Petites - what is your calorie goal each day?

I'm 4'10, which is shorter than the average. How many calories do you petites use as your daily calorie goal? Net or period...for example, eat 1200 and no activity calories or 1200 plus activity calories? do you even eat 1200? What have you found to be successful?

Replies

  • squigglypuff
    squigglypuff Posts: 279 Member
    I first started on here at netting 1000 calories and walking 30-45 minutes per day, and I feel like that's how I lost the majority of my weight but it was very frustrating staying under goal and I was always hangry (hungry + angry = the worst). Eating that way took me from 148 lbs in Spring 2011 to 113 lbs in Spring 2012. Then during Summer 2012 I upped it to 1200 and ate back exercise calories but I gained and hit 123 lbs then plateaud for a while even though I incorporated running, pilates, strength training, and zumba into my exercise routine. I think I was overestimating my calorie burn and thus overeating.

    Now I'm eating about 1300 calories a day and I eat back half of my exercise calories. I bought a Polar FT4 HRM and I hope that it is more accurate with the calories. I quit the gym (no money, no time, many excuses!) and get most of my workouts running around the park or doing a Jillian Michaels video. Since upping my calories and reducing the variety in my workouts, I started losing slowly again. I'm around 119 lbs now and I still have a bit more to lose but I'm okay with it happening slowly because I can't afford to keep buying new clothes.

    I would NOT recommend eating 1000 calories. Even though I lost weight that way it sort of sucked and as soon as I started eating normally again, I gained. I find that 1300 calories gives me enough wiggle room with meals and snacks, and I don't feel so hangry all of the time.
  • Erisad
    Erisad Posts: 1,580
    I'm 5'3.5" and I eat 1700 a day because I have an active job in a warehouse. Some days it's hard to eat all that and it goes quickly other days. :)
  • DenyseMarieL
    DenyseMarieL Posts: 673 Member
    I'm 5'3" an I'm around 1400 calories on maintain. I didn't really want to lose any weight, but I don't want to gain either! ( I'm not getting any younger!) I eat back my calories, because I am always hungry. Most days my calories just don't cut it!
  • emilygh1974
    emilygh1974 Posts: 65 Member
    I'm new and this is the best advice I've gotten on here so far from another member. "I would suggest, and I know this sounds insane, increasing your calories. There are many many people on here that believe "eat more to weight less" or "EMTWL", and I used to laugh at them, till I stopped losing at 1200 and tried it. I would suggest you figure out your BMR and TDEE, use this link or do an internet search, http://thefitgirls.com/tdee-calculator.aspx For the exercise, I usually exercise 6-7 days, but I use 5-6 on the calculator. When you have both numbers multiply the higher (TDEE) by .80, 80%. Compare that to your BMR, and eat around there. Custom set your goal on MFP to be that number, and DO NOT eat any exercise calories back. Give it 2 weeks and see what happens. If it does not work for you then try something else, but most people seem to do great this way."
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    4'11'' I eat 2000 total to maintain and I lose at 1700 calories. I do strenght training 4 times a week and do a bit of cardio once or twice a week
  • shorty35565
    shorty35565 Posts: 1,425 Member
    It's not ur height u should be basing your caloric intake on, it's ur weight & physical activity. The more u weigh (no matter what height u r) the more u burn, the more u need to eat. If ur really active, u also need to eat more.
  • dittmarml
    dittmarml Posts: 351 Member
    I'm 5'1" and eat between 1250 and 1350 calories a day, on average, even when exercising. If I'm really active I'll eat back more calories; have had weeks where I've been up around 1450 or 1500. Staying between 1250 and 1350 I'm losing, slowly. Started here around 135, went up to 137, then bounced around a bit - finally settled down. At 129 plus change right now; goal weight is around 110.
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
    5'2. I eat 1390+ exercise calories and more on days I work (I'm a PT waitress), I usually net around 1300 (my approximate BMR)
  • dittmarml
    dittmarml Posts: 351 Member
    Should add - .80 of my TDEE is 1191. MFP set me to 1200, and I bumped it to 1250, and "settle" anywhere from 1200 to 1350. Works for me. It's really about activity level, age, etc.
  • kellicci
    kellicci Posts: 409 Member
    I love that you called us "Petites"!

