Short and Petite. So discouraged, some help please!

I'm 124 lbs So its not like i'm overweight but I've been gaining in the last couple months and I've started working out really hard and eating good. But it seems like nothing will work. I'm tempted to knock my calories down to 900 a day because I want to see progress. Any advise or encouragement?

Replies

  • Hanjamlan
    Hanjamlan Posts: 34 Member
    I think one of my problems is that I snack. Even though I only eat 1300 calories a day, 500-600 of that is snacking. I really can't stop myself. When I see food sitting out on the table.. I have to eat it. Its just that simple. Any help on how to stop snacking, maybe something that will make sweet stuff not taste so good and my mouth to not want sweet and salty so bad?
  • Hanjamlan
    Hanjamlan Posts: 34 Member
    Little Help?
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
    You might get some help with more information. How many calories do you burn? We can't see your diary so you are asking us to solve a problem with no info. Calories are calories, technically for weight loss it doesn't matter what you eat if you are within your calories, so your snacks aren't hurting you.
  • skinnylullaby
    skinnylullaby Posts: 8 Member
    muscle weighs more than fat. or Maybe your body is just not meant to be any smaller. Do not eat 900 calories because it wont get you anywhere trust me I used to eat around 500. or for a easy fix cut out a majority of your carbs. Its only been 2 days and im down 5lbs :)
  • awake4777
    awake4777 Posts: 190 Member
    You look pretty short and pretty young. You don't have to work out for hours and hours to lose weight. People here are usually really good about giving advise. I don't think you gave us enough info about yourself. If no other comments work on good food choices, a regular workout routine and talk with your doctor first.
  • Mlkmaid
    Mlkmaid Posts: 356 Member
    I think if you're not really overweight and just getting scale "creep" then maybe take a look and analyze what you're eating and how much you're exercising. Use MFP as a diagnostic tool. Are you snacking? Too many carbs? Too much sugar? Not enough exercise? Don't do anything drastic because the rebound weight if your body goes into starvation mode is simply not worth it. You'll just end up gaining more if you cut too far back. If you're only a few pounds over you can probably drop it pretty easily by just eliminating desserts and adding exercise. Plus - consider that we've just started coming out of winter. I always have scale creep in the winter even though I run, do yoga, and watch what I eat.
  • You shouldn't be working out hours on end (unless for some reason you really like it), especially sense you "regain" (as I like to call it) calories. If you look at your charts on here, etc the more calories you burn, the more you have available for the day. That's my problem, I barely eat my required calories but I work out like crazy (because it's dancing and I love dance LOL) so it doesn't feel like I am eating anything, which makes me snack on unhealthy food. Could this be a problem of yours? Over working out so you are always hungry. If you can't figure something out on your own - don't drop your calorie intake, starvation is not healthy and it won't lead to a healthy lifestyle - I would advise talking to your GP.
  • aikasm
    aikasm Posts: 63
    you have to eat more than just 900 calories or your body will start burning muscle and holding onto fat. Try a net of 1200 calories (which also means you have to ea back the calories that you burn exercising) i'm also short and petite! MFP recommended 1510 calories for me for maintaining my weight, but i've found that i like the goal of 1350 calories more (that way if i have one cheat day, the calorie deficiency on the days leading up to it will make up for it) be patient and i wish you all the best :)
  • Insanity2bSane
    Insanity2bSane Posts: 204 Member
    When I decided to lose weight I went on a "diet" and started working out hard and no weight loss either. I actually gained 2 pounds so I thought screw this and then went on a binge eating weekend, he,he,he! Guess what? I lost weight. In that same week talking to a personal trainer and telling him what I was doing he said I wasn't eating enough. So I upped my calories to 1400 and started eating my exercise calories back and I lost weight. It did take a long time and I think that It had to do with not having a lot of weight to lose like you. Right know after losing about 12-15 pounds I'm not seeing the scale budge anymore but I am seeing the changes in my body. BTW: I'm only 5ft short. So it sounds that you might need to start eating more calories but make sure that i'ts healthy food that you are eating. With that being said I did eat desserts, chocolates and stuff like that once in a while as long as is was within my calories.
  • Jonesie1984
    Jonesie1984 Posts: 612 Member
    muscle weighs more than fat. or Maybe your body is just not meant to be any smaller. Do not eat 900 calories because it wont get you anywhere trust me I used to eat around 500. or for a easy fix cut out a majority of your carbs. Its only been 2 days and im down 5lbs :)

    muscle does not weigh more than fat.. think one TON of bricks or one TON of feathers.. (not that you weigh a ton you're obviously small stature). Some questions for legitimate help:

    How many calories are you eating a day?
    How many calories are you burning from exercise?
    What type of exercise?
    How many days a week?
    Are you having "cheat" days? If so, how many a week?


