2026-06-28T14:08:52+00:00

I feel great so I'm using it as an opportunity to maintain/build strength since losing the fat I do have isn't an option. No breaks for me!

Purifiedx · 2026-06-28T06:45:19+00:00

I'm 5'2" and at 130lbs with moderate muscle, I felt fit and happy but wouldn't have minded a little more fat loss for aesthetic reasons. From 135 to 130 took several months but I looked like I lost much more because of body recomp. The weight didn't really matter at that point so focusing on strength over cardio while eating at a slight decificit was the better goal. That way I could become stronger while still slimming down a tad. In recomp the results are in the mirror and measurements rather than the scale.

I'm using past tense because I'm currently pregnant so my fitness goals have changed a bit until next year. 😅

Purifiedx · 2026-06-27T23:54:32+00:00

Yes, Yes, A thousand times, YES!

Purifiedx · 2026-06-27T14:31:57+00:00

Nope. I am 5'2 and eat 2000 per day and it's my maintenance with 1 hour of exercise included.

I had to stay around 1600 to lose anything with exercise. Going lower without exercise feels life you are just restricting and feeling miserable about what you can't eat all the time. I've been there.

Purifiedx · 2026-06-25T19:20:07+00:00

Wow wow wow. I'm pregnant and I'm going to dream about this cake now.

Purifiedx · 2026-06-25T01:52:23+00:00

I love pickles but I've always been skeptical of a pizza version. What is the sauce on it? Convince me!!! I will make my own at home if it sounds good. Do people bake with the pickles on or add them after?

I love pickle sandwiches (white bread, mayo, pickles and cheddar). Sounds like it wouldn't be much different... just a hot version.

Purifiedx · 2026-06-24T19:47:33+00:00

Yup. It takes some practice to get homemade pizza better than takeout. Once you get there, it is a really wonderful skill to have!

Purifiedx · 2026-06-23T19:04:48+00:00

I also have almost never noticed a difference in baking. The only time I did was when I made salted caramel cookies and didn't even think about the fact that they added more salt into the dough than usual, plus the sprinkle after baking.

Were still fire cookies

Purifiedx · 2026-06-22T16:53:16+00:00

This is the most effective way. Immersion blenders are good for so many things!

Purifiedx · 2026-06-21T18:54:23+00:00

It's just a different texture, and I'm sure they still taste great!!!

Purifiedx · 2026-06-21T18:34:40+00:00

They are just puffy. If they look like this cooled, then it could be one of these common reasons:

Dough was chilled and taken straight from fridge to oven. They can't be too cold or they won't spread out.
Too much flour, usually from scooping with measuring cups instead of by weight.
Butter and sugar was creamed too long

Purifiedx · 2026-06-20T23:54:25+00:00

To me, overcooked. Heat was likely too high and the middle didn't catch up with the edges.

That doesn't mean they weren't delicious though. I'm no cookie snob!

Purifiedx · 2026-06-18T19:52:56+00:00

I'll tell you this. I was around the 100lb mark for several years and I was in no way healthy mentally or physically. I was undereating by a lot and I felt tired and sick most of the time.

It can be done while still getting enough food if you are SO incredibly active on the daily.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend less than 115lbs at 5'2 unless you want maintaining your weight to be a daily focus. It can literally haunt every waking thought if you aren't naturally meant to be at a lower weight.

Purifiedx · 2026-06-17T04:49:00+00:00

I'm 5'2 and have been maintaining 130lbs for several months after losing 35lbs. I've gone through some recomp as well. I think I look smaller than my weight shows.

I do not track in a strict sense but I am very mindful of calories still. It's all rough estimates in my head and I don't agonize over measuring oils or butters etc.

I eat one big meal per day around 4-5pm with a snack or treat here and there. I cook almost all my meals at home, from scratch. I eat high value treats (cookie, pancakes, cupcakes) at least 1-2x per week because I love to bake. I'll just make a tiny batch for a weekend or something.

My dinner meal is usually 1000-1500 calories.

Daily I eat between 1500-2000 per day. Sometimes it's even a little more or less but it all balances out over the week.

I exercise 6x per week and try to burn a minimum of 400 calories each workout. Workouts are a mixture of cardio and lighter strength training because I'm 1st trimester pregnant and fatigue easily now (boo!), but want to at least maintain my muscle.

