Advice for 105lbs with only 1400 daily burn

torizia

Hi,
As per the subject line, I am 5'3, weigh 105lbs and am looking to tone up and lose about 5lbs, as I was 100lbs last year and was comfortable at this weight.
I understand that I should only be looking to lose a small amount each week and have my target set as 0.5lbs. However, since I only burn 1400 calories per day without exercise (according to a test I had at the gym and online calculators), the minimum 1200 per day that MFP allows means that I only have a deficit of 1400 calories per week - which I don't think is enough to lose 0.5lb.
I am exercising every day and am eating back my exercise calories, but I can't decide whether I should be aiming for net 1200 calories per day or going below this. I've seen loads of threads about how 1200 isn't enough, but surely this is slightly different in my situation i.e. where my burn is so low?
Would be interested in any advice
Thanks

BflSaberfan

Hi,
As per the subject line, I am 5'3, weigh 105lbs and am looking to tone up and lose about 5lbs, as I was 100lbs last year and was comfortable at this weight.
I understand that I should only be looking to lose a small amount each week and have my target set as 0.5lbs. However, since I only burn 1400 calories per day without exercise (according to a test I had at the gym and online calculators), the minimum 1200 per day that MFP allows means that I only have a deficit of 1400 calories per week - which I don't think is enough to lose 0.5lb.
I am exercising every day and am eating back my exercise calories, but I can't decide whether I should be aiming for net 1200 calories per day or going below this. I've seen loads of threads about how 1200 isn't enough, but surely this is slightly different in my situation i.e. where my burn is so low?
Would be interested in any advice
Thanks

If your BMR is 1400, and you burn 400 calories a day, that is 1800 - or 12600 a week. 1750 deficit gets you to .5 lb loss a week (it will probably be less than this since you have so little to lose) but that equals 250 per day deficit so 1800 - 250 = 1550. Really you should be figuring out your TDEE and then do a 15% reduction. It'll be closer to 1600 calories per day I'm guessing.

torizia

Hi,
Thanks for your response! I think it was actually my TDEE that was 1400, not my BMR - I think my BMR was more like 1000 but will double check
T

omma_to_3

You area already at the very bottom of the healthy range for your height. Reaching your goal weight would put you in the underweight category. I would advise revisiting your goals. Perhaps work on strength training rather than weight loss.

BflSaberfan

Hi,
Thanks for your response! I think it was actually my TDEE that was 1400, not my BMR - I think my BMR was more like 1000 but will double check
T

TDEE would include your exercise activity too. Try www.iifym.com

thisismeraw

Hi,
Thanks for your response! I think it was actually my TDEE that was 1400, not my BMR - I think my BMR was more like 1000 but will double check
T

I would double check the results. I have never heard of someone who had a TDEE of 1400.

I quickly plugged in your information and putting it in as completely sedentary you would have a TDEE of about 1600. Technically you should be factoring in your exercise to the TDEE calculation unless you prefer to add it in as you do it and eat the calories back than.

TavistockToad

You area already at the very bottom of the healthy range for your height. Reaching your goal weight would put you in the underweight category. I would advise revisiting your goals. Perhaps work on strength training rather than weight loss.

Agreed

Paco4gsc

You area already at the very bottom of the healthy range for your height. Reaching your goal weight would put you in the underweight category. I would advise revisiting your goals. Perhaps work on strength training rather than weight loss.

Agree with this. Even adjusting BMI ranges for the fact that you probably have a slighter frame than average, I would say that your current and goal weights would be flirting the line of underweight. My girlfriend is around that height, and when she was around your current weight, she was deemed underweight enough to not be allowed to give blood.

I'd adjust your goals to be based on body fat vs. weight. Measuring your body fat % would also give you a better idea of what you can reasonably and safely lose, better than weight at this point.

3dogsrunning

Hi,
Thanks for your response! I think it was actually my TDEE that was 1400, not my BMR - I think my BMR was more like 1000 but will double check
T

When I run your numbers, your BMR is about 1200 and your TDEE with light exercise 1-3 days a week is over 1700.

As others have mentioned you are on the low side of healthy weight for your size. If you aren't happy with how you look, you may want to look into starting strength training and focus on body recomposition over losing weight.
I'm trying to find some good threads to show you but having difficulty. Will add later.

CoachReddy

Hi,
As per the subject line, I am 5'3, weigh 105lbs and am looking to tone up and lose about 5lbs, as I was 100lbs last year and was comfortable at this weight.
I understand that I should only be looking to lose a small amount each week and have my target set as 0.5lbs. However, since I only burn 1400 calories per day without exercise (according to a test I had at the gym and online calculators), the minimum 1200 per day that MFP allows means that I only have a deficit of 1400 calories per week - which I don't think is enough to lose 0.5lb.
I am exercising every day and am eating back my exercise calories, but I can't decide whether I should be aiming for net 1200 calories per day or going below this. I've seen loads of threads about how 1200 isn't enough, but surely this is slightly different in my situation i.e. where my burn is so low?
Would be interested in any advice
Thanks

you don't need to lose weight, you need to change your body composition. that's what gives you the firm, toned, shaped, defined look. to do that you actually should eat at just about your TDEE, which as another poster listed is about 1700. add in some strength training (lifting weights, not cardio) and in no time you'll be looking fitter and more tones, and you may even put ON weight, but THAT IS NOT A BAD THING

weight is just a number. it means absolutely nothing. how you feel and how you feel about the way you look are the important things. I strongly advise you to reconsider your goals of losing weight, and focus more on body re-composition: building more muscle at the expense of fat.

