Shorter girls, what are your maintenance calories?

2»

Replies

  • kimf79
    kimf79 Posts: 59 Member
    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!

    Wow that's awesome! Those are about my stats, for height and weight!
  • kimf79
    kimf79 Posts: 59 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.

    I hear what your saying, I do weigh and track my food pretty accurately. Sure there are times I go out to eat and I'm estimating portion sizes but after being acquainted with portion sizes for awhile, I think I'm pretty decent at determining how much I'm eating.

    I am pretty active also but its been doing a lot of cardio which burns calories but I haven't necessarily built lean body mass, which maybe I need to. I think since I have started eating more I may have gained but I have splurge nights sometimes which may add up. Anyways I need to get back to losing a few lbs, and then find my right maintenance level. Thank you for your input!! :-)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 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.

    Nobody has a TDEE of exactly XXXX calories...any of these calculators are good starting points...you have to make adjustments as per real world results. Also, you're really going to have more of a maintenance range than one specific number. For me, I maintain pretty much any calorie amount between light active and moderate active on these TDEE calculators. I've been maintaining for 6 months easily...you just have to do some trial and error.

    Also recognize that your maintenance weight isn't going to be static...people freak out and start cutting because they gain a couple pounds when they go to maintenance...when all you are doing is replenishing your chronically depleted glycogen stores. Also, you're going to have natural fluctuations up and down...on average I weigh about 183 but get as low as 178 and as high as 186 from day to day throughout any given week. These are just normal BW fluctuations, not fat.
  • xLaPetiteFille
    xLaPetiteFille Posts: 76
    My doctor told me not to eat over 900 calories for maint...I'm doing this all wrong, aren't i
  • nvpixie
    nvpixie Posts: 483 Member
    I'm 4'11" and about 110. Maintenance calories for me are around 1600. I don't exercise much.
  • Amym26
    Amym26 Posts: 83 Member
    I am 5 foot 3 and half (that half is important!) and I eat between 1850 to 2200. But I don't how helpful that is as I still drop weight! I think you just have to play around with 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

    Thanks for your input! So you are netting 1650?

    Thanks :)

    yes ma'am!
  • viglet
    viglet Posts: 299 Member
    My doctor told me not to eat over 900 calories for maint...I'm doing this all wrong, aren't i

    If I had to eat 900 calories a day for the rest of my life, I would just off myself (not at all saying you should).

    I honestly hate my life if I eat anywhere close to 1200. But that is just me.
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
    Get a fitbit one and then you will know your calorie burn since your activity probably varies from day to day. I'm 5'2" and weigh 118-120. Been at that weight for probably a year. Some days I eat 1400 calories and some days 3,000 but that is just maybe once a week.
  • She_Hulk
    She_Hulk Posts: 277
    I'm 5'2, 115 lbs. To maintain I eat around 1750 calories a day. Usually less (around 1600-1650), but no more than 1750. I may be able to go over that, but I have never tried. Sorry. Right now, I'm cutting, so my cals are much lower. Good luck!
  • trophywife24
    trophywife24 Posts: 1,472 Member
    2000 calories :)
  • 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!

    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.

    Thank you for your imput! It's interesting you say this, because my sister says that back in the 60's and 70's when they used to go out for burgers and fries, the portions for adults were EXACTLY what she sees in a child's happymeal - i.e. what they used to eat before everybody got fat. I will try that. hey, one extra toy for my little boy, right?
  • LiftHeavyWeights
    LiftHeavyWeights Posts: 336 Member
    5' 2" height, achieved goal June as far as bf% goes. Still trying to get stronger and build more muscle. Exercising 6 days/ week emphasis on Strength training. CW 114 lbs. Trying to push weight higher to help with training results. Have to keep raising calories as weight drops and body fat returns otherwise. Current calories 2500. Burning between 300 to 500 calories a day through exercise. Sedentary lifestyle otherwise. (see profile for more information)
  • flumi_f
    flumi_f Posts: 1,888 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

    5'1'' / 65kg - I'm not at maintanance yet (11kg to go). Right now TDEE 1700 (lightly active) . Doing TDEE - 20-25% + some of my exercise cals and losing fine. So I would assume 1500-1600+exercise cals at maintanance will be OK for me.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    My doctor told me not to eat over 900 calories for maint...I'm doing this all wrong, aren't i

