5'2-5'3 girls around 170lbs.. how many calories....

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shannak612
shannak612 Posts: 18
in Getting Started
im 25 with a height of 5'3 and I currently weigh 168lbs.. 2 weeks before starting MFP I lost 6lbs.. since ive started counting calories and exercising I haven't lost anything! just want to get a general idea of how many calories girls of my height and weight are eating and if they are loosing?

I am currently eating 1500 calories a day and exercising 3-4 days a week with a mix of cardio and strength training and I am not eating exercise calories back..
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  • gluteusassimus
    gluteusassimus Posts: 43
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    Keep in mind, you are probably gaining muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat. It can take a little bit before you really start lifting off, but generally if you burn about 500 calories a day, every day, you could possibly lose a pound a week. Now, with me, I eat like a bird. Not that I'm starving myself, I've just never had an appetite. So even though I can eat little, I still eat until I am satisfied. I'm not the best example, I'm sorry.
  • ReneeDawalga5100
    ReneeDawalga5100 Posts: 177 Member
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    5' 2" 167 pounds and I eat 1200 calories. I work out 2-3 times a week and eat back 1/2. Ive been on MFP for 2 weeks and lost about 4.5 pounds.
  • Mere_Dith
    Mere_Dith Posts: 17 Member
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    I'm 5'3" and I started at 164lbs. I ate at 1200 calories per day (though I went over on the weekends with alcohol) to lose the first 28 lbs and took boxing/kickboxing and Zumba classes. The I took the summer off and maintained at around 1600 class per day, now I'm working on losing the last 10 pounds and eating at 1450 cals per day and adding running twice a weeks to workouts.

    I know a lot of people on here don't agree with 1200 cal plan, but it worked and I didn't gain the weight back when I upped my calories. I think shorter people need less calories generally.
  • h_jeffrey
    h_jeffrey Posts: 23 Member
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    I'm a little older and a little heavier than you, but I'm 5'3" (if I round up :wink: ). I have my goal set to lose 1.5 lbs a week and MFP has my net calories at 1,200. If I exercise, I get the 1,200 calories + whatever exercise calories I have "earned" for the day. So far, it's been working for me. I eat my exercise calories (maybe not all of them, depending on my hunger levels).

    Hope that helps!
  • shannak612
    shannak612 Posts: 18
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    I have tried eating the MFP suggested 1200 cals a day but I found I was not satisfied and very irritable. I was crying because I was so hungry and miserable lol and I knew that I could eat exercise cals back but I didn't want to risk over estimating my calorie burns and eating too much back so I though that if I just ate 1500 cals a day and not eat exercise calories back that I would be ok. But so far no such luck on seeing the scale drop and ive been at this for about a month now... I know I shouldn't focus on the number so much and focus on my body and the way my clothes fit and inches and all that.. but I honestly don't feel or see any difference in anything
  • Isshman809
    Isshman809 Posts: 2
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    If you exercising often and making the work outs worth while, you may need to increase your calories. For me the minimal is 1600 calories. My nutritionist told me and my wife 1800 calories is a good place to start and work from there. Also keep in mind you are working out often, you are gaining muscle. Muscle is twice the weight of fat, the fat could be dissipating and the muscle increasing. We were encouraged to measure areas like abdomen, upper legs, arms, neck and so forth and monitor it this way. Another things I was told... I was eating mostly once a day... at night. I was told this is not a good idea. Eat at least three meals a day and one snack. Also try to keep the bulk of your carbs in the morning and more of your proteins in the evening. Also, when working out, make sure you are working out a minimal of 150 minutes a week. When involved with cardio, keep your heart rate at the correct levels. (formula is: 220 - age = estimated heart rate. Estimated heart rate x .85 for top of range and Estimated heart rate x .60 for bottom end of heart rate range). So in a nut shell, I try to hit the gym 3 times a week. 150 total minutes / 3 times a week = 50 minutes cardio per visit. In addition I was told to do weight training as well. Sounds like you have this established already. This advice cost me about $400.00 to talk to specialists... hope it helps you. If you have any type of physical problems, please consult your doctor first and discuss it with him/her.

    Rodney Mulhollem, MA
    Psychotherapist
  • mjkanaan
    mjkanaan Posts: 78 Member
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    I'm 5'3" and was trying to do the 1200 calories plus exercise calories thing, but it was too stressful for me trying to figure out how many exercise calories I might get in, since I tend to exercise later in the day or evening, and didn't want to end up eating a bunch of calories later in the day to make up for it, and starving myself earlier in the day. I finally switched over to the TDEE - 15% method since I am now within 10-15 pounds of my goal weight and it's so much easier and less stressful for me since I get the same amount of calories every day. I calculated my estimated calories based on my activity level (exercise is already included in there), and then subtracted 15% and I get about 1750 a day. It seems like a lot, but I've been steadily losing about a pound a week since doing that, and since I'm close to my goal, I think that's reasonable. I started at 168 as well, and I'm now down to 151 as of last week. And I'm not starving! :smile:
  • Mere_Dith
    Mere_Dith Posts: 17 Member
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    If you bulk up your diet with lots of vegetables (especially greens) and fruit, you'll find it easier to cut back you calories a little bit more. You should probably also cut out added sugar in your diet because it will really it messes with you mind and metabolism when trying to diet making you think you're hungry when you're really just craving another sugar fix.
  • Boofuls
    Boofuls Posts: 47 Member
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    Hello!

