Short Ladies

AniMarieSt

Are there any ladies among the forums, 5 ft 3 in or under? If so, what calorie intake are you losing on?

I'm only 4 ft 11 in and I'm finding that the calorie intake for someone my size is like nil compared to what other's get per day to either maintain or lose weight. My boyfriend is 5 ft 8 in and I'm jealous of his daily calorie allotment, LoL!

It especially gets weird since all the nutritional labels are all based on 2,000 calorie/day diets for maintaining weight.

~ Joanna

prila13

I'm exactly 5 ft. tall. I'm on a 1260 calorie intake w/o exercise. I've lost 6 lbs since being on this calorie intake. I've been on it since Feb 19. But, I find myself very often not being able to eat that many. Like, I have to force myself. Sometimes, I manage to go over.

forwardthinking86

Hi! I'm also short- just a little over 5ft 1in- and have a calorie goal of around 1200 a day. I just started the program so I'm not sure how this will work, but I feel like it should be correct for weight loss. It will be hard for me too, since I am active and LOVE to eat! Let me know of your success in a week or so, and I will do the same. It's so not fair how many more calories taller people get, lol.

missmeagan89

I'm 5ft3 and my daily intake is 1200. But just remember...If you are burning calories it lets you eat what you burn. So as long as your burning you still can eat!

treena99

I am 4'11 and I am struggling with the 1200 calorie goal, plus the 8 + water intake, and protein shake. I feel stuffed all the time at a little less than 1000 cals a day.

shreddingit

im 5'3..been always at 1600+...being short doesnt really mean less food...

WashingtonGrown

I'm 5'3" 145 and wanting to lose 5-10 more, my calorie intake per day is 1320, usually I am under. I've lost 5lbs since I started on MFP 20 days ago. I've lost 15 total since January, I used weight watchers before. I try to stay above 1200 per day, I exercise 5-6 times a week.

MrsWeezy

5'2 and @1200 a day

Bridgetc140

I am also 4'11" and my goal is to lose 5lbs. I am currently 113lbs striving for 108lbs. I eat 1050 per day leaving 150 calories to correct any undercalculations of food intake and overcalculations from exercise. When I work out, I put exactly what my HRM states I burned (excluding cooldown) without taking into account what I would have burned during that time whether I was working out or not. This 150 makes up for it...plus I don't always input condiments and this also leaves room for them. I always eat my exercise calories back though.

amberlineilene

5'2 lost 15lbs on 1200 daily

happybunnysbabe57

i am 5 ft 2 1/2 in, i put 5ft 3 lol. i am on a 1200 cal intake. some days i am good, and some days i am still hungry. i try to work out 3 or 4 times a week but sometimes i dont have time. i have had trouble with losing weight before, i usually end up yoyoing. this site is a big part of my change to lose weight and i have lost 19lbs because of it. i just try to follow the calories it tells me work at as much as i can. if i am hungry i eat a little more but i try not to do that all the time. hope this helps. plus if u r hungry all the time, and it is really bothing u try uping ur calories a little and see if that helps.

mommytomia

5ft3, and currently 129, starting weight 152. I am zig zagging calories to take off the last 5, so I vary between 1200-1600 calories a day.

Mykidsmama

I am 5'2" and have a 1200/cal limit. I just started this plan. I used to eat close to 1800 cal/day. So 1200 seemed crazy to me. But with earning the extra calories by exercising I am averaging about 1400 cal/day which is still less than I was eating so I hope it works.

healthyandthin

5'2" and 1200 calories. I've been trying to eat more starting this week.

AniMarieSt

See that's the thing. Consistently I'm seeing 1,200 calories. I usually end up a little under my goal but that is actually really bad. It's very hard to get proper nutrition w/anything under 1,200 calories per day. You can put your body in starvation mode.

But with individuals of petite stature (1/2 the worlds 12 year olds are taller than me), can that limit of 1,200 calories be compromised? I'm usually actually at 1,500 calories per day but then I burn 300 calories a day with working out, leaving me at a net intake of 1,200 calories. But if I can't work out every day to up my actual intake it will get hard w/ 1,200 or under to get proper nutrition. Even my health professor said so yesterday.

My goal weight is 111 lbs. 16 more lbs and I'm there.