    I read your profile, and if that's you in your photos, and you feel you may have an ED, you should really seek professional assessment and not try to lose 28 lbs. I also do not understand why your doctor would suggest that you do not exceed 900 calories to maintain weight.
  • laineybz
    laineybz Posts: 704 Member
    I'm 5"2, 109lbs activity level is sedentary and i maintain around 1500 eating exercise cals back.
  • summer8it
    summer8it Posts: 433 Member
    I'm 5'2", maintaining 102 pounds on a calorie goal of 1750. I calculated my exercise into that TDEE number, so I don't subtract out/eat back exercise calories.
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
    i always thought i was 5'4, apparently i am 5'5, tdee calculations for me are about 1800s, mfp puts me in the 1600s. my doctor at the eating disorder clinic told me everyone regardless of size needs to eat 2000 calories. i feel like she is just trying to fatten me up though, but according to her it doesn't matter. hermmm.
  • kamakazeekim
    kamakazeekim Posts: 1,183 Member
    My body's hormones are all screwed up so my calories are way lower than most people. If I eat 1000 calories a day I will maintain. If I want to lose weight I have to eat between 800-900 calories which is nearly impossible because then I feel hungry all the time :(
  • DesireeNL
    DesireeNL Posts: 220 Member
    I'm 5' 116lbs and maintain around 1800.
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
    4'10" here. I maintained my weight of 103 pounds for about a year and a half eating at about 1800-2000 calories. I got down to 102 pounds in August and have been maintaining that weight since. I started marathon training in August, so it was probably the increase in activity that did it.

    When I wasn't marathon training I was still running quite a bit (40-50 miles per week), thus my TDEE was always at around 1800-2200. I wore a FitBit for a while so I have a good idea/approximation of what my energy needs are.
  • Lillyloooo
    Lillyloooo Posts: 174 Member
    Bump for later
  • Mitzigan94
    Mitzigan94 Posts: 393 Member
    I eat between 1400 to 1500 maintaining 120 pounds(sedentary lifestyle)

    But, if I'm on moderate activity my maintenance is 1700.

    Strenous activity 2300.

    But Im pretty sure if I get down to 100 pounds, my sedentary maintenance will be 1470.
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
    can't you just use your data to guess at this point? You've lost 21lbs, I'm assuming you tracked?
  • Mitzigan94
    Mitzigan94 Posts: 393 Member
    5'0 by the way,:D
  • Mitzigan94
    Mitzigan94 Posts: 393 Member
    5'0 by the way,:D
  • Juliane_
    Juliane_ Posts: 373 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.

    Nobody has a TDEE of exactly XXXX calories...any of these calculators are good starting points...you have to make adjustments as per real world results. Also, you're really going to have more of a maintenance range than one specific number. For me, I maintain pretty much any calorie amount between light active and moderate active on these TDEE calculators. I've been maintaining for 6 months easily...you just have to do some trial and error.

    Also recognize that your maintenance weight isn't going to be static...people freak out and start cutting because they gain a couple pounds when they go to maintenance...when all you are doing is replenishing your chronically depleted glycogen stores. Also, you're going to have natural fluctuations up and down...on average I weigh about 183 but get as low as 178 and as high as 186 from day to day throughout any given week. These are just normal BW fluctuations, not fat.

    Guys!!! this is so true! I'm 5' tall and I'm still trying to lose weight. Sometimes I eat 1200 or 1300 or 1100. It all depends on my caloric deficit/surplus/maintenance for that day because sometimes I exercise and sometimes I don't. Additionally I have a fitbit which adjust MFP calories based on how active my day is. I get to eat more on the days that I'm active...say a day walking all over manhattan or at the mall. My caloric intake is personalized everyday on the "fly" based on my activity level for the day. No more guessing.

    If you modify your calorie settings on MFP to reflect the Olivia Method (you may search for it on this message board) you will be able to guide your TDEE and/or caloric needs (deficit/surplus/maintanance) on a daily basis guided by the amount of activity you do each day. It takes all the guesswork out of the equation. Your TDEE changes on a daily basis. The calculators are a starting point just the he said above.
  • essjay76
    essjay76 Posts: 465 Member
    Been maintaining my weight for the past couple of years (also lost a pound) eating up to about 2400 calories, depending on my activity level.

    Most calculators estimate my TDEE at around 2200. BMR is around 1000. I wore a FitBit for a while and that was around the same.

    4'10", 102 pounds.

Categories