    Edited for more info: Eating 900 calories is never a reasonable thought. You need to eat at least your BMR and because of your stature and already healthy weight weight loss will be slow. I would recc taking measurements and also using photos for benchmarks as well. You will do some pretty bad damage to your metabolism by dropping your calories so low and will find it very difficult to maintain any losses you get. Do the right things, take your time, results will happen.
  • I ran some really basic numbers, put in your weight and age, and height at 5'4": http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

    Lift weights and eat balanced meals, and you'll see changes in your body composition that you'll really like :love:
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
    Eat healthy, don't go down the very low cal route you will regret it.

    Lift heavy. You may just need to pull in the inches rather than lose the pounds. Sorry but that is all I have. Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • skinnylullaby
    skinnylullaby Posts: 8 Member
    I didn't exactly mean it like that... I mean a person who weighs 130 and sits on their *kitten* is gonna look WAYYY different then someone who is 130 and toned..
  • maulop
    maulop Posts: 15 Member
    The food industry adds extra salt and sugar to snacks so they become tastier, and also you become addicted. What you need to do is just stay away from that and "detox" from the extra sugar and salt. The feeling will go away in a month more or less.

    Ask a friend or family to help you control your eating habits if you can't do it alone, and try to keep yourself busy doing stuff, so you won't have time to go for snacks or junk food. Also if you eat healthy you probably won't feel hungry. And if try to be self-aware when grabbing a snack and stop right there.

    You can also start changing the snacks you consume and going for almonds, nuts, peanuts (no salt or sugar), get fruits.

    It is just a matter of time and perseverance, sadly there are no shortcuts.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    If you were actually eating 1300 calories a day and exercising regularly you'd be losing weight.

    Your diary is closed.
  • CLFrancois
    CLFrancois Posts: 472 Member
    Eat 1600 a day and lift weights.
  • Hanjamlan
    Hanjamlan Posts: 34 Member

    How many calories are you eating a day?
    How many calories are you burning from exercise?
    What type of exercise?
    How many days a week?
    Are you having "cheat" days? If so, how many a week?


    Edited for more info: Eating 900 calories is never a reasonable thought. You need to eat at least your BMR and because of your stature and already healthy weight weight loss will be slow. I would recc taking measurements and also using photos for benchmarks as well. You will do some pretty bad damage to your metabolism by dropping your calories so low and will find it very difficult to maintain any losses you get. Do the right things, take your time, results will happen.

    I have been eating 1200-1500. A lot of those cals are snacking. I run 4 miles a day (sometimes 3 miles and then do Ripped in 30) so I burn 400-500 a day. I workout 4-5 days a week. And I for sure have 1 if not 2 cheat days a week (because of the snacking. Its not that I wanted to have a cheat day.. I just started eating that piece of cake and then I didn't care how much I ate after that)
    Could I start eating 1100 cals and just running 3 miles and try my best to be very strict about snacking? Would that be healthy enough?

  • How many calories are you eating a day?
    How many calories are you burning from exercise?
    What type of exercise?
    How many days a week?
    Are you having "cheat" days? If so, how many a week?


    Edited for more info: Eating 900 calories is never a reasonable thought. You need to eat at least your BMR and because of your stature and already healthy weight weight loss will be slow. I would recc taking measurements and also using photos for benchmarks as well. You will do some pretty bad damage to your metabolism by dropping your calories so low and will find it very difficult to maintain any losses you get. Do the right things, take your time, results will happen.

    I have been eating 1200-1500. A lot of those cals are snacking. I run 4 miles a day (sometimes 3 miles and then do Ripped in 30) so I burn 400-500 a day. I workout 4-5 days a week. And I for sure have 1 if not 2 cheat days a week (because of the snacking. Its not that I wanted to have a cheat day.. I just started eating that piece of cake and then I didn't care how much I ate after that)
    Could I start eating 1100 cals and just running 3 miles and try my best to be very strict about snacking? Would that be healthy enough?

    Eat 1,600 of balanced meals. As an above poster stated, start lifting weights. Look up StrongLifts 5x5 or New Rules of Lifting for Women. If you really don't *need* to lose anymore weight, work on body composition.