neandermagnon

Hi,
As per the subject line, I am 5'3, weigh 105lbs and am looking to tone up and lose about 5lbs, as I was 100lbs last year and was comfortable at this weight.
I understand that I should only be looking to lose a small amount each week and have my target set as 0.5lbs. However, since I only burn 1400 calories per day without exercise (according to a test I had at the gym and online calculators), the minimum 1200 per day that MFP allows means that I only have a deficit of 1400 calories per week - which I don't think is enough to lose 0.5lb.
I am exercising every day and am eating back my exercise calories, but I can't decide whether I should be aiming for net 1200 calories per day or going below this. I've seen loads of threads about how 1200 isn't enough, but surely this is slightly different in my situation i.e. where my burn is so low?
Would be interested in any advice
Thanks

then lose weight at 0.25lb a week. If you're doing this the healthy and sustainable way, it doesn't matter how long it takes to get there, what matters is you stay there at the end of it. Lose the weight too fast, and maintenance will be tricky. The less weight you have to lose, the more important is is *not to* undereat. I'm presuming you have a little bit of stubborn fat you want to get rid of... well if you have too big a deficit, your stubborn fat will stay where it is and you'll lose water weight and possibly even a little muscle and get nowhere. And gain it back quickly. If you are serious about only wanting to lose 5lb of FAT and not 5lb of anything else, then you'll be ultra, mega conservative with your deficit and not care if it takes you twice as long to get there, so long as what you lose is all fat.

When someone is already very lean, doing exercise and gaining some lean body mass and firming up the muscles usually does a lot more for the appearance than losing 5lb of fat. Additionally, gaining lean body mass and increasing the amount of exercise you do, and eating more might actually do more to get rid of that 5lb of stubborn fat. The solution to looking better very frequently isn't to simply try to lose more weight. Unless you have a very tiny frame, you're already underweight, so losing more weight isn't going to improve how you look. Even if you do have a very tiny frame, you are already at a healthy weight, so you need to be extremely careful how you lose those 5lbs, to make sure it's only fat that you lose, and like I said, gaining some muscle and exercising more (especially strength training) generally does a lot more to improve how people look if they're already at a healthy weight.

mazdauk

regardless of your weight - which is very low - is your issue with particular garments fitting? (Are your jeans tight, do your buttons pop?) If you don't have problems with clothes fitting, but just feel a bit squishy here and there then I'd ignore calories and just work out to achieve the particular shape you want. I really don't think there's much scope to lose anything at such a low starting weight.

JoanB5

You seem young and perhaps newly married? Just guessing. I was not able to get pregnant at that weight. Just something to think about. Sorry if it seems impolite to mention or suggest, just something I experienced.

JoanB5

Hi,
Thanks for your response! I think it was actually my TDEE that was 1400, not my BMR - I think my BMR was more like 1000 but will double check
T

I would double check the results. I have never heard of someone who had a TDEE of 1400.

I quickly plugged in your information and putting it in as completely sedentary you would have a TDEE of about 1600. Technically you should be factoring in your exercise to the TDEE calculation unless you prefer to add it in as you do it and eat the calories back than.

I like the MFP method better of setting it to lightly active, and then adding in my exercise calories. It is about the only way for small people to lose weight, aside from lifting heavy. I have lost 16 pounds in four months (7 came off super fast, in a week), the other took the rest of the time due to the pace. I gained back about 2-3 when I added a couple hundred calories a day, so part of the loss, either initially, or at the end, was water weight. But, now I'm getting to body shaping, so the extra pound or two is irrelevant. I will burn it off or reshape it. I would say that you would make fast progress just doing it the MFP way and being consistent if that is your goal. If nothing else, it will teach you to eat 6 times a day, and to eat lean. There aren't that many other ways to spread out 1200-1400 calories a day well. It will also teach you to exercise to earn some needed snacks. : )

One_Last_Time

I agree with other comments. Lower your body fat % not your weight. 120 pounds with 20% body fat will be lean and toned. 105 pounds at 30% body fat could look bigger and squishy compared to the low body fat percent.

like this https://www.google.com/search?q=fat+vs+muscle&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=memDUZ_YIeT-0gGIiIC4BA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1920&bih=979#imgrc=FlE8wPUbzk0QxM:;9Nc30uIbl_W36M;http%3A%2F%2Fpaleozonenutrition.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F01%2Ffat-vs-muscle.jpg;http%3A%2F%2Fpaleozonenutrition.com%2F2012%2F04%2F25%2Fwhat-does-your-body-look-like-on-the-inside-more-reasons-to-lift-weights%2F;369;576

torizia

Thanks all - ill look into all those links tomorrow. My body fat percentage is okay (about 17% when I last checked) and I'm totally comfortable with my weight but its the distribution that's the issue - my frame is tiny and my top half has very little fat but I have a lot of fat around my thighs and bum which mean I'm much larger on the bottom half.

It sounds like I'd be better off eating 1200-1400 (after eating back exercise calories) but focusing on toning and strength training - please let me know if I've misunderstood!

Thanks again for all your helpful responses

torizia

You seem young and perhaps newly married? Just guessing. I was not able to get pregnant at that weight. Just something to think about. Sorry if it seems impolite to mention or suggest, just something I experienced.

I'm 25 and not married yet but hopefully one day! I know my weight is low but even at my heaviest I was 114lbs so I think I'm naturally small framed - I do appreciate the advice though as the last thing I want to do is cause myself any harm! I definitely think exercise rather than dieting is the way forward...