5"8 and in 170lb range

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hannahncakes
hannahncakes Posts: 97
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, any women out there who are 5"8ish & weighing around 170?

I'm 176 myself and have a reasonably active lifestyle but have notice that a lot of smaller people than me seem to have a lot more calories to eat (I'm on 1200). I was just wondering what anyone else around my height/weight was eating? When I've been on other "diets" I've always been around the 1500 cal mark and now the weight is coming off me but very slowly & I don't know if that's to do with eating too few calories? Or maybe I'm just clutching at straws hehe

Replies

  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    You have probably set your goals too high (too much too fast). What's your BMI and what's your weekly goal (1lb per week, 1.5 lb per week)?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    If you exercise you will get to eat more. If you are set at 1200 and burn 300 cals during exercise MFP will add the 300 to your daily total to give you 1500 to lose your goal amount of weight.
  • runracer11
    runracer11 Posts: 45 Member
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    I'm 5'9.5" and currently 161lbs, but last month I was in the 170's.

    I can tell you that my calorie goal is around 1250-1300, and I've stuck to that since January 1st. If I exercise, I usually eat back most of the calories... but not always.

    Although my MFP settings are for a 1.5 lb weekly loss, I've been losing in the 1.5-2.5lb range every week. So, I think I could probably increase my settings to 1500 calories/day, but I have to admit that it is nice to lose 2 lbs/week. I will likely increase it as I get a bit closer to my goal.
  • hannahncakes
    hannahncakes Posts: 97
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    You have probably set your goals too high (too much too fast). What's your BMI and what's your weekly goal (1lb per week, 1.5 lb per week)?

    BMI is currently 26.8 & my goal is set at 1.5lb loss per week I think.
  • Sarah101010
    Sarah101010 Posts: 235
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    I am pregnant now but in October, I was down to 174 (5'9) and eating about 1400-1500 calories plus most of or all of my exercise calories (which was usually a lot on most days). I was losing about 2 lbs. a week and I certainly didn't do a perfect job at all! Good luck! It is good to play around with it a little bit and see what works for you specifically. I often hear people say that they added a couple hundred calories to their daily goal and then the weight started to come off quicker. Bonus! :)
  • disneymom94
    disneymom94 Posts: 32 Member
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    I am just under 5' 8" and weigh 183. I have a 1230 cal goal each day (without exercise). Your calories are based on what you put in as your lifestyle and what you want to lose. I eat salad for lunch a lot or a low fat sandwich made on the sandwich thins (only 100 cal. per bun and lots of fiber). I try to do a protein source and fruit in the morning (bread w/ peanut butter, banana, eggs, etc.). Usually meat or chicken with rice and vegetables or salad for dinner. I have also found that drinking water helps to keep me full. I try to get in my 6-8 glasses each day. If your hungry, try exercise for more calories or possibly resetting your goals. I have adjusted to this calorie level in the last 50 days and do okay. Good luck!
  • xMissy6x
    xMissy6x Posts: 347 Member
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    Hey im 5'8 and currently at 165 pounds. I started with 1200 and found it too hard to stick to so i aim for 1300-1400 and ive found the weightloss has actually been more rapid than 1200. I also feel i have more energy to workout better. Key is that you have to eat your exercise calories back.
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
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    Me too...I stick to 1400-1600. I don't worry about splitting hairs on eating my exercise calories day in and day out. That accounts for eating some, but not all of my exercise calories. There are LOTS of reasons I don't think eating back all of your exercise calories is a good idea, but that is a different post entirely.

    If I stick to that range, eat quality calories, and get in my exercise (3 weight workouts, 3 -4 runs a week, and a bit of cross training), I lose weight. If I miss any part of that equation, I'm stuck...as I am now. Eating a little too much chocolate :-)
  • hannahncakes
    hannahncakes Posts: 97
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    Thanks for your imput. I'm not finding it toooo difficult to stick to especially when I have a lot of exercise calories to eat back but I'm just getting a bit impatient that I'm not losing as much weight as I would like. That's probably just me being silly though!
  • sunnysashka
    sunnysashka Posts: 296
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    I really do not know how you people DO 1200 cals a day! You are so strong!
    I eat at least 1400 clas on my rest day and about 1600-1700 on my work out days.
    I'm 5'4".
    I have my goals set up to 0.5lbs per week but I lose faster. My BMI is 22.00

    I'm just thinking that I can't stick with 1200 for lifetime, so I should not even try. Because when I would stop doing 1200, I will gain weight back.
  • OLP76
    OLP76 Posts: 768 Member
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    When I started out on Dec 6th 2010....I weighted in at 162lbs. I'm also 5'8.
    Most of the weight put on was in my midsection...from horrible eatin' etc.