    Okay I'm 5"1' right now at 131. Goal is 127 for now (I haven't been below 123 ever not even as a teen lol so 127 is awesome at 35!). I lose on 1300. I'm losing about .70 a week so a pound every 10 days or so. It's slow but I feel like when I go to maintenance it won't all come flooding back.
  • Colbyandsage
    Colbyandsage Posts: 751 Member
    I am 5'3. I lost most of my weight when I netted 1300-1400, I like to eat so I always ate back my calories. I am training for a half marathon so right now I am maintaining at 1800 PLUS my exercise... I am always full!!!! The days that I do long runs (which could be up to 1200 on my HRM) I spread out the calories to my rest days.
  • neasy23
    neasy23 Posts: 47
    Kelli- is that with or without exercising? I'm 5'2 weighing 127 trying to get to 120. I'm wondering what my sweet spt will be. I didn't loose first week at around 1200-1400. But I'm giving it more time as I knw the weight should come off slowly.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    I eat 1500-1900 cals approximately net and loose just fine. I eat 10% below my TDEE as I'm close to goal.

    I'm 5"2' and weigh 122lbs and goal is 117lbs. I work in an office so sit most of the day and do about 30 minutes walking a day.
  • AGreen54
    AGreen54 Posts: 100 Member
    I'm 4'11" and I eat around 1000-1300. I haven't lost any weight by netting that much but people say not to eat under 1200 so I don't know...
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    I'm 5'1" and eat between 1250 and 1350 calories a day, on average, even when exercising. If I'm really active I'll eat back more calories; have had weeks where I've been up around 1450 or 1500. Staying between 1250 and 1350 I'm losing, slowly. Started here around 135, went up to 137, then bounced around a bit - finally settled down. At 129 plus change right now; goal weight is around 110.

    I am 5'1" and this ^^^^ is about what I eat to maintain at 120lbs and 11% body fat (I have a high lean body mass which includes heavy bones (not big, high density) and some muscle due to over 30 years of lifting heavy. I'm not big, but my muscles look big in my pictures because I am pretty lean. My RMR is only 1380, so 1200 -1500, with some higher days right now on vacation, then I will have to eat on the lower end (1200 or so) for a bit when I get back home.

    I had to eat lower than 1000 calories or at 1000 in order to lose weight (under my doctors care). My doctor said it was fine and we did blood work throughout the entire weight loss journey and while I have been maintaining for over a year now and my electrolytes and hormones are fine (for a 51 year old woman). It was hard. I went to bed hungry. It still took two years to lose 60 lbs. I've never had emotional eating and I seem to have a tremendous ability for discipline so it worked for me. I think it's just too hard for most people to eat this low, but I know for a fact it did not hurt me and most who see me are amazed at the shape I am in for my age. I am a Sheriff Deputy and the guys in my department have tremendous respect for me now and are inspired by me to "not let themselves go as they get older". It feels good to be an example to others in my real life. It's nice because they know me and know I'm genuine, unlike people online who have no way of knowing that about me and are suspicious and mean. But I am new to online forums and this particular forum seems especially rude at times. I'm learning to realize my success will be hated by many and that's okay, I am living my dream and helping and inspiring others and it feels good.
  • ZambiNan
    ZambiNan Posts: 61 Member
    I'm 5' even, run regularly but have a sedentary job; currently I'm maintaining around 122 pounds eating 1650 calories + exercise.
  • RawVeganFlirt
    RawVeganFlirt Posts: 189 Member
    5'2", 110 to 115 lbs, 1400 and eating burned exercise calories
  • Weebs628
    Weebs628 Posts: 574 Member
    I'm 5'2",150 pounds and just upped my calories to 1,800 cause my weight loss has stalled for about a month. I work 4 days a week retail, on my feet, walking, lifting all that good stuff and I try to exercise 6 days a week. So far, I haven't been hungry eating at 1,800 so we'll see how it goes!
  • ptak1sm
    ptak1sm Posts: 172
    I'm 5'1", SW 160(ish). I started out eating around 1350, not eating back my exercise calories. As I gradually lost weight, i started eating back some of my exercise calories. I'm currently 124lbs, eating back most of my exercise calories, and I have a weigh-in next week to see how that's working out for me.

