I'm 5'0" and eat 1500 calories. My story of weight loss.

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  • estelle74uk
    estelle74uk Posts: 465 Member
    bumping tooooooo
  • gardenhappy2013
    gardenhappy2013 Posts: 2
    Thanks for your advice. I'm 4'11 and eating around 1250 callories a day somedays under someday's above. I'm not stressing about it.If i feel hungery i eat a slow burning carb. I broke my foot so that's way slowing me down at the moment! i drink this mixture of antiinflamitory water(psoriatic arthritis) and it seems to make me not hungery! all you do is take 64 oz of water and add 1/2 cup of blueberries and 1/2 cup of red raspberries. Crush them into the water and leave over night. Next day drink this water all day.i don't add any sweetner.
    I've lost a total of 9 pounds so far but my ticker say's 61/2 because i started this after losing weight already.
    It keeps telling me I'm not eating enough! But i feel full so I'm uping to using real cream (half and half) and butter on my toast.
    This place is great and I really am enjoying logging on each morning!
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member


    While I think TDEE/BMR/etc. strategies are certainly valid, I think MFP unfairly gets a bad rap for the "low" calorie settings. If you are walking that much a day, I think MFP intends for you to either 1) not classify yourself as sedentary or 2) log that as exercise done for the day, for which you will "earn" more calories.

    This x 1000.

    2km walking in a day is nothing? I wouldn't consider anything less than 5km a walk. I walk probably at least 2km most days but I still count myself as sedentary. I don't live in the U.S though but I hear you drive your car a lot..

    But sedentary means you do nothing but sit at a desk all day. If you're doing that much walking you're lightly active at least. I'm lightly active and I'm a housewife. All I do is housework and painting (I'm an artist). When I figured up my true TDEE based on 10 weeks of logging it came out to a little higher than lightly active. Your TDEE might be higher than you think.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member


    While I think TDEE/BMR/etc. strategies are certainly valid, I think MFP unfairly gets a bad rap for the "low" calorie settings. If you are walking that much a day, I think MFP intends for you to either 1) not classify yourself as sedentary or 2) log that as exercise done for the day, for which you will "earn" more calories.

    This x 1000.

    2km walking in a day is nothing? I wouldn't consider anything less than 5km a walk. I walk probably at least 2km most days but I still count myself as sedentary. I don't live in the U.S though but I hear you drive your car a lot..

    But sedentary means you do nothing but sit at a desk all day. If you're doing that much walking you're lightly active at least. I'm lightly active and I'm a housewife. All I do is housework and painting (I'm an artist). When I figured up my true TDEE based on 10 weeks of logging it came out to a little higher than lightly active. Your TDEE might be higher than you think.

    Agreed. sedentary is classed as taking less than 5000 steps a day.

    I work in an office, but try to take a walk lunchtime, and in the evening just to get my steps up.
    When I was off work and pottering about at home all day, my calorie burn was always more in the lightly active range than sedentary.

    Sedentary on the MFP calculation seems almost bedbound.
  • BflSaberfan
    BflSaberfan Posts: 1,272
    Try IIFYM.com It lets you correctly figure your TDEE based on the number of minutes you sleep, sit, exercise, etc.
  • msflynnbly
    msflynnbly Posts: 46 Member
    I'm 5'0 and although I use 1200cals as a target, I sometimes can go upto the 1500 mark, but even at 1500 I know I am still eating alot less than I used to. I am loosing a pound a week, which I am happy with. I run alot too, so there is no way I can stick to 1200 a day!!
  • petitehealth
    petitehealth Posts: 148 Member
    Well I'm 5'2 with a 1200 calorie goal. I workout most days. Recently plateaued for over a month and this week I began trying to make sure I eat about 1600 and the scale has started moving down again. Any other 1200ers please add me as a friend to share diaries. I'll take all the motivation I can get. Also i started a healthy cooking blog with calorie breakdowns to keep me motivated www.petitehealth.com
  • CrazyC
    CrazyC Posts: 284 Member
    Hi fellow MFP'ers,

    Upon the new year I have noticed a lot of new people with a lot of questions. There's been a lot of the whole 1200 calorie argument thing. This post isn't a dig at anyone who eats a particular amount of calories. So with that being stated, try not to fight too much. I just wanted to share my experience briefly. I hope someone might benefit from it. But first my stats:

    Stats:
    Age: 33
    Height: 5'0"
    SW: 134
    CW: 106
    GW: I'm fine where I am. Pounds don't matter at this stage for me. Up 1 down 2 whatever. My clothes fit and I feel good.
    Calorie intake: 1500 a day give or take, my diary is open (some weekends I skip logging, I skipped the holidays and I skipped when I had surgery in December).
    Workouts: 3-5 days a week, cardio, yoga, and strength

    I wanted to tell you what I did because as a very petite woman I've seen time and time again that short ladies should eat 1200 calories or even go lower than that, just because we are short. It's lately been kind of annoying me. Just to clarify, I did start at 1200 like most people did on here, blindly following MFP's numbers they gave me. I was also working out at least 7 hours a week. I started with not eating back exercise calories. I realized wow, I'm starving. So I started eating them back. Then my weight loss plateaued. I started doing "doubles" at the gym (i.e. back to back classes for hours, just killing myself). I didn't know what to do as I couldn't possibly eat less nor could I work out any more hours or I would most definitely hurt myself. I did a lot of research at this point. I looked into BMR, TDEE, Eat More to Weigh Less, etc. So I upped my calories. Slowly. I have to admit I was terrified to eat more. This is when I began to realize that maybe I was being too obsessive with my calorie counting. I let go of the reigns and eventually settled on 1500 calories a day (gross, not net).

