Dear short people -- we don't need to starve ourselves!

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Replies

  • levstein
    levstein Posts: 74
    I am 5ft 2in and eat 1200 cals per day. I exercise 6/7 days a week and don't eat back any exercise calories. I eat so much food every day to get up to 1200 cals. I eat mostly healthy foods( my diary is open if you wish to check it out) I don't know where you get the idea that 1200 cals is starving yourself. I've been on here for 102 days and have lost 32 lbs. I lose around 2lbs every week and have only felt hungry a couple of times throughout this journey and that's been when I''ve been low on protein. I have upped my protein and try to eat "healthy" carbs.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    I am 4'11. Losing at 1700 calories and I am now bulking at 2100 calories.
  • rowdylibrarian
    rowdylibrarian Posts: 251 Member
    Y'all are lucky! I'm 5'2.5" (hey, the half is important at our size!) and I've been really struggling. I couldn't find any calorie level that let me lose, so I finally got my Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) tested. 1207. *kicks some really big rocks*. I'm still trying to decide how to work it out so that I DON'T get stuck eating 1200 (or less) forever! :)
  • FitFabFlirty92
    FitFabFlirty92 Posts: 384 Member
    I am 5ft 2in and eat 1200 cals per day. I exercise 6/7 days a week and don't eat back any exercise calories. I eat so much food every day to get up to 1200 cals. I eat mostly healthy foods( my diary is open if you wish to check it out) I don't know where you get the idea that 1200 cals is starving yourself. I've been on here for 102 days and have lost 32 lbs. I lose around 2lbs every week and have only felt hungry a couple of times throughout this journey and that's been when I''ve been low on protein. I have upped my protein and try to eat "healthy" carbs.

    It's great that you can get full off 1200 calories, but many people cannot. I also don't understand why someone would set such a low goal if they can still lose eating more. I personally would not be even remotely satisfied with just 1200 calories -- if you're in your late teens to early 20's, it amounts to starving because your body needs more nutrients than that to finish developing properly.
  • levstein
    levstein Posts: 74
    I am 5ft 2in and eat 1200 cals per day. I exercise 6/7 days a week and don't eat back any exercise calories. I eat so much food every day to get up to 1200 cals. I eat mostly healthy foods( my diary is open if you wish to check it out) I don't know where you get the idea that 1200 cals is starving yourself. I've been on here for 102 days and have lost 32 lbs. I lose around 2lbs every week and have only felt hungry a couple of times throughout this journey and that's been when I''ve been low on protein. I have upped my protein and try to eat "healthy" carbs.

    It's great that you can get full off 1200 calories, but many people cannot. I also don't understand why someone would set such a low goal if they can still lose eating more. I personally would not be even remotely satisfied with just 1200 calories -- if you're in your late teens to early 20's, it amounts to starving because your body needs more nutrients than that to finish developing properly.
  • levstein
    levstein Posts: 74
    Actually I'm a little older that teenager I'm 53 lol and MFP set my calories at 1200 per day and every time I lose 10 lbs MFP asks if I want to recalculate my goals and I say yes and it remains at 1200. I take a multivitamin & mineral tablet and omega 3,6 & 9 capsule every day as it's impossible to get all the nutrients needed for a healthy body from eating food. I tried working out my calories using "in place of a road map" instructions and it came up with almost the same amount. I feel full of energy healthy fit and eat at mealtimes and snacks in between so it's obviously right for me. I think as we get older we need less food.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    I am 5'3" and I find if I restrict my calorie intake too severly throughout the week I will have an uncontrollable midnight binge on Sunday evening and undo all the work and discomfort of the whole week. Better to eat sensibly every day I know. My MFP is around 1500.

    If I hold some calories back per day I can stop evening hunger with a small supper before bedtime which is my weakest time of day.
  • rachmass1
    rachmass1 Posts: 470 Member
    I'm 4'10' and keeping it near 1200 or less and don't seem to be getting anywhere....maybe I should increase my calories...thanks for the tip

    I just checked your profile and saw your age is 61. At your height and your age, you will most like have to eat BELOW 1200 per day to see any significant weightloss, unless you are exercising at a very high level. Sorry, but your metabolism is quite a bit slower than a 20 yr old's. Look for other women your age on here who have lost weight and find out what their calorie level is. I have a few on my friend list in their 50s or more, and I am 49 myself. Feel free to friend request me if you like.

    I am 51 and 5'2" and have been losing at1600 a day. I have rarely gone lower than 1300 and am often higher than 1800 per day. I have lost 27 pounds since January.
  • LadyI06
    LadyI06 Posts: 1
    I'm 5'2. I'm 18 and I weigh 142 pounds. I'm overweight so I wanted to lose 25-30 pounds more. Is that okay? Or is that too much?
    I've been working out 3x a week in 45mins and I have school so I go out probably everyday. So far, I've lost 9 pounds within 4 weeks. I managed to eat healthier choices like salad veggies, teas and fruits. And I didn't go beyond 1200 calories. I'm not logging too much here as lately I don't have much time. So should I lessen or add calories to my diet?

