5ft 2 - How much are you eating?

Jenner9169

I'd love to hear from some fellow shorties about how much you are eating kCal wise? Do you eat back exercise kCal? Do you use TDEE? I've been following 1200 plan not eating back exercise kCal but burning around 1400 a week and the weight loss is not great, just wondering what people have found works for them?

tabithaskechak

I'm 5'2 as well, I usually don't go over 1200 calories, I do dance as exercise and I don't eat back those calories, I haven't lost any weight recently, it's been within a 1-2 pound range lately, but I have lost about 1/2 an inch in my waist/hip area so I wouldn't necessarily trust the scale, I'd go more with measurements

EmmaKarney

Oh here we go!

Just to save you the bother of being dragged over the coals let me recommend that you definitely do eat back your exercise calories as going lower than 1200 net calories is likely to leave you feeling very hungry and tired and is probably the reason you aren't losing enough weight.

I eat 1400 net, always eat back my exercise and I am steadily losing up to a pound a week even though I don't have much left to my goal weight.

On 1200 I was stuck at the same weight for weeks.

fionahay

Oh here we go!

Just to save you the bother of being dragged over the coals let me recommend that you definitely do eat back your exercise calories as going lower than 1200 net calories is likely to leave you feeling very hungry and tired and is probably the reason you aren't losing enough weight.

I eat 1400 net, always eat back my exercise and I am steadily losing up to a pound a week even though I don't have much left to my goal weight.

On 1200 I was stuck at the same weight for weeks.

I really struggle to eat back my calories and I go to bed full at night, any tips to help out?

mrsweigl

I am sticking to 1200 on days i don't workout, on workout days i eat back most of my calories but don't go over 1550.
I have lost 12lbs in 5 weeks now :-)

sara_m83

I'm 5'2 and track meticulously using both MFP, HRM and a spreadsheet I've made myself. I calculated my estimated TDEE and created a 20-week plan for calorie intake and expenditure based on exercise and fitness projections. I'm in 4th week and dead on target for weight loss according to projected calculations. I am eating just under 12,000 calories per week, which averages about 1,700 calories per day. I aim for 1500 4 days a week and 1800 3 days a week. Losing 0.9lbs per week.

Xiaolongbao

I'm 5'3"

I've always eaten back my exercise calories. MFP put me on 1200 calories (initially it was higher but I've lost over 40lbs) but I recently decided to up those calories. So now I'm on 1400 plus exercise calories.

I'm still losing. My pace has been steady and slow (46lbs in just over a year) but given that for months of that I didn't log (when I was traveling) and that I regularly exceed my calorie goal I think I can say that eating more works.

clperrett

I am on 1,200 calories a day, but taking into account my weekends I'm averaging around the 1,300 mark for the past 10 weeks. I sometimes eat back my exercise calories but not always.

I have lost about 3lbs on the scales but my Body Fat% has dropped from 34% to 30%, which is the equivalent of around 5lbs.

Clare

ps. I regularly end up below a 1000 net cals, but it doesn't leave me feeling hungry and tired, I understand for some it does though. It depends on the individual so if after a few weeks it isn't working for you try something else

shantiwrites

I'm glad for this topic! I'm short, too - 5'4" - and I've only been on MFP since Tuesday this week. We just got smart phones and someone at work showed me the ap.

The advice above to eat back calories surprises me! I've found that once I started "logging food" and making sure I was getting my 5 daily veggies I'm not very hungry. I eat 1200 calories, sometimes I do 'eat back' some of the calories I burn exercising - I only walk 4 miles about 4 times/week. I try for every day, but I've got 4 kids in 4 different sporting activities and it's hard to squeeze in the time.

I'm to early and too heavy to worry about plateaus yet, but when MFP pinged me that I hadn't eaten enough calories after one of my walk-log-ins, I was surprised.

I will be watching your topic with interest.

tachyon_master

I am also 5'2" and I eat anywhere between 1800 and 3000 a day - I do calorie cycling. I also happen to burn over 10000 a week from exercise, so bear that in mind.

I have recently moved from weight loss to maintenance (CW: 94 lbs), but had no problems losing weight using that method. And yes, I ate back most of my exercise calories the entire time. Usually about 2/3.

yager8725

I agree. As soon as I started eating back the exercise calories the pounds started to drop! I also added some strength training and the INCHES fell even faster!

NavyMommy

I'm 5'2" and I aim for between 1400 and 1600 calories a day. I have a Body Media so I generally just aim for a 1000 calorie deficit for what I've burned on that, but generally those are my goals. I've just started tracking religiously and it's made a huge difference!