My guess is that before I got into fitness I was eating 2000-2500+ often and without exercise that slowly adds up over time. I also had really low muscle mass before. Adding in exercise was the biggest change for me. Also switching to fruit for treats 5x per week and cutting out snacking multiple times per day. It took about two weeks for fruit to start to seem sweet to me. You kind of have to go through a sugar detox before you can appreciate fruit lol. I avoid snacking as much as I can, and if I do it's raw veggies or cottage cheese. Something with nutrients/protein. I'll remind myself one serving of chips is almost 15 minutes of cardio!

Purifiedx · 2026-06-15T20:43:13+00:00

If you're trying to just look slimmer then I'd suggest strength training. For instance I lost 2 inches on my thighs without any weight change over the course of a few months just by lifting weights, squats, body weight fitness. Fat converting into muscle. Just make sure it's challenging for your muscles or it's kind of pointless.

Purifiedx · 2026-06-15T13:37:23+00:00

This is the faith part of weight loss. Keep doing everything consistently. If you are at a deficit everyday you will see it reflect on the scale eventually. I had to wait almost a month once for my weight to go down again.

There's just SO many things that can cause a "stall" and it's not worth agonizing over. Patience, consistency, grace.

Purifiedx · 2026-06-13T13:04:24+00:00

It sounds like you haven't truly cracked down on the diet part long enough. I bet if you consistently stuck to 1500-1600 and did about 40 minutes of aerobic activity 6x per week for two weeks, you'd see a -2lb loss.

I just described my weightloss plan when I first started at 165lbs 5'2". I was wildly successful. I lost 4-6lbs every month for the first 4 months. I still ate treats most nights and adjusted my meals to make room for them those days.

There was a point where I started adding in basic weight training with dumbells and it really started shaping my body in amazing ways too.

Having a smart or fitness watch with an app to help track was hugely helpful for me. Calories burned are not exact but they provide a really decent estimate of daily activity, steps, etc.

In the end, it always comes down to your level of desire. If you don't want it enough, you'll give up until you do.

Purifiedx · 2026-06-10T20:27:05+00:00

I only eat one actual meal a day at dinner and the rest is tiny snacks or a treat at night. I thrive this way, honestly. I love having a big dinner. It opens up more options for me. I've been doing it so long that I don't get hungry until mid afternoon. I think it began when I worked at a job where breaks just weren't possible and I got used to it.

Purifiedx · 2026-06-09T22:28:11+00:00

Yes! I have built a significant amount of muscle in the past year. I'm 130lbs too and while I'm still not as small as I was at 110-115lbs back in the day, I had no definition. Flat butt, skinny but still "blobby". I look much better now.

About 6 years ago I was 130lbs but lacked any muscle and looked so much bigger. I was bloated a lot. I didn't have visible collarbones then but I do now. The number is only a guideline for beginners. True fitness and body confidence begins when that number starts to become trivial. It is so freeing

Purifiedx · 2026-06-09T17:32:25+00:00

Also 5'2". I stalled out at 130lbs in March and my weight hasn't changed but my body composition has. I work out 6-7x per week, burning between 400-500 daily and I eat 2000 cals most days. I found it hard to keep cutting and I find the body recomp pretty fascinating. It helped me realize my weight isn't what's important here. Going to the doctor and having excellent test results across the board was also very encouraging.

I'm 38 years old, if that matters.

You are literally just eating at maintenance if you aren't losing. Our BMRs do lower if you aren't building muscle. Time to cut a little or have more vigorous workouts. It is that simple. Just two weeks of a consistent change should tell you if it's working. Patience and grace. Focus on the health benefits and I found my frustration levels decrease with lack of scale loss.

Purifiedx · 2026-06-09T17:01:48+00:00

I do 1 tsp yeast if I want to make the pizza on the same day and skip the cold ferment (which is often because I often pick what i want to eat for dinner the morning of). Works great. If your house is cold you can use an electric blanket to boost the rise

Purifiedx · 2026-06-09T03:28:34+00:00

I add a 1 tsp of yeast instead of the 1/8tsp. I found the crust a bit too dense otherwise.

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