    I'm 5'2" and 179 so a bit bigger. I am losing about 1-1.5 a week on 1480. I eat back about half my exercise calories.
  • shannak612
    shannak612 Posts: 18
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    I'm 5'3" and was trying to do the 1200 calories plus exercise calories thing, but it was too stressful for me trying to figure out how many exercise calories I might get in, since I tend to exercise later in the day or evening, and didn't want to end up eating a bunch of calories later in the day to make up for it, and starving myself earlier in the day. I finally switched over to the TDEE - 15% method since I am now within 10-15 pounds of my goal weight and it's so much easier and less stressful for me since I get the same amount of calories every day. I calculated my estimated calories based on my activity level (exercise is already included in there), and then subtracted 15% and I get about 1750 a day. It seems like a lot, but I've been steadily losing about a pound a week since doing that, and since I'm close to my goal, I think that's reasonable. I started at 168 as well, and I'm now down to 151 as of last week. And I'm not starving! :smile:

    so do u think the 1500 is not enough for me? maybe I should try eating 1600-1700 a day and see how that goes for a while. because my tdee-15% is just below yours it was 1733 and -20% is 1631
  • jherold41300
    jherold41300 Posts: 27 Member
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    I am 5'2 and roughly the same weight and have been using MFP constantly since Memorial day time frame and have lost 18 pounds. MFP has me at 1600 cals a day and I try to get at least 3 days of cardio in a week. This seems to working pretty well for me and at the end of the day even if I didn't get any exercise in for the day I still feel satisified. I know that when i started using MFP again around Memorial day I was frustrated the for the first month or so as well but then I remembered from the nutrition class that I took that it will take your body at least 21 days to adjust to new changes in diet and exercise. Just give yourself some time to get adjusted to your new routine and you should start seeing results.
  • Nachise
    Nachise Posts: 395 Member
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    I could see 1200 for someone who is sedentary, but not for someone who is working out.
  • shannak612
    shannak612 Posts: 18
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    I could see 1200 for someone who is sedentary, but not for someone who is working out.

    Yeah, I tried that and quickly found it was not for me. I am going to bump up my calories a bit and see what that does.
  • SIimMama
    SIimMama Posts: 131 Member
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    My advice is to find what works for you. Everyone is different.

    Look at your food choices, make sure you are estimating you calories correctly. Measure when you can, especially things like PB, syrup, mayo--those can add up to a lot more than you think!

    Lift weights, (heavy) it doesn't burn as many calories, but that is what will change your body size/shape! The cardio is really just so you can eat a little more.

    1500 calories sounds like a pretty good average to me, but like I said before, play around with things and find what works for you AND what you can maintain in the long term.

    How long have you been on MFP? You may just need to give it a little more time.

    Hope that helps
  • LessthanKris
    LessthanKris Posts: 607 Member
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    I am only 5"1 and 32 but I started at 169.8 almost six weeks ago. MFP put me at 1200 to lose 1.5 lbs. I am down more than 9 lbs right now. I exercise 6 days a week and gain at least another 300 calories to eat back which I find to be more than enough to feel satisfied most days. If you can afford it, I would suggest a heart rate monitor. I use mine for every workout and I have lost consistantly in my six weeks.

    Also, it may feel obsessive but I started weighing in every day to see how much I fluctuate every day. It was a suggestion on here and it helps determine if there are times that you just weight more. I found I stall in my lose during ovulation and the general gain during that TOM.
  • 2BLser
    2BLser Posts: 2 Member
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    Try to remember that not all calories are created equal. I've done lots of research and found that the recommendation is to eat 3 smaller meals with 2 snacks in between. Make sure that you include protein and fibre in every meal/snack (i.e. veggies with hummus or whole grain melba toast with almond butter) I also include a smoothie meal during the day.

    Also important to drink at least 3 liters of water per day. If you spread it out between meals and snacks you shouldn't be hungry.
    Hope this helps.
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
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    I would start by getting a food scale, measuring and weighing all of your intake for a few days to see if you're really eating 1500 calories. It is very easy to underestimate what you're eating. I bet you'll be surprised at what you find.
  • jadethief
    jadethief Posts: 266 Member
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    I'm 5'1" and 177 lbs. . . .52 years old.

    I walk 3 to 5 miles a day. My base calories are 1465 and I eat my exercise calories back. I use a Body Media Fit and I usually end up eating anywhere from 1900 to 2200 gross. I try to keep my deficit at 500 but sometimes it's less and sometimes it's more.

    I'm losing an average of 1.3 lbs per week.

    ETA: I weigh and measure all food and I eat whatever I want.
  • Pnutcashew
    Pnutcashew Posts: 24 Member
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    I am 5'2" and weighed 163 when I first started losing weight. I started eating 1250 a day and walking 20 minutes 3-4 times a week. After 25 months, I upped to 1350-1400 a day and walk 3-4 times a week as well as hike and circuit train a few times a week. I currently weigh 131. I do eat exercise back but try to make them healthy calories like veggies or fruit.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    I'm not really trying right now but I was losing on 1700 approximately and only walking 30 to 55 minutes 5 - 6 days a week. I'm 5'2 and older.

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