So does anyone have advise for this? I love working out. And I don't have the big of a problem staying at 1,200 net calories even though I like to joke about larger individuals having a larger calorie allowance. It's the malnutrition that I'm concerned honestly concerned about. Every calorie intake scale (including the one on this website) is screaming 1,200 tops.

~ Joanna

kaizen31

I think it'd be hard for someone a foot taller than us to get proper nutrition at 1200 cal, but remember, we also need fewer nutrients! You don't have to take in quite as much calcium, iron, etc. to get what your smaller body needs to thrive. (5'1, 1300 calories--I feel your pain!)

AniMarieSt

Using this websites daily intake calculator, I'm currently at an allotted 1,000 net calories per day intake.

I was burning 500 calories/day until Monday (two days ago), when I decided to move my daily workouts down to 300 calories burned per day. Burning the 500 calories per day was allowing me to consume 1,500 calories per day (1,500 - 500 burned = 1,000 net calories).

However burning 500 calories each day - though fun - started to seem a little ridiculous. I now, since Monday, workout to burn 300 calories per day just to move to an actual intake of 1,300 (which seems bordering on too low). So I'm still at a net intake of 1,000 calories per day after the workout (1,300 - 300 burned = 1,000 net calories).

I just don't want to screw up my metabolism. If our smaller bodies don't need as many nutrients and such that helps ease my mind regarding the whole thing. Being smaller, it also takes longer to burn as many calories as most other individuals. It's like I can't win? LoL.

ils_1231

5'2.5'' with 1200 calories.

I think that as long as you aren't going under the 1200 calories you should be fine. I find that even if I'm a bit over 1200 I am consistently losing weight.

sarahbelle87

I'm 5'2" and also have a 1200 calorie limit. Sometimes struggle with it (in terms of not going over that), but most of the time I manage with just a few calories to spare.

staceywoo

I'm 5'3, currently on 1200 cals per day, and I've lost 35 lbs. For the first few months of weight loss I was sticking to a 1000 cal day, but after hitting a plateau for a couple of weeks and reading more on here I upped it to 1200. I find that if you eat healthy filling foods and cook from scratch rather than using packets/jars of food then you can get more than enough nutrients and feel full every day.
Good luck!

JulyHummingbird

I'm 5'2" and set my calorie goal for 1000 per day - to make up for any 'underestimation'. I walk some, daily (to and from the bus, getting off a few stops early, etc.) but don't have a set exercise routine.

Mary

silver_lining87

I'm 5'3" and set at 1400 calories a day, I'm pretty much under that every day.

cooki3s

I'm 5 ft tall and on a 1200 calorie intake. With my progress, I have plateaued twice, once after losing 4.5 kg, then at the 5.5 kg loss mark.
My two cents is that, our amazing body mechanisms are quite sensitive to changes in food intake, and eventually over time this is why it gets harder to lose the last few pounds. Our body starts to more efficiently use what calories we feed it, so that it can keep us in what it considers a stable weight. I've found quite a few others have been able to deal with this by giving a go varying their calories say - over the limit one day then under the next.. or something akin to a "treat day".
I would find the reasoning behind this is that providing a little more abundance in calories to the body signals it with - oh, I dont have to skimp and increase efficiency after all, this ain't no famine! This is just a once-off thing though, if done regularly, weight will not be going anywhere..
Hope that this might help you or others if they find themselves reaching a wall... Ive just broken through my 2nd plateau and I reckon I will be at this weight for quite a while yet. Yet I am comfortable enjoying the view from here, and taking it REAAALLLL slow.
sorry also if i have overlooked other previous comments and repeated something that someone else said. :P

note: my display pic the second is my "sorta" ideal weight, not where im at currently. i may change that depending on how the next kg goes, im not gonna sacrifice my "girls" to get stick thin.

girlinahat

I'm 5' and have about 20lbs to lose. I asked MFP to help me lose 1lb a week and it gave me a target of 1200 calories.

I have lost nothing in the last 10 weeks. I exercise 3+ times a week (mix cardio/strength) and eat my exercise calories.

My BMR according to MFP is 1252. According to other sites it is 1380. Maintenance cals are about 1600. For someone my size I don't think I should be eating below my BMR. Yesterday I changed my target loss to 0.5lb a week and MFP gave me 1300 calories a day. I think that is a better target as my metabolism speeds up with the extra exercise I am doing. If I don't see a change (weight OR measurements) in 6 weeks then I will UP my calories again to 1380. I don't care if it takes all year to lose the 20lbs, by that time, I should be the fittest, most toned and healthy individual out there.....

read this for info on why 1200 may not be the magic number that suits all.


