Advice needed from other shorties :)

DMC1103
DMC1103 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm only a shortie at 5'1 feet tall - i weigh in at 119 lbs - looking to get down too 100lbs. I stick to my calorie intake of 1200 calories a day and gym (cardio and weight training) 5 times a week. Over the last 4 weeks i have lost 5 pounds, during that time i have gone up and down.. which is always a little stressful because i don't think i am getting anywhere (im not sure if 5 pounds at my weight and height is enough for 4 weeks?)

You read so much on the internet - some say your ideal weight is 90 lbs - others say don't eat sugar- then someone else says who cares if you eat sugar as long as you are under your calorie goal at the end of the day.

It all gets a little confusing.

Does anyone out there have any 'golden weightloss rules' for shorties? things that you kept too that worked for you?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Replies

  • EmmaReed84
    EmmaReed84 Posts: 263 Member
    This was really hard for me, but mine was to make sure I ate a MINIMUM of 1200 calories a day... I always aim for 1400, but I only have a tiny appetite, and truth be told, I could probably get away with just eating one meal a day and not feeling hungry, but I know what is not healthy, so I try really hard to make sure I am getting enough calories!

    When people kept telling me to eat more, I was convinced I would put on weight! And guess what... I did put on weight!! About 1/2 a stone!

    However, I lost loads of inches, and so many people kept asking me if I lost weight, then were shocked when I told them I had put it on... I have done weights etc and a lot of work in the gym.

    But I personally find, eating that bit more has helped a lot!
  • DMC1103
    DMC1103 Posts: 3
    that's great advice! thank you. I tend to dip below the 1200 and like you could probably get away with a single meal a day. The thought of putting on weight though scares me a bit... cause you work so hard to get it off!

    Ill try and hit the 1200 calorie mark more consistently and see if the results follow. Thank you!
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    Losing weight for us is no different than for everyone else - we just have a harder time creating a sustainable deficit since we're starting with a smaller TDEE. Ignore silliness about cutting out sugar or fat unless you've got a medical reason to do so.

    Definitely make sure you're eating enough and getting enough protein - don't forget to eat back some of those exercise calories or you'll end up losing more muscle than you'd like.

    For your height and weight, 1 lb/ wk is more than fast enough weight loss. You should probably think about switching to 0.5 lb / wk soon - again, to help preserve muscle mass.
  • echoslug
    echoslug Posts: 73 Member
    Not a shortie myself but my training partner is 5'1". Here's some general advice based on the system we follow to get results.

    100 lbs seems like it would put your right on the borderline for being underweight. 5lbs in 4 weeks is plenty. That's just above 1lb a week. I might even drop the goal down to 1lb every 2 weeks to make sure you are getting the nutrition you need to stay healthy with a 5 x week exersize plan.

    Personally I tend to use Body Fat Percentage and Height-Waist ratio when determining my goals and shoot for the numbers that put me at a decreased risk of health problems - around 24% BF and .7-.8 waist. I find that when I'm hitting those numbers I look great, am in good physical shape and fall nicely into the healthy weight range for my height. Also with that much exercise take measurements, your weight is going to fluctuate a bit because ideally you're decreasing fat while building muscle through the strength training. Measurements however should show you pretty good progress though.

    Funny enough when I was looking my best (20% BF, 36-27-37) I weighed 150 lbs which is almost 20lbs more than I weight now with a 29% BF and 28.5 inch waist. She is currently at 115 lbs but has a figure that would make you drool (40-26-38).
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Losing weight for us is no different than for everyone else - we just have a harder time creating a sustainable deficit since we're starting with a smaller TDEE. Ignore silliness about cutting out sugar or fat unless you've got a medical reason to do so.

    Definitely make sure you're eating enough and getting enough protein - don't forget to eat back some of those exercise calories or you'll end up losing more muscle than you'd like.

    For your height and weight, 1 lb/ wk is more than fast enough weight loss. You should probably think about switching to 0.5 lb / wk soon - again, to help preserve muscle mass.

    This.

    Don't restrict anything or you'll end up going off the deep end. Work foods you normally eat/love into your calorie goal. Eat your exercise calories. Profit.
  • DMC1103
    DMC1103 Posts: 3
    Thank you! I should have posted my questions earlier - this is such great advice, honestly!
  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
    I'm 5'1", 125ish lbs and happy there. If I lose much more, my pants all fall off and I feel like I look sickly.
    My advice would be eat whatever you want in moderation, and keep moving.
  • Cheeky_and_Geeky
    Cheeky_and_Geeky Posts: 984 Member
    I'm 5'1" & weigh 121lbs. I'm more focused on toning up, gaining muscle, & losing inches. I net at least 1350/day & workout 30mins/day (HIIT Cardio, Kickboxing, yoga, strength training, Pilates). Watch your macros. Make sure you're getting enough protein to build & keep those muscles (fish, chicken, beans, peanuts)! Eat 2-3 servings of fruit & 3-5 servings of veggies every single day. Everything else will fall into place. I've never done a low fat or low carb diet. I eat everything I did before, just less. Remember to take your measurements. For the most accurate results, buy a food scale & HRM. Good luck!

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