5'2" or 5'3" ladies! what calorie targets worked for you?

5'3. 1500-1600 is what I eat for maintenance (although I dont have a scale ATM, but I dont think I'm gaining weight on 1500-1600)

Honestly anything below 1500 works for weight loss for me. Obviously, the lower the faster I lose. When I'm really focused I'll eat anywhere between 900 - 1400 a day. I'm pretty sedentary and sleep a lot during the day (when I'm not at school).

You really just have to find what works best for you. It will be different for everyone just because everyone's body is different. Someone that has less body fat and more muscle will need more calories, while someone with a high body fat and not a lot of muscle would need less. I would just play around with the numbers and see what results you get.

Not sure this will help you as I am in my 50's and the body is even trickier on short older people. I started in July of this year and was set at 1200 lost 9 lbs and stalled for a couple weeks then I upped my intake to 1550-1700 for a week and a half and gained weight and just 2 days ago dropped it back to 1200 and lost 2.8 lbs over the weekend. I normally don't eat exercise calories back and if I do I try to only do about 1/2 (except tonight is a birthday party and I will probably eat all back that I burned off) unless I am really hungry. I am currently in a challenge group that requires daily challenges in addition to the normal exercise routine so I hope this keeps giving me the added umpf I need to keep my weight going down. I have lost an overall of 14 inches even though i have not lost that much weight and my clothes are beginning to get baggy on me which is a good sign. Take measurments...its recommended better than watching the scale go up and down because it will.

I too have a bad knee but I where a support knee brace always when I exercise or even go walking. I revamped Jillian Michael's 30 day shred to fit my bad knee (can't do alot of that jumping). If you want take a look at my blog I have the revamped version of level 2 of the shred on my September blog. It's still a calorie burning workout even being revamped.

I wish you luck and much success on your journey. :drinker:

Between 1200-1500 calories. 1200 did the trick at first and then I had to up it a little bit when I got closer to my goal. I'm 5'2, started at 170 and am 130-ish now and maintaining.

Well done! How long did that take and how active are you? I have two little ones too
, 5 & 3 and they keep me busy, but obviously not busy enough!

it took me over a year BUT... I "dieted" for 4 months, took 9 months off (maintained my weight) and then decided to loose 15 more which I did in about 3 months. So 7 months total. I'm fairly active, I work out for 45-ish minutes 3-4x/week right now.

ETA it really is what works for you. It was a lot of trial/error for me. Any time I changed my calories I'd give it at least 10 days to see if the scale moved or not. Anytime I stalled out, I had to eat a little more, that was my pattern.

I'm 5'2.5 and started out at 170lbs. I'm now 118lbs.

The calorie target that has worked best for me has been NO LESS than 1600 calories. Right now I'm set for 2000 and aim to eat 10-15% if I want to lose.

I lost ZERO pounds eating 1200 calories. It was insanely counterproductive for me.

Congratulations, that is very awesome. I'm the exact height as you and want to get to 115 or just where you're at now. Do you eat back exercise calories and netting 1600 calories? I am struggling to find the right number for me. Right now I am trying to net 1500 and eat back my calories.

I only work out 3x a week right now. On work out days I aim to net no less than my RMR of 1400, that means eating 1800-1900. The remaining 4 days I eat 1700 and that is my net as well.

I found it confusing the whole eating back exercise calories that is why I switched my calorie goal to reflect my full TDEE and aim for a 10-15% weekly deficit from that. This also takes the stress out of worrying if I have a low or high calorie day, since I'm focusing on a weekly goal.

I"m 5'4. 1200 and eat my exercise calories back...........

5'3, 135 lb and 2,000-2,200 calories for slow, steady weight loss. Normal frame and body fat about 25%. I'm in no rush if it's going to be gone forever. I went down to 125 lb last year in a few months by eating too little (1500-1800) so I put it all back on quickly. Pointless. I do pilates once a week, and try to run twice a week at least.

I'm 5'3. I've been playing with my calories for a while now, trying to find the perfect amount for me to lose weight. I was at 1200 for months, lost 33 pounds, then plateaued in the beginning of June. I upped my calories to 1500 for all of July, still no change. Upped again to maintenance, which was about 1900, and maintained for the whole month of August. On September 1st, I dropped back down to 1500 and started a new exercise program. Ended up gaining 5 pounds and not losing any inches either. So now I'm set at 1200-1300. I'm going to try this for a while and see if there's any change. I was trying the whole, "eat more to weigh less" thing, and yeah... didn't work for me. Everyone is different I suppose. I'm hoping that my new plan will FINALLY get me out of this ridiculously frustrating plateau!

Completely depends on your activity level. Im 5ft3 and eat 2000 just to lose weight. I am losing too fast so I'm increasing to 2200

I'm 5'3 and I aim for anywhere between 1200-1600 a day.

5'3 1/2" female, 51 years young and less than a pound from my goal of 125. Started at 144 on MFP, but had lost more than 5 pounds before that.

I have kept my daily calorie goal at 1200-1250, but always have a few days a week that I go over and don't worry about it. My weekly net is always a deficit so I don't worry about daily net (over or under) so much.

I did not experience a slow down as I approached goal at all. One day I gained 1 lb. on weigh in day, but the next day had dropped 2 lbs. so really lost that week as well.

I walk at a moderate rate x 3 weeks, ride horses 3-4 days a week and try to fit 30DS in at least 2-3 times a week.

My October goal is to not worry about the last little bit of the lbs., but to do enough JM to take 1" off my waistline. Firming up and building muscle is important to me so maintenance will be successful.

I have not read any other post so if I say something that may be a duplicate I am sorry.... I am 5' 2.5" and I began my journey when I was @ 235. I was on a1200 calorie a day "diet". This did wonders for me at first. I lost quickly...but then hit a plateau. I have been struggling to get of it for several months. I have lost a wee bit here and there but nothing significant. I now eat 1800 calories (or try to) and have been able to lose with that amount. I don't go over that limit but some days are under. I have not found the exact amount that works for me and you may be the same way. You just need to "play around" with it and find out what that magic number is for you. I will say that any change you do give it a full month before changing again. And if you increase your calories be prepared to gain before you see lost. I did see an increase when I went to the 1800 but then lost some too. NOW I am stuck again. But I keep moving forward and know that the scale will change again! Good luck to you!

It is interesting to see all the different setpoints that are successful. I'm 5'2", 147.6 lbs, 54 yo and have lost 4.6 lbs in 4 weeks on 1350 cal goal. I eat back about half of my exercise.

I started at 1,600 calories a day with a 50% carb, 30% protein and 20% fat ratio. I started at 5'4" and 151. When I got to my target weight I bumped it up to 1,800 calories and stuck to a 50/25/25 ratio. In the past I have tried the 1,200 calorie thing and it didn't work for me. I work well with at least 1,600 calories.