    MFP has my calorie goal at 1200, I typically burn 800ish calories a day in exercise (I do about 2 hours a day), so I'll eat around 1700-1800 calories/day. Today I was bad and went a bit over, but it's all healthy stuff :P
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
    4' 10 1/2" here. I eat what I presume is my TDEE (1600 calories) and use my exercise calories as my deficit. Meaning I don't eat them back. I tried upping my calories to 1740, what http://fat2fitradio.com says is my lightly active TDEE but ended up gaining.
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
    I'm 5'1" and eat between 1250 and 1350 calories a day, on average, even when exercising. If I'm really active I'll eat back more calories; have had weeks where I've been up around 1450 or 1500. Staying between 1250 and 1350 I'm losing, slowly. Started here around 135, went up to 137, then bounced around a bit - finally settled down. At 129 plus change right now; goal weight is around 110.

    I am 5'1" and this ^^^^ is about what I eat to maintain at 120lbs and 11% body fat (I have a high lean body mass which includes heavy bones (not big, high density) and some muscle due to over 30 years of lifting heavy. I'm not big, but my muscles look big in my pictures because I am pretty lean. My RMR is only 1380, so 1200 -1500, with some higher days right now on vacation, then I will have to eat on the lower end (1200 or so) for a bit when I get back home.

    I had to eat lower than 1000 calories or at 1000 in order to lose weight (under my doctors care). My doctor said it was fine and we did blood work throughout the entire weight loss journey and while I have been maintaining for over a year now and my electrolytes and hormones are fine (for a 51 year old woman). It was hard. I went to bed hungry. It still took two years to lose 60 lbs. I've never had emotional eating and I seem to have a tremendous ability for discipline so it worked for me. I think it's just too hard for most people to eat this low, but I know for a fact it did not hurt me and most who see me are amazed at the shape I am in for my age. I am a Sheriff Deputy and the guys in my department have tremendous respect for me now and are inspired by me to "not let themselves go as they get older". It feels good to be an example to others in my real life. It's nice because they know me and know I'm genuine, unlike people online who have no way of knowing that about me and are suspicious and mean. But I am new to online forums and this particular forum seems especially rude at times. I'm learning to realize my success will be hated by many and that's okay, I am living my dream and helping and inspiring others and it feels good.
    With all due respect, this poster is 51 years old and likely post menopause. I really would hope that younger women do not think eating this little is safe for them.
  • KabbyGU
    KabbyGU Posts: 158 Member
    I'm 4'11 and my calorie goal is set to 1200 and I usually eat back most of my exercise calories. I lose 1-2lbs a week when I'm strict. Sometimes I up my calories to 1300/1400 if I'm especially hungry or feel I need to. I haven't gained since joining two months ago. I have lost nearly 15lbs in that time.

    Edit: I try to get at least 30minutes of moderate activity in 6-7 times a week.
  • KabbyGU
    KabbyGU Posts: 158 Member
    It's not ur height u should be basing your caloric intake on, it's ur weight & physical activity. The more u weigh (no matter what height u r) the more u burn, the more u need to eat. If ur really active, u also need to eat more.

    ^this! Calories should be based on weight and activity levels, not height. It's nice to see what others are doing, but height doesn't affect your metabolic rate, activity level or any of that. It is simply calories in vs calories out and what works for your body specifically! :) hope you find what works for YOU!
  • withchaco
    withchaco Posts: 1,026 Member
    5' 2", I maintain at 1930-ish gross (not net) calories and lose at 1510-ish gross calories. I'm trying to lose, and I am alternating between 1620 cals (on strength training days) and 1400 cals. Not included in the average is my weekly splurge day, on which I consume about 1900-1950 calories. It's working.

    The reason I go by gross calories over net is because I do regular strength training, and it's hard to get a calorie burn measurement for that. If I do a LOT of cardio, I'll eat more calories accordingly... but that doesn't happen unless I go hiking or something. I usually don't burn any more than 150 calories per day, through cardio.

    If I were to stop strength training, I'd probably maintain at 1550 calories.
  • withchaco
    withchaco Posts: 1,026 Member
    It's not ur height u should be basing your caloric intake on, it's ur weight & physical activity. The more u weigh (no matter what height u r) the more u burn, the more u need to eat. If ur really active, u also need to eat more.

    ^this! Calories should be based on weight and activity levels, not height. It's nice to see what others are doing, but height doesn't affect your metabolic rate, activity level or any of that. It is simply calories in vs calories out and what works for your body specifically! :) hope you find what works for YOU!
    The reason height is being taken into account is that it's a significant factor in estimating your lean body mass. LBM is a bigger factor than total body mass when it comes to estimating BMR.