New short female needs advise!

maryc91 · August 2013

Hi I'm kind of new, well I signed up a while ago and never stuck to using MFP entirely, now I'm really determined and very tired of my weight gains, I have tried every fad diet out there with little or no success only because I don't stick to them, they make me miserable. I'm trying to teach myself to have patience and do this the right way, no diet pills, no eating very little calories, just healthy whole foods and grains.

I'm very short 4'9", 40 year old! I weight 150 lbs, I have a lot of fat to lose, I would like to lose at least 25 lbs. Ideal would be 30.
MFP tells me I should be eating 1200 calories.

Any one out there in similar situations that are willing to share some advise, input and ideas will be greatly appreciated.

spunkychelsea · August 2013

Ugh, the 1200 calories thing, there's no way I could eat that few. I know short people need less calories, but that seems so few!

I've been eating better and less and trying to stay active - but I have two small children to chase after and one to nurse so I burn calories there. No real advice but bumping in case others have advice.

From what I've read on MFP is that most people think heavy lifting and eating plenty of calories is the best way to go. I haven't really tried that way yet, so hopefully by browsing through the stories and other's advice it'll be help. Best of Luck!

smsquash · August 2013

Hi. I'm 5'1&1/2" (and I'm 39 so we're close in age too) but I have a bit more to lose than you. I have lost and gained back the same 50 pounds, or sometimes I'd get halfway there and get complacent. I've been logging again, just for a month now, but this time has been really successful so far. What seems to be working for me is not to obsess over the scale or even weight loss per se. I decided to let go of living for results and instead to commit to living healthy for a year. I didn't even really set a goal weight. Instead my goals are to eat at my calorie level, but to do it with healthy, nutrient-dense whole foods, and to exercise, every day, for a year. That way, regardless of the scale or the numbers, I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing. At the end of the year, hopefully I've established a healthy lifestyle that will just be my new normal, whatever my weight is I'm not going to have "failed" and I know I'll be healthier than I am now. It probably sounds silly but it's taken a lot of pressure off and I've been able to avoid a lot of the impatience, emotional let down and resulting self-sabotage that sometimes tends to trip me up. I have no idea if that will work for you, it isn't the way most people do it, but I don't want to be skinny, I want to be healthy (eat healthy, be physically strong, live cleaner, etc.). Good luck, however you decide to get there I hope you are successful in meeting your goals!

Buddhasmiracle · August 2013

I'm 4'10" and 60 yrs old. I consume around 1600 calories daily, some days more, and cycle between 20-30 miles every day. I already lost 27 lbs using another site and am in the final stretch here. I suggest you go to the fattofit radio site and calculate what your maintenance calories should be and your TDEE (total daily energy requirements). Also on MFP, under the community tab, search on "road to success." It lays out essential facts to weight loss and fitness, including the importance of weight training.

Being petite doesn't necessarily mean having to "eat less." Height is a factor in the various calculations but your activity level (sedentary, lightly active, etc), body composition and overall amount of weight that you want to loose is also important. It appears that 1200 calories (net) is the minimum standard used by MFP, particularly for those who set their weight loss goals between 1-2 lbs weekly.

Hope this helps and you are welcome to friend me if you would like. Also smsquash offered a very positive view to weight mgt and fitness.

chuggaboom99 · August 2013

I feel like a giant! 5' and nearly 3"! I just turned 40. I've been on and off MFP for a few years. I joined when I gained 10 lbs after losing 20 lbs. But now have gained 8 more since I stopped running last year so time to get serious! I'll let ya know if it works for me. I know when I did originally lose the 20 was because I stuck to a calorie range of between 1200 and 1400 per day and pretty much ate all healthy foods for 4 months. If I strayed then I stuck to only 1 or 2 portions and counted the calories. I measured EVERYTHING with a food scale. I also exercised 45 minutes about 5 days per week.

Now all that seems unrealistic and unsustainable. So for me, I'm trying to exercise 3x per week and count calories. I firmly remember my original success being due to my mindset. Then my mind changed back to the way it was for the first 34 yrs of my life. 18 lbs heavier now, I'm trying to get my mentality back and my discipline.

I think weight loss is all mental and discipline. I'm bogarting the AA motto, "one day at a time". Just get through today. Don't think ahead.

Good luck!

clepant · August 2013

I am 5' 3'1/2"...guess I am shrinking cause I lost a 1/2 inch in there. Anyway...started 220 and lost 80 plus pounds since Aug 2011. Lost about 65 the first year and 15 this year. Even though I had a calorie set at 1200, I set out to lose 1 to 3 pounds a week or about 8 pounds a month. Its realistic. I also wanted to build muscle along the way because muscle burns more calories. I consume more calories not but I also burn more in exercise each day. If I ate my 1200, I probably would be damaging muscle.

I started but cleansing my body of the sugar cravings I had. That was important to get through that cycle. I actually started on The 17 day diet to help me get that initial kick start. I did not stay with it but went to reduced portions and got rid of the sweets and high carb intake. Boosted the veggies and some fruits along with lean protein. After I wen through my kick start, I initiated more exercise. Manly cardio. I have done more of the strength training now.

I think as the others say, you have to find your way. I wanted to be healthy not skinny. I have a book on my shelf that is called Fit not fat. You can be thin and still fat. Meaning your body has fat on it and not lean muscle.

The biggest thing for me was journaling what I ate and portion control. I also gave myself the 10 minute wait to see if I was eating because I was really hungry or eating to just kill time or some other emotional need I was feeling. It really helped.

All the best to you in your journey.

TheCaren · August 2013

I'm 5'4" and 44 years old.

SW: 165
GW: 125
CW: 120 ish

My suggestion is to calculate your BMR/TDEE and eat at a 15 to 20% deficit, whatever that number turns out to be. But whatever it is, according to my doctor, don't ever go below 1200 NET calories per day. Even when you're short.

3dogsrunning · August 2013

WIth about 25 lbs to lose, your weight loss per week goal should be around .5 - 1 lb a week. 1 lb a week will give you 1200, .5 will give you 1400.

Don't forget that MFP expects you to log any exercise and eat those calories back. So you can eat more than 1200 if you exercise or lower your goal, or both.

lumpy_spaceprincess · August 2013

I'm 5ft 3'' and i'd consider myself short, MFP recommended 1200 calories but my BMR is actually between 1200-1700.

I think 1200 is a little low, but it depends on the types of food you're eating too, of course!

lahstrand · August 2013

I'm 4'10''. I eat about 1200-1500 and lose about .5-1 lb a week. I eat close to 1500 on the days that I exercise. It can be hard...I feel like my hunger level and stomach can hold the same as a 6 ft person!

New short female needs advise!

Replies

Categories