GC2B

Hi.
I'm 5'2, 31 female. Currently 138lbs.
I was following 1200, I wasn't happy. I was hungry. Tired, Grumpy!
I read up on TDEE and other things and have upped my goal to 1400 to see how I go.
I don't eat back my calories burned (as they are already calculated and I'm not confident of exactly how many I burn) but I log the workout and just put 1 calorie.
Only onto week 2 of upping the calories but I feel better so far.

I know someone will come along with the links, but check out the "Road Map" posts.

charliehefferon

I'm 5'1" and eating around 1600 a day (not eating back exercise cals)

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013 <<<

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Read this and it will seriously help you understand your calorific needs. If you are not fueling your body enough, you won't lose weight.

shmurrow

5' 2" and I eat an average of 1800. Started at 1500 and stalled, upped it and started losing again!

Amanda241174

I am just tagging this post so I can come back later and view all responses. I am very interested in hearing what others have to say as I am in the same situation at the moment

frommichellewithlove

what do you mean by "eating back my calories?"
eating the amount of calories you burn?

Xiaolongbao

what do you mean by "eating back my calories?"
eating the amount of calories you burn?

Yes. So for example today I've eaten my 1400 calories plus 600 calories from exercise. So a total of 2000 calories.

frommichellewithlove

oh okay thank you

EmmaKarney

I really struggle to eat back my calories and I go to bed full at night, any tips to help out?

Don't leave it to night time - pre plan your food for the day building in your exercise.

You can build in a larger breakfast or some additional snacks in the day.

We're all here to lose weight - I struggle to accept it when people say they can't eat their calorie allowance!

kaitlynelkins9

When I lost the bulk of my excess body fat, I calorie-cycled, eating about 1550 calories for three days followed by eating about 1800 calories for one day, which was around my maintenance. It worked very well for me. Now that I'm no longer concerned with losing weight, I try to maintain a very small deficit, which I often fail to achieve, in order to encourage a decrease in my body fat percentage.

Weebs628

5'2" here and lost all my weight eating 1,600+. Currently eating 1,800 a day - on the last 10 pounds. I've always eaten back exercise calories when I can too.

EmmaReed84

I don't generally eat over 1200, I really do struggle, some days I can do i (like Sundays when having a big breakfast and Sunday roast)

As for eating back my calories... Nope, not that I don't 2want" do, more that I feel full and feel if I ate I would literally burst! I eat when I am hungry, I eat what I fancy, If I want chocolate I have some. I exercise regularly and I am losing steadily.

I understand what people say about eating back calories and not going under a certain number, but IMO everyone is different, just find out what works for you, what you can maintain, no point in trying to make a lifestyle change that you cannot sustain.

debrag12

Eat 1693 calories. Around my BMR but lower than my TDEE.

NareenaTheGypsy

I'm 5' 2.5". I've lost 50 lbs so far. I have always eaten back at least some (about 40%-75%) of my exercise calories. That being said, I generally eat about 1500-1900 calories most days. When I was "supposed" to eat 1200 a day, I was hungry all day and grouchy. I didn't sleep but only 4 hours a night generally. Since I've upped my calories, I sleep better and am a better person to deal with .

HMVOL7409

5'2 113-115lbs 33yo. Lift heavy 3 days/run 3 days a week. I eat by my TDEE, don't track what I burn and eat 2000-2200 cals a day. I also allow myself a day each week where I eat almost 2500 cals usually on leg day and I've been maintaining since June. 1200 worked for me for like a month and I was miserable. Never recommend it to someone's who active. Just bc your short or petite doesn't mean you have to starve.

JessicaRobin67

I eat between 1600-1900 and I have been losing alittle over 1 pound a week...even during my surgery recovery time(3 weeks). I use the TDEE.. 20%

gerrie28

I have been eating 1200 calories also, 5' 2" and 138 pounds. The scale has not moved for weeks now . I think I will also increase my calorie intake. Thanks for all the info.....good reading. :happy:

EmmaKarney

I understand what people say about eating back calories and not going under a certain number, but IMO everyone is different, just find out what works for you, what you can maintain, no point in trying to make a lifestyle change that you cannot sustain.

I agree - if something is working for you then way to go!

But the OP was regarding eating below 1200 net and not seeing results.

sammys1girly

I am just over 5'1", 129lbs, and I eat about 1650 calories on days I don't work out, often over 2000 cals on days I do work out.
Otherwise I'd have no energy at all and feel awful. And 42 yrs old.

BflSaberfan

I am 5'2 158lbs I've been eating 1500-1700 calories a day. Workout 6 days a week. I tried the 1200 calorie diet, I lost 50lbs but gained 20 of it back rather quickly and I felt horrible, tired, cranky etc.