Shorter girls, what are your maintenance calories?

kimf79
kimf79 Posts: 59 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi!

I'm just trying to get a gauge of what are maintenance calories for those of you shorter ladies when you are at goal weight?

I'm 5'2'' and weigh about 114, and trying to figure out what my accurate maintenance calories would be. This would help me at least feel comfortable when I am not eating for weight loss, that I can at least be within maintenance calorie range.

I still want to lose a few more pounds but some days are harder than others to keep the calories low.

Thanks!!
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Replies

  • webneb
    webneb Posts: 41 Member
    freedieting.com bmr calculator is a great tool heres the link. Be honest with how much you exercise though because it makes a huge difference . http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
  • kimf79
    kimf79 Posts: 59 Member
    Thanks. I will take a look at this link. I have looked this information up before, and the number I come up with for maintenance is 1800 calories. I just get worried to trust this number, is it correct? That is why I am asking other people what their maintenance calories are.
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
    Anywhere between 1500-2000 depending on what im doing that day/week/month. I dont have a routine so its all over the place lol

    Edit to add im 5'1 and 107
  • kimf79
    kimf79 Posts: 59 Member
    Anywhere between 1500-2000 depending on what im doing that day/week/month. I dont have a routine so its all over the place lol

    Edit to add im 5'1 and 107

    Thanks for your input!! And you keep a steady weight and don't ever gain eating this amount?

    I feel like after being in the mindset of eating 1200 in the past, I am just wanting to make sure whatever I eat for maintenance wont cause me to gain any....
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
    I mean, I have bad days just like everyone else, but when I do I just balance it out over the next few days to get back to normal. Its all about finding a balance and a way of living that ur comfortable with. You will never be the same weight every morning for a month, it just doesnt happen. Accept that there will be fluctuations and dont stress about it
  • walleyclan1
    walleyclan1 Posts: 2,784 Member
    5 ft tall, 123 lbs. MFP put me at 1650 and that has worked so far with me eating back all of exercise calories. 2 months maintaining so far
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I think maintenance calories are primarily dependent upon your weight and activity level, rather than your height, so I'll pitch in even though I'm a little taller. Plus, I've always felt short next to my almost 6' sister. :wink:

    I'm 5'7" and I'm 130 pounds. I've been maintaining (within 1-2 pounds depending on TOM) for over two years at 1700 PLUS exercise. It took several weeks to figure out the right calorie level (I had to add extra calories over what MFP gave me because I kept dropping weight) but once I did figure out the number, it just seemed to work perfectly ever since. You just make adjustments until the weight levels out. I haven't needed to, but I guess any time your weight started to fluctuate again just make more adjustments. :flowerforyou:

    ETA: I guess another good point to make (As I looked back through the responses) is that maintenance is very dependent on the individual. I weigh a lot more than some of the other posters here, so you would think my maintenance calories would be higher. They seem to be lower than some. So you can't really predict what your needs will be unless you compare with people who have similar weight AND activity level to you.
  • VoodooAborisha
    VoodooAborisha Posts: 147 Member
    I'm 5 foot 2 inches, losing weight at 1200 cals net and also hoping for the ability to eat more for maintenance. I just about have to skip a meal to do 1200 calories. sucks to go get a burger OR fries, but never both! Interested to hear short successful maintainers' cals also. At the calories you all are quoting, 1650 - 1800 - I think I could live like that!
  • Lg1001
    Lg1001 Posts: 5
    I'm 5'3, around 114lbs and I maintain on around 2500-3000, I don't know if this is normal or not though!! It hasn't always been this way and it's only through eating 'real' food that this has seemed to happen!
  • tegalicious
    tegalicious Posts: 629
    I am 5'3 and 115 pounds and my Fitbit says my maintenance calories will be 2600. I am pretty active though.
  • emilyyyrussell
    emilyyyrussell Posts: 11 Member
    you should work out your bmr which is more specific to you and your lifestyle :) im 5ft 1' and maintain at around 1500 calories.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    5'1" and maintenance calories are around 2100 cals/day. i have a high lean body mass for my height though, which will make my BMR higher than average for my height.
  • linaa13
    linaa13 Posts: 8
    5'2 and I maintain around 1500-1800 IF I am working out.
    If I don't workout, then around 1300-1400.
    I'm trying to lose weight though.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    When I was tracking, I continued to lose at 1950+exercise. I am 5'3", 111lbs. I stopped tracking and eat what I want. Sometimes I binge on ice cream:) I work out hard. I am maintaining well now, and have been for 8 weeks. Track your calories and exercise and see what happens each week. If you lose, bump it up, if you gain, bump it down. You have to figure out what works for you.
  • mel4bee
    mel4bee Posts: 225 Member
    I want to lose maybe 2 other pounds but on MFP apparently as sedentary, it will be 1540. But I add about 350 calories burned everyday so it would be 1900. I'm 5'3 and 109.5 pounds
  • micheleld73
    micheleld73 Posts: 914 Member
    Hi!

