Successful 5 foot women

CarobChip108

I was curious what your goal calorie intake was/is for losing weight and did you eat back your exercise calories while you were losing weight?

Shanel0916

Bump

PandoraGreen721

I'm barely 5'1" I ate at 1200 eating back at least half of exercise based on my HRM.

KimmyKicksAss

I'm 5'0" and I ate on average 1600 calories a day when I first started. I lost about 10 lbs in about 3 months or so while doing Insanity.

I dropped my calories to 1400 when I finished the program and have now picked up lifting weights. I love lifting weights but I HATED my deficit in calories it cuz I was hungry all the time.

Now I that I am close to my goal weight, it's so much harder to get there. Now I eat back at 1600 calories but I do weights 3-4 times a week (60-80 minutes) and 2 days of 1 hour kickboxing. This month of September I am just maintaining before I put a deficit in my calories again before the holidays.

* Yes I eat about half my calories. That's where I deserve my dessert for the day! I don't think I could ever eat at 1200 cals a day. I would be too hangry for that and simply don't have the discipline. I'm in the group of what's the max I can eat and still lose weight. Kudos to you if you have the willpower.

Good luck my fellow shorties!

clh72569

I am 4'11" and 53 year old lady. I am on 1200 calories a day and I do not eat back my exercise calories. I started at 150 and am now at 107, with 2 lbs to goal.

CarobChip108

@KimmydeJong I was doing 1500 plus eating back half or sometimes all of my exercise calories if I was super hungry because I am doing Insanity right now as well. I am on my 4th week and have only lost about a pound so I have just decided to drop down to 1300 and eat back half or all my calories and I'll see if that has an impact of weight loss. Though I have been reading that you lose most of the weight on the second month and also you gain muscle which could be canceling out the weight loss. I did take pictures so I will see at the end of the first month what kind of progress I've made. What was your experience with Insanity? You lost ten pounds, did you notice a lot of change in your body as well? I don't think I could do 1200 either!

Ang108

I am 4' 11" ( and almost 70) and eat 1200 calories of whole foods ( and have all my life ) a day. Sometimes, like today I don't get to the 1200, because of the volume of the food, but usually I hit the mark. I have so far lost 65 plus pounds slowly, but without major problems.
I do not eat back my exercise calories ( apart from maybe a very few, like 25 or even 50 every once in a while ) and also do not make efforts for extra exercise , so I can eat more. I do exercise, but like to spend the time I have after still working full time and taking care of house, pet and garden for things I like better than exercising. I am happy with the way things are going.

rugratz2015

I'm 4,11 and was told previously I should only be eating 1300 cals per day, but mfp says I should eat 1200 cals so I'm only working with a 100 cal deficit. I follow others advice and only eat back half the exercise cals. The weight is going, very slowly, but it is going.

PinkyPan1

I am 5'1" ( 54 yrs old) and I ate 1200 calories while losing weight. I maintain my weight of 112 lbs at around 1400 calories and I do not eat back my exercise calories. I bank my exercise calories for special occasions and holidays.

CarobChip108

Yes this is all very helpful! For three weeks of eating at 1500 plus some exercise calories I was feeling that my height calls for an even lower calorie goal, so I will be trying 1300 now and from everyones input I think I will try to eat back only half the exercise cals or none at all! Thanks for all your feedback

rugratz2015

CarobChip108 wrote: »

Yes this is all very helpful! For three weeks of eating at 1500 plus some exercise calories I was feeling that my height calls for an even lower calorie goal, so I will be trying 1300 now and from everyones input I think I will try to eat back only half the exercise cals or none at all! Thanks for all your feedback

What daily cals did mfp give you?
I'm an office worker and drive to work, so very little activity - 1300 cals maybe too low if you're active.

CarobChip108

@rugratz2015 I opted to lose 1 lb a week so it gave me 1500, I'm not very active at work, but I have been doing the Insanity program 5-6 days a week for 3 weeks and have only lost a pound, I have been eating back half or most of my exercise calories so this week I am trying 1300 calories and eating back only half or none and see if that helps. I have heard that the gaining of muscle can cancel out weight loss on the scale but I think I can have lower calories since I am shorter. What do you think?

DawnEmbers

I'm 4'11.5" and have lost almost 70 having started just over a year ago. For the last several months, I've had mine set on losing 1 lb a week and with lightly active that gives me 1470 before exercise so I tend to eat around 1400-1700 depending on what I'm doing. I ran in a couple of 5ks and now my weekly runs are part of training for a 10k. I also have lifted weights almost the entire time. I started with Stronglifts, did New Rules of Lifting for Women, then some weeks of 3x5 while I decided on a program and now I have started PHUL. I'm about ready to switch it to .5 per week as I'm at about the last 20, though I have a break coming up in November as I'm taking a small vacation to visit family and 4 of the days are driving.