    I put myself on a strict diet - and so far I have lost 17 lbs and I'm less than 15 days of reachin' the 3month mark.

    It can be done the weight loss...you just need to be Dedicated, have Willpower into not eatin' junkfood and to exercise.

    I have everythin' listed on my profile on the left of what I don't eat...
  • oaraico
    oaraico Posts: 14
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    i was at 1400 to loose half a pund a week, i weighed 130 and im 5'3, not ive lost 3.5 pounds so im up to 1630 cal per day maintaining my weight. i did try 1200 so i could loose a pound a week but it was too hard, are you sedentary beacuse 1200 is very low
  • hannahncakes
    hannahncakes Posts: 97
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    it's set as lightly active as I waitress but also am at college so spend a lot of time sitting in lectures!
  • laurakrowe
    laurakrowe Posts: 52
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    Hey! I'm 5'8" and right now i weigh 176. all my weight is in my butt and thighs - i wear a size 14 pants - but if it wasn't for all this fat on my rear i'd probably fit in a size 10!
    i want to get down to 160lbs. i was about 150lbs when i met my husband 10 yrs ago - that would be a dream come true weight - but now that i'm in my 30's and have 3 kids - i know i may not reach it!
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    You have probably set your goals too high (too much too fast). What's your BMI and what's your weekly goal (1lb per week, 1.5 lb per week)?

    BMI is currently 26.8 & my goal is set at 1.5lb loss per week I think.

    Yea with your BMI that close to healthy it would probably be recommended that your settings be .5 lbs. Try dropping to losing 1lb/wk. You may find that upping your calories a little produces more weightloss than MFP suggests (my setting is at .8lbs and I had been losing 1-1.5. I know it seems counted intuitive, but that is often how it works.
  • Kate_UK
    Kate_UK Posts: 1,299 Member
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    I'm 5ft 9.5 and at 170 MFP gave me 1460 before exercise. Set your weight loss to 1lb a week to increase your calories. 1200 just insnt enough for us tall ladies.
  • roma2011
    roma2011 Posts: 33 Member
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    I'm almost the same as you, same height, but 1lb lighter. My trainer wants me to eat minimum of 1500 per day but I find it very difficult to eat that much. I sit all day every day in work and do three spin circuit classes per week that burn approx 500 cals each. I'm not sure what my MFP goal was originally, I've tampered with it a lot so it's not at default anymore.
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    I'm 5ft 9.5 and at 170 MFP gave me 1460 before exercise. Set your weight loss to 1lb a week to increase your calories. 1200 just insnt enough for us tall ladies.

    1200 isn't really enough for anyone. It's a guideline to an absolute bare minimum. Better way to gauge your "low" cal in take- Try to have your 'net calories' in the general vicinity of your BMR (which for taller ladies will be more).
  • dawnemjh
    dawnemjh Posts: 1,465 Member
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    I am 5'8" and weight 162. I have the bodymedia system which calculates the total calories burned in a 24 hour period and even on days when I dont exercise, I still burn at least 2000 calories, yet MFP set my number at 1200 also, to lose 1.5 pounds per week. If I exercise that usually goes up to 1700 or 1800 by MFP standards, but on bodymedia on days I exercise I burn 2700-3000 calories per day. So try increasing to 1500 for a couple weeks or check out the zig-zagging calories thread which you may find helpful!!
  • jbqueen
    jbqueen Posts: 89 Member
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    I'm 5'8.5" (yes, that half inch matters! LOL) and I currently weigh 177. I was originally at 1200 calories when I was in the 180s, but the loss seemed to slow as I reached th 170s. I've recently upped it to 1500 and find that by eating high-quality foods (i.e., nothing heavily processed or prepackaged - just lots of lean protein and veggies) the weight is coming off again and I have more energy.

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