    I'm just trying to get a gauge of what are maintenance calories for those of you shorter ladies when you are at goal weight?

    I'm 5'2'' and weigh about 114, and trying to figure out what my accurate maintenance calories would be. This would help me at least feel comfortable when I am not eating for weight loss, that I can at least be within maintenance calorie range.

    I still want to lose a few more pounds but some days are harder than others to keep the calories low.

    Thanks!!

    It depends on what kind of exercise you plan to maintain as well. According to my doctor I'm 5' 3.75" (but I like to say 5'4"). I eat between 1600-1900 calories a day with moderate daily exercising. After Thanksgiving I'm starting a more intensive strength training program and so will be upping my calories to feed the muscles. Find your base and then experiment until you maintain the goal you want...there is no exact science for everyone.

    ETA: I'm 118-122 lbs., and have been in that range since about April/May.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    I'm 5'0. My current maintenance is 2000-2100 calories. Desk job, burning around 300 calories per day via exercise (heavy lifting and HIIT 3 days a week, walking on off days). Also have a lot of lean mass.
  • speedy740
    speedy740 Posts: 141 Member
    I'm 5 foot 2 inches, losing weight at 1200 cals net and also hoping for the ability to eat more for maintenance. I just about have to skip a meal to do 1200 calories. sucks to go get a burger OR fries, but never both! Interested to hear short successful maintainers' cals also. At the calories you all are quoting, 1650 - 1800 - I think I could live like that!

    I was doing the burger OR fry thing too until I realized by throwing out either the bottom or top of the bun(which I actually find makes the burger taste more flavourful, squeezing out the extra grease from the burger, and putting on my own condiments save me a TON of calories I was able to do both meal items! Also I found happy meals and kids portions were my best friend, I got to eat everything and still under budget. A little off topic but maybe someone will find these ideas useful.
  • emjaycazz
    emjaycazz Posts: 330 Member
    I think it would be helpful to clarify whether or not the calories provided are MFP net vs. TDEE. I am still using MFP (net) calculations, and currently I am at 1500 (I started with 1430 but bumped it up recently). However, in terms of gross/total calories it ranges between 1500 and 1900 depending on my daily level of exercise.

    My TDEE calculations put me at around 1750 (which is consistent with the range I've provided).

    I am 5'1" and have been maintaining at 100 lbs since March.
  • xilka
    xilka Posts: 308 Member
    5'0ft 115lbs
    I maintain at 1880NET + exercise cals = 2250 approx

    Although, I focus more on my weekly intake, which usually comes out to about 15,500.
  • aNewYear123
    aNewYear123 Posts: 279 Member
    Try entering your information with you goal weight into some of the online calculators (they give different results so try a few and take an average). Your maintenance calories are going to be a personal thing. How much you burn is going to depend on a lot of things including your height, age, and activity level.
  • Claude1985
    Claude1985 Posts: 23 Member
    Hi,

    I'm 5'2, 119lb
    My TDEE is 1800 (with light activity)
    I eat between 1400 and 1500 when I want to lose weight + 30 min of exercise/day
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Use the MFP maintenance calorie calculator?

    It varies all of the place. People here keep saying they are tiny so can only eat 2000 to maintain. I'm 5'10", it says I need around 1450 and - wow - when I do that I maintain. Gender, age, weight, and height are the key determinants for their algorithm.