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/12250-1000-calorie-deficit-not-for-people-with-healthy-bmi

bjshooter

I think the big calorie differences are worked out through weight more than height. I am 5ft 5 and only get 1280, it never goes below 1200 for anyone.

healthyandthin

One of my friends studying medicine suggested to me that weight loss can be just as effective if one eats 3000 calories spread over two days. It doesn't matter how you distribute those calories. For ex: you can have 1700 calories on the first day and 1300 calories on the second day. The ability to change your intake daily helps boosts your metabolism.

Moncheche

I am also 5 2 and on the 1200 calorie a day limit. I have been struggling with this amount myself. I used to eat far more calories a day, which of course, is the reason I have some to loose now. Many days I find myself still hungry, but I really feel like my body needs to adjust from my habit of over-eating. This site has also made me far more aware of how I use my calories. For example, I can eat an apple with 70 calories or eat about 5 potato chips. I'm trying to find healthy options that allow me to eat "more" and that fills me up. Like the other ladies, I also up my calories when I work out...usually adding a Special K protein shake to give my body the fuel it needs to get my heart pumping. You definitely aren't alone in this battle! Seeing other ladies who have been successful with this approach gives me hope and pushes me to keep going each day.

my3kidos

This is a great post. I am 5'3 and also on the 1200 cals a day plan. Which 6 days a week isn't an issue cause I workout and I eat my exercise cals. I see lots of posts about not eating vs. eating them and honestly I workout so hard most days that I would feel faint if I didn't eat them so that isn't even an issue for me. What is frustrating is that one day a week that I rest from formal exercise and I still try to maintain 1200 cals. First of all I don't want to screw up my metablism in the long run. Secondly- I fing myself starving by 4pm. Thirdly- its a bit of a mental challenge for me as well.

kbdelarosa

Try zig zagging your calories. I went on www.freedieting.com/tools.calorie_calculator.htm

The last few days I did a mainly fruit and veggie cleanse and dropped 3 pounds which got me off my plateau. Now I am going back to my zig zag, which is 1128 on the lowest day and 1689 on the highest day of the week. The theory is to eat the same amt of calories in a week, but you keep your body guessing so that it doesn't get used to the small amount of calories and doesn't slow the metabolism to get used to just 1200 daily. BTW-I am 5'2.5"....Team Hot Short Girls! Ha!

my3kidos

Try zig zagging your calories. I went on www.freedieting.com/tools.calorie_calculator.htm

The last few days I did a mainly fruit and veggie cleanse and dropped 3 pounds which got me off my plateau. Now I am going back to my zig zag, which is 1128 on the lowest day and 1689 on the highest day of the week. The theory is to eat the same amt of calories in a week, but you keep your body guessing so that it doesn't get used to the small amount of calories and doesn't slow the metabolism to get used to just 1200 daily. BTW-I am 5'2.5"....Team Hot Short Girls! Ha!

Can you tell me more about your cleanse? I am trying to break a bit of a plateau myself.

5grn9

Love the Short Ladies topic!

I'm 5'1 and would like to loose 15 pounds which would put me at 115. I've lost 5 so far on MFP and I've been on here for about a month. My limit is 1200 caloriebut most days I'm hungry and seem to go over the 1200 which is why I work out up to 6-7 days a week ( I do love to work out though not just b/c of the extra calories. I haven't lost any weight in the last 2 weeks. I do have to admit that I cheat on the weekends- pretty much eat what I want and have some cocktails which I'm sure is the reason why I haven't lost any more. Alcohol adds up the calories really quick! I do tend to do longer workouts on Saturdays b/c I have the time so I end up burning b/t 600-700 calories. So even though I cheat I know I'm not going way over my daily intake on the weekends and I'm SO GOOD during the week. I'm thinking I may have to just allow myself one cheat day instead of two to keep me sane! (sorry I love food! and some drinks! ), maybe up my calories a bit during the week??? because my scale isn't moving!! I started JM 30 day shred on Monday as well so hoping to see some results! I'm really liking this plan but want to see my weight to start coming off a little quicker!!!
Anyone feel free to "friend" me!