    And guess what? I lost more weight! I eased back on my crazy amounts of cardio/gym classes and started eating more food (whole foods, lots of protein) and adjusted my macros. It took me a year to end up here and I feel amazing. Some weeks I go without logging. I cut myself a break. I have a glass of wine. I want people to read this at the BEGINNING of their journeys so that maybe it will save someone the 6 months that I tortured myself. I was so hungry and so tired. Now I feel human and normal.

    And if 1200 works for you then it works for you. I'm not judging or telling anyone what to do. I just really want people to know (and especially short people like myself) that you can eat food and to be gentle with yourself. It's not a race and this is a lifestyle, something sustainable for the long haul.

    Good luck! (and be kind to each other and yourself)


    Thank you SO much for taking the time to post this.... I LOVE it, especially because I am also vertically challenged at only 5 ft (BARELY - on a GOOD HAIR DAY). :laugh: Bottom line, everyone is different and we're not all cookie cutter shapes or sizes... We're all unique in our own special ways, and, no not a "snowflake" like some say on here, just us... You... Me... I personally believe, as do a lot of vertically challenged/fun size others, that us gals and maybe even some guys, cannot eat as much as our said taller, thinner or higher metabolism friends/family etc... Again, I TOTALLY agree with this poster, find what works for you and don't sweat the small stuff.... Believe in yourself and surround yourself with POSITIVE people in your life.... Like Vanellope from Wreck It Ralph says; "Move Your Molasses!!" Eat as healthy and clean as you can and :heart: yourself.... Enjoy the process of your unique weight loss journey... It is about YOU, no one else... Like my Daddy use to say when he was still alive, "Wear your earrings" ( in one ear, out the other) at NEGATIVE people and/or comments and "Drive your own bus". (TRY not to judge and take your own inventory). :wink:
  • lildee55
    lildee55 Posts: 28 Member
    Well said!
  • forbiddendonut
    forbiddendonut Posts: 60 Member
    I am 5'3", and usually eat around 1500 calories net, and I'm not losing AT ALL. I am starving and weak at 1200 calories, though. I have about 15 left to lose, so maybe I actually do have to cut down more on the calories?
  • tangled01
    tangled01 Posts: 8
    Thank you for posting this. I am 5'2, been at 1200 calories for 3 months, exercising twice every single day before I stopped doing anything because I was always hungry, exhausted, feeling guilty, mad at myself and my weight has been up and down. It was frustrating. I restarted mfp 3 weeks ago, been exercising for 6 days a week, eating 1200 calories then I read about tdee, bmr and all that stuff. I upped my calories to 1700 and I'm hoping for changes. I am also terrified to eat more!! I don't know if I'm doing it right...but your post gave me hope.
  • Zilla100
    Zilla100 Posts: 139 Member
    You can eat 1200 calories and be hungry or eat 1200 calories and be satisfied throughout the day, the same goes for 1300 or 1500 calories or whatever. It has to do more with what you are eating.
  • adorable_aly
    adorable_aly Posts: 398 Member
    Bumpity!
  • gsdz4me
    gsdz4me Posts: 66 Member
    Thank you for posting this thread. I am set at 1250 and over the last few days (end of working week) was feeling tired when I got home from work and was beginning to wonder whether 1250 was too little although I did not feel hungry. I never used to eat my exercise calories back much but have slowly started to and I am feeling better. It will be interesting to see how I feel back at work after the weekend. I wear a pedometer every day and I can do over 10,000 steps a day easy even though I have a desk job but like another poster here, I walk during all my breaks. So it has been interesting and informative reading what other people have found out. I am not quite game enough to customize my goals yet and I am sticking with what MFP has set for me for now but seeing what result I get eating back the exercise calories.
  • adorable_aly
    adorable_aly Posts: 398 Member
    I'm 4"11 and currently weight 106-110 pounds, I've lost and maintained 25lbs for a year. My story is similar to others in that I ate low calorie for a long time and while it initially worked I stopped losing. I decreased my calories drastically, and was exercising like a mad woman. Obviously this wasn't sustainable (not to mention that it didnt work) and I gradually increased my calories to 1600 (TDEE -20%) because of the advice on the forum. However, I decided that the scale and me were not friends, so I ditched that too, and worked on what I wanted to see in the mirror. So I focused on cleaning up the diet and getting in some strength training and moderate cardio. Since I have started strength training I have seen such a difference, and I'm now quite addicted lol!