    Btw, at my first week in dieting, I feel so hungry. But then when I worked my routine at the second week, I can't feel starvation any more up until today. I usually drink tea and make marmalade sandwich at breakfast. Then I usually eat salad, tuna and bread with an apple at lunch. My breakfast and lunch are sometimes switching though. Then at dinner I eat pasta, or salad or rice with toppings, or bread or vegetable soup and any fruit.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    for awhile there I went out to dinner every night (about 1800 cals per day) and gained 5 lbs over 2 weeks (I did have more energy after eating that dinner out ,also, which is why I did that)...then went to what I am now and lost it all but am stalled right now

    I will try your tip, thanks

    So according to your recent experience- 1800 per day caused you to gain 2 1/2 pounds per week. Since it takes 500 cals less per day to LOSE one pound in a week, 1300 cals per day would still result in a GAIN of 1 1/2 pounds per week. Not sure if I would try adding MORE calories at this point.

    I'd be willing to bet it was the "went out to dinner every night" that caused a temporary gain. Restaurant food is notoriously high in sodium, not true weight gain.

    Hell, I've gained as much as 8 pounds overnight from some high sodium foods, and I know damn well I didn't eat 28000 extra calories. :laugh:

    I'm 5'5 so I'm not exactly short, but I'm 40 years old and lose weight at 2000 calories a day.
  • CarrieStL
    CarrieStL Posts: 162 Member
    So true!! I'm 5'8 so I don't fall into the "short" category, but I want to share this post. It helps to explain how to calculate how many calories you need for a good FAT burning program. Yes....yes....yes....it's a long read, not too long though. But totally worth it.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    BUMP!
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    I'm 4'10' and keeping it near 1200 or less and don't seem to be getting anywhere....maybe I should increase my calories...thanks for the tip

    You're welcome! Try upping it in small increments and see what happens...maybe do 1300 calories consistently for a few weeks, and then if you're still not seeing results, make it 1400. Often when weight loss stalls, the problem is that we're eating too little rather than too much.

    for awhile there I went out to dinner every night (about 1800 cals per day) and gained 5 lbs over 2 weeks (I did have more energy after eating that dinner out ,also, which is why I did that)...then went to what I am now and lost it all but am stalled right now

    I will try your tip, thanks

    To gain 5 lbs of weight (in fat) in two weeks you would need to consume 1250 extra calories per day above your TDEE (and your TDEE is not 550 cals). So it is likely that what you gained in that period was either unconsumed food in your gut, water weight or TOM.

    Scales lie, youu need to think it through whenever you see a sudden gain - it usually is NOT the small increase in food calories.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    I'm 4'10' and keeping it near 1200 or less and don't seem to be getting anywhere....maybe I should increase my calories...thanks for the tip

    I just checked your profile and saw your age is 61. At your height and your age, you will most like have to eat BELOW 1200 per day to see any significant weightloss, unless you are exercising at a very high level. Sorry, but your metabolism is quite a bit slower than a 20 yr old's. Look for other women your age on here who have lost weight and find out what their calorie level is. I have a few on my friend list in their 50s or more, and I am 49 myself. Feel free to friend request me if you like.



    I am 51 and 5'2" and have been losing at1600 a day. I have rarely gone lower than 1300 and am often higher than 1800 per day. I have lost 27 pounds since January.

    How much muscle mass do you have? How much time are you spending in the gym, lifting, and how many calories are you burning every day? I dare say that you aren't sitting at a desk all day, and on the couch all night watching TV. To be able to eat that many calories you have to be exercising at a relatively high level. Most of the women your age aren't. Also, how many pounds a week are you losing? If you are happy with only losing a half pound a week, that's fine for you. I have 50 more pounds to lose and need to get it off as quickly as possible to prevent further joint damage.

    I would never tell someone who is losing at a rate they are happy with, to eat less. If a plan is working for them, great. But if someone is just starting out to try to lose 30 pounds or more, is eating at a level that is not causing a lot of hunger, and they are not losing weight, then it is obvious that they are not creating a calorie deficit. Automatically telling them to eat more will most likely cause them to gain even more weight. I have seen it happen numerous times on here. It is more likely that they are underestimating how many calories they actually are eating, overestimating how many calories they actually need to eat, and/or overestimating how many calories they are burning thru exercise.

