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

I wouldn't say I'm short per se -- 5'5", but for sedentary lifestyle (and put in that I would exercise 15 min/day, 3 days/week) MFP put me at 2300 calories/day to lose 0.5/week. I usually get a bit under 2000 and am losing 1-2lb/week. Definitely not what I think a lot of MFP'ers would expect for "results"

Thank you for posting! Every time I doubt my cals and think I might be eating too much (I'm 5'3 and try to keep it around 1600) I see this and feel better. No way could I do 1200! I'm not a happy camper when I'm hungry!

If you're short, your calorie goal will be smaller than someone who's taller, but not by the huge amount some people think.

That isn't exactly true. If you compare two people, both being the same weight, the shorter will have higher TDEE needs because they'll need more energy to replace heat loss than the taller individual.

I've been on 1,200 for a while now and the weight will come off but it goes back on in the drop of a hat. The most I've lost from 1200 was 10lb in 2 weeks. It has been giving me headaches every day though. I find myself picking at things and craving things. I've never eaten so many sweets and chocolate as when I'm doing a 1200 cal diet. Maybe I should up my intake. I just can't seem to stay away from sugary things and it's making dieting tough

Awesome job! Keep up the great work! I am ALSO 5ft 3in..and after only one week of dieting...lost 6 lbs! I am eating quite enough...the large amount of protein and "good carbs" I am eating each day keep me satiated! I feel like I am eating a TON OF FOOD each day...and I am still loosing weight! Yippee for short girls!

This depends on a lot of things besides your height, such as your current weight/how much you need to lose, your age, your metabolism and the amount of exercise you do.

I am 5'2, 34 years old and need to lose another 50 pounds (i've lost 32 so far), with a sedentary job.
I started out around 1600 cals/day and I was losing steadily. Gradually, I reduced my calories as I stopped seeing results, and as of right now, I am only losing weight at 1300 cals/day or less. Anything more than that, and I either maintain or gain weight.

My sister is only 5 foot, but she is 6 years younger than me and weighs much, much less than I do. She can easily maintain her weight eating more calories than I do. Our metabolisms are just different.

If you are short with a lot of weight to lose you will still lose weight with higher calories. But if you are not very heavy and are looking to lose those last 20-30 lbs you will either have to lower the food calories or increase activity to lose weight because the resting metabolic rate of a short person is lower than someone who is taller,

I think it really depends on your activity level/body composition. I find that I maintain around 1600-1700 calories a day and have to eat 1,400 or less to lose. I am 5'3 and lift heavy 3 times a week.

But meh, to each his own. Definitely no starving here!

There are other factors that play into the equation too. For instance, I am 71 years old, and after losing an inch and a half am now 5'. Up until I was about 40, I ate whatever the heck I wanted, and never gained an ounce - was always on the skinny side. But now, I've lost height due to age, arthritis, and spinal fusion, past menopause (thank goodness!), and more limited in my activity (running is out, for instance - although I was never an athletic type, and would much rather read than work out!) My calorie allotment is 1200 before allowance for exercise. It is not fun keeping to that few calories - and I do "eat back" some or most of the "exercise calories", but as long as I do exercise every single day, I am losing slowly but steadily (have lost 14 pounds in 70 days). My main worry is that I am depriving myself of a lot of the things I love, and I don't want to have to do that forever! And my physical condition is slowly becoming more limiting, so I can't realistically increase the exercise! And I HATE "fake" food - i.e., "light, low calorie, reduced fat, etc.". I want the real thing or nothing!

I agree with the OP.

I'm 5'3" and 122 pounds. If I eat anything less than 1,900/day I lose weight. I'm trying to maintain and I eat anywhere from 1,900-2.400 per day depending on activity level. 1,900/day is a sedentary day for me.

If by "lower your calories' you mean lower them to 1200, that's not always true. I lost 20 pounds (went from 170 to 150) eating 1600 calories or more each day. I've never been terribly overweight and never had much to lose, but when I've wanted to lose weight, i didn't have to drastically lower my calories to do it.

1600 is a good amount for someone who weights 170-150. I think the other poster probably meant people with somewhat lower weights than that. MFP projects for me that 1440 is maintenance pre-exercise calories.

Not necessarily. I lose on 1,600 + exercise calories per day, and I'm 122 pounds right now.

There are other factors that play into the equation too. For instance, I am 71 years old, and after losing an inch and a half am now 5'. Up until I was about 40, I ate whatever the heck I wanted, and never gained an ounce - was always on the skinny side. But now, I've lost height due to age, arthritis, and spinal fusion, past menopause (thank goodness!), and more limited in my activity (running is out, for instance - although I was never an athletic type, and would much rather read than work out!) My calorie allotment is 1200 before allowance for exercise. It is not fun keeping to that few calories - and I do "eat back" some or most of the "exercise calories", but as long as I do exercise every single day, I am losing slowly but steadily (have lost 14 pounds in 70 days). My main worry is that I am depriving myself of a lot of the things I love, and I don't want to have to do that forever! And my physical condition is slowly becoming more limiting, so I can't realistically increase the exercise! And I HATE "fake" food - i.e., "light, low calorie, reduced fat, etc.". I want the real thing or nothing!

Xanne- Can I just say....You look AMAZING. At 71 y/o you must be doing something right! :flowerforyou:

I"m 5'0 and eating anywhere between 1170-1350 and I've been stuck at the same weight for a month! I don't know if I need to increase my exercise (already at 1hr-1hr 30min) a day or increase the calories because my body thins it's to low.

If you are working out 90 min a day then 1170-1350 is too low. I try to eat 1300 a day minimum and on exercise days I usually go up to 1600+. Try paying attention to your NET calories not your gross. If you only eat 1170 and then burn 500+ in exercise alone you're only giving oyur body 670 for the rest of your body functions. That's not enough and could be why you are stalled.

I think this is all very interesting but lets be honest those of you eating 1600-2000 a day are probably, young, very active or have more than 30 pounds to lose. Me I'm 35, have a desk job and only 5 pounds to lose. I choose to eat 1300 NET a day and for me that works if I ate 1600-2000 I'd probably gain at this activity level. Eating is not a one size fits all, there are way to many factors. So let's not try to over simplify it. because then what happenes is an ususpecting newbie who loves food reads someone their height lost weight at 1900 calories a day so they try it but gain and end up defeated. Take all the facts and do what works for you.

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

You need to work out what your TDEE is then try subtracting 20% from that to work out how much to eat. I only subtract 10% because I'm very close to my goal weight.