    I'm so much happier eating 1600 cals, as it gives me room for unexpected drinks with friends and just life in general. I feel so much happier eating how I do now and so much healthier too. Sometimes I struggle to eat all my cals, and sometimes I go over, I like to look at my weekly progress, as an average, as it means I have a bit more wiggle room.

    Anyway to all those shorties out there, don't assume you have to eat 1200! Fill in your TDEE and I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised.
  • giveMEbeauty
    giveMEbeauty Posts: 192
    Bump
  • sc10985
    sc10985 Posts: 347 Member
    I haven't read all the other comments so idk if anyone else said this, but there's no really no difference between eating 1200 calories plus your exercise calories, and eating a gross of 1500 without counting exercise calories. If you burn 300 calories or more its the same thing. I'm 5'1" and mfp has me set at 1260 to lose 1lb a week. Once I eat back my exercise calories I end up in the 1500 calorie range total but the net still works out to 1260. So either way it's the same thing.
  • giveMEbeauty
    giveMEbeauty Posts: 192
    Fellow shortie
  • JTutz
    JTutz Posts: 69 Member
    What a great post/thread. Thank you.
  • grandpoobah12
    grandpoobah12 Posts: 138
    wow, so glad and happy to hear this. I am 5'9" and have 900 cal days sometimes. I started upping my cals but not for very long. I am finally settling on 2000 now but haven`t had any luck losing weight yet. I actually haven`t gotten to 2000 except one day this . ON the weekend I am sure I will. Big hiking trip keeps my calories down too low.

    Gee, it`s good to hear that eating more worked for you. Maybe it will work for me too....

    oh, and at 5'9" MFP set my initial calories at 1260. I think I just got my activity level totally wrong.
  • blytheny
    blytheny Posts: 63 Member
    Very interesting topic, as I was just wondering about all this myself. I am having a VERY hard time figuring out the whole calorie thing... 1200 is MFP's set goal for me, and I can force my way to it some days, and have to keep myself under tight control to not go over on others.

    When I excercise, I burn 600-700 cals, and have NOT been eating them back... some, maybe 200, but not all or even half. I'm scared to do it, as I have an almost non-existent metabolism and I don't trust it.

    But I'm wondering if I just need to take the plunge and try eating more... I'm hearing all these stories about people on here losing 40-50 lbs since March, and I'm trying to figure out why I've only lost 10 since May. :/ I eat very healthy, I excercise 3-4x/week doing the eliptical machine and weights... so I'm frustrated, and the only thing I think I can change is maybe eating MORE.

    Odd concept, as everyone here has said, but I guess maybe I'll give it a shot?
  • Sizethree4Ever
    Sizethree4Ever Posts: 120 Member
    You can eat 1200 calories and be hungry or eat 1200 calories and be satisfied throughout the day, the same goes for 1300 or 1500 calories or whatever. It has to do more with what you are eating.

    I agree with this!
  • KardioKim
    KardioKim Posts: 160 Member
    Great post! I'm a shortee and I needed to ear that!
  • 20smthngBlonde
    20smthngBlonde Posts: 1
    Thank you for posting this. I'm 5'3" and currently terrified to eat more than 1200 even though I know I should, so your words may help me step back in that direction. I was getting better results when I ate around 1400-1500 total and 200-300 of them were earned exercise calories. I know it's theoretically all the same, but my BMR is around 1400 and I feel much less tired, cold, and achy, and lose weight faster when I eat my BMR's worth even when I'm at 1200 net. I eat really clean, so 1200 gross is fine on days that I'm truly sedentary, but it's not sustainable for a healthy, active lifestyle.
  • urgravity01
    urgravity01 Posts: 14
    The main thing to lose weight is cycling and running these are two best ways to maintain body fitness. With this you have to tried some diet plans that are very best to get the desired weight loss goal. With this the digital quality fitbit devices are also best to lose weight.
  • IMarieB
    IMarieB Posts: 33 Member
    :)<3 This
  • daniellemm1
    daniellemm1 Posts: 465 Member
    bump
  • arabianhorselover
    arabianhorselover Posts: 1,488 Member
    Thank you very much for your post. I've been on here for almost three weeks. The site also told me to eat 1200. I am 5'2". I figured I would try to do that, but then did some more reading. Ended up deciding on 1500. I've done that for 2 1/2 weeks, and am down 4 1/2 pounds. I only want to lose 1 pound a week, so may be upping my calories to 1600. Have to see how it goes over more time.
  • SuperCrsa
    SuperCrsa Posts: 790 Member
    Thanks for sharing, I am a 6ft2 tall lady and it took me a while to realize that I didnt have to eat at 1200 calories to lose weight healthily either! Madness right! I am now on a healthy 1930 calories, and dont eat anything back. Feeling great, losing weight and EATING!
  • loriq41
    loriq41 Posts: 479 Member
    I learned the hard way also..started out at 1200 and was miserable and hungry all the time....within that time is when I had two binges..go figure! Then I plateaued for like 6 weeks. Upped my cals and wham bam! Started losing again. I am 5 ft also and to starve yourself is not worth it...very uncomfortable and unhealthy. I still have days where I "go to bed hungry" but that is ok..the feeling passes.....

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