    One size doesn't fit all. We all have to figure out what works for us in our own situation. A 20 yr old automatically telling a 60 yr old that she is starving herself because she eats less than the 20 yr old, is just wrong. And it needs to stop.
  • kellicci
    kellicci Posts: 409 Member
    It's not all about height though. It's about weight too.

    petites with more to lose certainly probably can startw ith higher calorie goala nd still get a good deficit. However, if' you're short and not far from your goal sometimes the only way to get a deficit is to have a lower calorie goal. One thing isn't going to work for everyone. For me I'm 5'1" and 1300 seems to be working well for me, I'm losing slowly and that's fine. For me maintenance will only be around 1600.
  • KateCon912
    KateCon912 Posts: 200 Member
    I am 5'5" and if I eat a bite over 1200 calories in a day I gain weight instantly. :( It's too bad eating more doesn't work for me. I'm starving every day! :(
  • SunnyAndrsn
    SunnyAndrsn Posts: 369 Member
    I'm 5'3, and have been able to lose steadily eating 1600 calories a day, sometimes more. if you're short, your calorie goal will be smaller than someone who's taller, but not by the huge amount some people think. People who are 5'2 or 5'3 do not HAVE TO eat 1200 calories to lose. If you do that, and it works for you, great! But it's misleading to make people think that if they're short they have to set their calorie goal incredibly low to make any progress. It's simply not true for everyone.

    5' and eat round 1600 a day, sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less. I do anticipate it going down a bit as I continue to drop weight, but I have lost 50 pounds eating between 1600-2000 calories a day, depending on exercise. However, I started at 252 pounds.
  • Troll
    Troll Posts: 922 Member
    Im 4'8" and eat 2100 cal/day.

    i dont need different calories because im short. my calories, like someone who is 6'7" , are based on my activity level. durh.
  • lesita75
    lesita75 Posts: 379 Member
    I'm 4'11" and I was miserable and starving on 1200 cals per day. Now I'm averaging between 1300-1500 still losing weight and I'm not always hangry (Hungry + Angry)!! :smokin:
  • paleirishmother
    paleirishmother Posts: 242
    I gain major at 1600/day, I tried it for that 6 weeks after being told by everyone that I didn't eat enough. I am losing steadily at 1300/daily. I am 5'1, 155lbs and it works for me.
  • Yolanda4160
    Yolanda4160 Posts: 170 Member
    I have a 1200 calorie goal and still tend to only reach 800 calories a day (not on purpose- I'm just not that hungry) and I am only 5'1". Thanks to MFP I am actually trying to increase my calorie intake a little more so that my body doesnt go into starvation mode :/
  • eustaciavye
    eustaciavye Posts: 27 Member
    That's great news.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    I am 5'5" and if I eat a bite over 1200 calories in a day I gain weight instantly. :( It's too bad eating more doesn't work for me. I'm starving every day! :(

    If you've suppressed your metabolism by eating too low, that could be the cause. A reset might be a good idea for you. I'm not a nutritionist, just passing on what I've learned from the ones who know their stuff around here. You need to find out what your maintenance calories are. I did a 2-week reset, but some people need to do it longer. I'm not short either, I was just happy to see this post!
  • aclar44
    aclar44 Posts: 30
    I'm only 5'1" and need to lose over 100 lobs. MFP gives me 1640 calories for the day. i've been eating just around that give or take 100 and doing light to moderate exercise and I've lost almost 7 pounds in just a few weeks.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Do you work out to build up extra cals that you can eat? Or just eat that much and no fitness and still lose?

    My calorie burning is walking only (I have a joint condition), I eat 1500 calories to lose plus half of my exercise calories. I'm also pretty close to my goal weight so I'm only set to lose .5 lb/week. I'm 5'4", 140 lbs.
  • omgitsgarry
    omgitsgarry Posts: 138
    I'm glad that this works for you, ladies! I'm 5'2' 1/2 and I eat about 1,200 a day and I still see results, but I'm healthy now, so it takes a little less to lose a little more for me. I started at 1,680 and I worked myself down as the pounds came off. I don't do much and I've tried exercising and increasing calories and it leads to me gaining, but I think that's because I am not active. But I'm glad this works for you!
  • tobnrn
    tobnrn Posts: 477 Member
    I'm 5'3 & eat between 1800-2400 daily. I'm losing just fine. Food is yummy in my tummy
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I am 5'4" and 225 pounds. I eat 1800 on non-exercise days and close to 2100 when I exercise. I am averaging a loss of 2 pounds per week.
  • saunders0000
    saunders0000 Posts: 41 Member
    This is great im 5ft 2" i eat anywhere between 1400-1600 cals a day and have a good loss each week. ive recently joined the gym and find im more hungry on these days but manage not to eat back all my cals and its working for me and thats what matters :happy:
  • kristamarie91
    kristamarie91 Posts: 21 Member
    Agree! I did the whole 1200-1300 a day thing and it was awful. I'm 5ft and eat 1650 a day and losing.
    And most of the time if I exercise I eat some calories back!
  • shortnerdy
    shortnerdy Posts: 131
    I'm 5'2 and have no clue what I'm doing. I'm set to about 1300 and losing steady with 1-2 pleateau weeks in the 85 days Ive been doing this and down 14 pounds. I have days where I am not hungry and days I eat EVERYTHING.

    So lost :S

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