I have a job where I'm on my feet the entire shift. Cashier days I get less steps but other departments and days I'll get 15000-25000 steps from work alone, though I haven't quite reached 30k in a day just yet but hope to get it some day since soon my long run will be over 5 miles before I even get to work. If I had to sit down most of the day, then I'd probably get a little less or need more activities in order to eat more. And I do eat most of my exercise calories but I don't put the whole time I exercise, in particular with weights. I put just 30 minutes even though I'm there for an hour to 1.5 hours whenever I go.

rugratz2015

CarobChip108 wrote: »

@rugratz2015 I opted to lose 1 lb a week so it gave me 1500, I'm not very active at work, but I have been doing the Insanity program 5-6 days a week for 3 weeks and have only lost a pound, I have been eating back half or most of my exercise calories so this week I am trying 1300 calories and eating back only half or none and see if that helps. I have heard that the gaining of muscle can cancel out weight loss on the scale but I think I can have lower calories since I am shorter. What do you think?

Yep, the gaining of muscle will cancel out any scale losses, but you should also feel looser clothes and more toned skin, you could be losing inches rather than pounds. 1,300 cals doesn't seem that bad if you don't have an active work life. Best of luck

miggsie71

I'm 4.11 (and 3 quarters)☺ I have lost about 10 kgs (22 pounds) in about 4 months. I'm trying to loose another 5kgs (11 pounds) but it's very slow now. I exercise most days and eat around 1400 calories of healthy food daily. I'm getting there! We are heading into summer hear in Australia so I'm hoping to be at my goal of 53kg (115 pounds) by December! My starting weight was 70kgs (154 pounds).

vegannlg

Following! I'm 4'10" and 53 years old. I originally lost about 40 pounds on 1400 calories a day, that's eating back some of exercise. Have been in maintenance, or so I thought, at 1500 but a few pounds have crept back. I do believe I got sloppy with logging too. It really is important to be accurate! So I'm kicking up the exercise and dropping calories down a bit again. Love hearing from smaller ladies, we really have less "wiggle room".

biodigit

CarobChip108 wrote: »

@rugratz2015 I opted to lose 1 lb a week so it gave me 1500, I'm not very active at work, but I have been doing the Insanity program 5-6 days a week for 3 weeks and have only lost a pound, I have been eating back half or most of my exercise calories so this week I am trying 1300 calories and eating back only half or none and see if that helps. I have heard that the gaining of muscle can cancel out weight loss on the scale but I think I can have lower calories since I am shorter. What do you think?

If you're truly in deficit then generally speaking, you will not gain any weight, including muscles. In order to gain muscles/weight you have to be eating in surplus. It's either water retention or you need to tighten up your logging.

alias1001

5' 1/2." Eating 1200 calories and half exercise calories. Body weight strength training (YAYOG) for 5 of the 6 months and I've lost around 26 pounds and about 4 inches off my waist.

I have definitely gained muscle, along with a host of other indicators of fitness. It therefore think it is possible to gain muscle while in a deficit, but I only have my experience to go on.

(I use a scale and overestimate foods I can't weigh.)

rugratz2015

biodigit wrote: »

CarobChip108 wrote: »

@rugratz2015 I opted to lose 1 lb a week so it gave me 1500, I'm not very active at work, but I have been doing the Insanity program 5-6 days a week for 3 weeks and have only lost a pound, I have been eating back half or most of my exercise calories so this week I am trying 1300 calories and eating back only half or none and see if that helps. I have heard that the gaining of muscle can cancel out weight loss on the scale but I think I can have lower calories since I am shorter. What do you think?

If you're truly in deficit then generally speaking, you will not gain any weight, including muscles. In order to gain muscles/weight you have to be eating in surplus. It's either water retention or you need to tighten up your logging.

I lost 11 lbs in 3 weeks last year whilst toning up and developing muscle using a personal trainer ...

biodigit

rugratz2015 wrote: »

biodigit wrote: »

CarobChip108 wrote: »

@rugratz2015 I opted to lose 1 lb a week so it gave me 1500, I'm not very active at work, but I have been doing the Insanity program 5-6 days a week for 3 weeks and have only lost a pound, I have been eating back half or most of my exercise calories so this week I am trying 1300 calories and eating back only half or none and see if that helps. I have heard that the gaining of muscle can cancel out weight loss on the scale but I think I can have lower calories since I am shorter. What do you think?

If you're truly in deficit then generally speaking, you will not gain any weight, including muscles. In order to gain muscles/weight you have to be eating in surplus. It's either water retention or you need to tighten up your logging.

I lost 11 lbs in 3 weeks last year whilst toning up and developing muscle using a personal trainer ...

If you were new to lifting, then it's not out of realm of possibility to gain muscle as well - as newbie gains. For anybody else you were likely losing fat and preserving muscle mass - or at least trying to preserve some muscle mass. Because in deficit, you will lose fat and some muscle mass.

kamack1215

How are you tracking how many calories you are burning? With out the proper HRM (or something of the sort) burnt calories can be drastically overestimated. MFP tells me I burn 1300 or so calories doing a 1hr Tae Kwon Do class but my heart rate monitor tells me around the 700 calorie mark. You may be over eating through overestimating calories burnt?