    Personally, I set myself to sedentary, use a fitbit to calculate my movement, and add in anything extraordinary I do in terms of eercise.
  • sassypants0923
    sassypants0923 Posts: 7,188 Member
    5'1" 110 lbs... about 1300-1500. Crap.
  • PapaverSomniferum
    PapaverSomniferum Posts: 2,670 Member
    Online calculators guess me (also 5'2") anywhere between 1100 to 1600. Through trial and error, I've found I maintain at about 1200-1300. I gain like crazy if I go over 1400.

    Lots of exercise for us short people, because eating that little sucks so very bad.

    edit to say that that's at a sedentary lifestyle at about 110lb. I exercise so I can eat more, but some weeks (months) exercise just doesn't happen on my schedule like it should, so it's back to ultra-annoying low intake.
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    I estimate my activity conservatively, which gives me a maintenance of 1520. However I exercise, and eat back those calories, so in practice I usually eat about 1600-1800 calories a day.
  • balancedbrunette
    balancedbrunette Posts: 530 Member
    From monitoring and working out my calories I maintain at around 1680, have been since May, I'm 112lbs and 5ft3 and make sure I exercise at least 3 times a week - which I guess is not a lot compared to some but I try and set a minimum to keep me focused, anything extra is a bonus! :) Exercise helps if your concerned with going from 1200 to anything more and thinking you might gain weight, i was like this for a while, i was eating around 1300-1400 while loosing and was afraid really to go anything over 1300 when i got down to my desired weight, but gradually bring it up and you'll find your body adjusts and finds its balance, some days i'm at maintenance others i'm not and I just seem to balance out ok at the end of the week :) Also resistence training really helps! :)
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    I think a useful addendum to this thread would be the acknowledgement that if you aren't weighing and measuring your food, you probably have no idea how much you are actually eating. I pretty much don't believe anyone who says they gain a ton of weight if they eat more than 1300 or 1400 calories a day, considering that is only 100 to 200 calories more than an average-sized woman's BMR. So unless you literally do nothing all day but sit on the couch and watch TV, I don't want to hear that you're gaining weight eating 1400 calories a day.

    I used to think the same thing until I actually started weighing things and realized I was eating about 500 more calories per day than I thought I was because I wasn't weighing calorie-dense foods like peanut butter, and I wasn't logging the handful of peppermints I would eat in the afternoons at work, and I didn't even think to count the half & half in my coffee or the oil/butter I used to sear my fish or steak. It adds up.
  • kimf79
    kimf79 Posts: 59 Member
    5 ft tall, 123 lbs. MFP put me at 1650 and that has worked so far with me eating back all of exercise calories. 2 months maintaining so far

    Thanks for your input! So you are netting 1650?

    Thanks :)
  • kimf79
    kimf79 Posts: 59 Member
    I think maintenance calories are primarily dependent upon your weight and activity level, rather than your height, so I'll pitch in even though I'm a little taller. Plus, I've always felt short next to my almost 6' sister. :wink:

    I'm 5'7" and I'm 130 pounds. I've been maintaining (within 1-2 pounds depending on TOM) for over two years at 1700 PLUS exercise. It took several weeks to figure out the right calorie level (I had to add extra calories over what MFP gave me because I kept dropping weight) but once I did figure out the number, it just seemed to work perfectly ever since. You just make adjustments until the weight levels out. I haven't needed to, but I guess any time your weight started to fluctuate again just make more adjustments. :flowerforyou:

    ETA: I guess another good point to make (As I looked back through the responses) is that maintenance is very dependent on the individual. I weigh a lot more than some of the other posters here, so you would think my maintenance calories would be higher. They seem to be lower than some. So you can't really predict what your needs will be unless you compare with people who have similar weight AND activity level to you.

    Thanks for your answer! In terms of activity level I do cardio at the gym about 4-5 times per week, burning about 400 calories each workout. I still actually want to lose a few pounds but sometimes when I go over I just want to make sure I am not getting into weight gaining territory and just eating at worst at my maintenance level.

    So you are eating 1700 net calories, or 1700 includes your workout calories?

    Thanks dear!

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