WildePillar

I'm between 5'2" and 5'3" and eat 2,300 a day. I weigh 102 pounds.

CarobChip108

If you were new to lifting, then it's not out of realm of possibility to gain muscle as well - as newbie gains. For anybody else you were likely losing fat and preserving muscle mass - or at least trying to preserve some muscle mass. Because in deficit, you will lose fat and some muscle mass.
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@biodigit I am definitely a newbie. I am doing the insanity right now, do you think theres no muscle gain at all? I know its a bunch of cardio but theres so much strength training too with body weight I can't imagine there to be no muscle building. At least I feel a lot stronger on my fourth week. I also was reading about your muscles holding onto water in the beginning, especially if you're new to exercising this intense. Let me know your thoughts

yasminara

Oh cool! I'm going to friend everyone on here! 5'2" and struggling! Great to hear what you guys did!

amillenium

I am 5'1" but hit a bit of a plateau lately with some not so healthy splurges and a gym under construction Trying to get back on track though!

bioklutz

I am 5'0", 100ish pounds, 41 years old. I lost about 10 pounds and am now maintaining my weight and working towards recomp. While losing I ate 1600-1700 calories a day. I am currently eating about 2,000 calories a day.

How much people eat is going to vary by how active they are.

zdyb23456

I'm 5' and fluctuate around 115 pounds. I weighed 123 when I started mfp.

I'm maintaining around 2k a day, but I run 30-40 minutes 6 days a week. I log about 15k steps a day so I consider myself fairly active.

I'd like to try and lose another 5 pounds.

rosebette

I'm 5'1.5" and 56, around 120 lbs. I eat around 1200, sometimes more depending on exercise calories. I lost at the beginning, but can't get below 120. I am a bit stocky, though, so while short, I'm not really a petite build.

highlanderthedog

I am 5'1" and 125 lbs. I just started tracking religiously last week and used the scoobys workshop calculator to determine my TDEE. I am a teacher and am constantly on my feet all day long so consider myself active. I also lift weights and do cardio. I am eating 1500 calories a day and hope to see a loss next week. I used to think I had to stick to 1200 -1300 calories to lose weight but I don't want to wreck my metabolism when I hit goal and will have to maintain eating a small amount of food.

biodigit

CarobChip108 wrote: »

If you were new to lifting, then it's not out of realm of possibility to gain muscle as well - as newbie gains. For anybody else you were likely losing fat and preserving muscle mass - or at least trying to preserve some muscle mass. Because in deficit, you will lose fat and some muscle mass.

@biodigit I am definitely a newbie. I am doing the insanity right now, do you think theres no muscle gain at all? I know its a bunch of cardio but theres so much strength training too with body weight I can't imagine there to be no muscle building. At least I feel a lot stronger on my fourth week. I also was reading about your muscles holding onto water in the beginning, especially if you're new to exercising this intense. Let me know your thoughts

@CarobChip108 for sure you're experiencing rapid muscle growth due to new stimulus to muscles that either your body has never encountered before or being stressed/worked on in a very long time. So that's what you're experiencing. Unfortunately your muscles will plateau eventually. One of the most effective ways to stimulate continuous muscle growth is via progressive overload, thru strength training. Your body and muscles will not respond favorably if they're not properly stressed. But in order to stimulate muscle growth you have to eat in surplus. Unfortunately you will grow muscles and fat at the same time, that's just how we're physiologically built

You can lose the fat and try to retain as much muscle mass via eating in deficit and strength training.

And absolutely your body retains water especially while weight training.

CarobChip108

biodigit wrote: »

CarobChip108 wrote: »

@CarobChip108 for sure you're experiencing rapid muscle growth due to new stimulus to muscles that either your body has never encountered before or being stressed/worked on in a very long time. So that's what you're experiencing. Unfortunately your muscles will plateau eventually. One of the most effective ways to stimulate continuous muscle growth is via progressive overload, thru strength training. Your body and muscles will not respond favorably if they're not properly stressed. But in order to stimulate muscle growth you have to eat in surplus. Unfortunately you will grow muscles and fat at the same time, that's just how we're physiologically built

You can lose the fat and try to retain as much muscle mass via eating in deficit and strength training.

And absolutely your body retains water especially while weight training.

Thats definitely true about plateauing, i've been reading about that as well. At least for the first two months I think should be good in that regard. I'm trying to quickly recondition my body, if you will, before I head to India for 4 months since I'll be doing a lot of traveling and I want to have as much energy as possible, so I felt the Insanity could help with that.

Then when I return I think I will start weight/strength training in addition to some cardio.

So what you're saying is to eat a surplus on weight training days and a deficit on other days? Would that help?

Another question, before you start weight training should you try to lose most of the fat you want and kind of get to your goal weight and then start to add muscle?

Sorry if these are super newbie questions haha