Hi, I'm 5ft1 and 133, I have a heavier build so my goal is probably to lose 7 lbs-14lbs max. I've just started tracking my food, MFP gives me 1280 but then tracks iphone steps which gives me "extra" calories throughout the day. I'm unclear whether I should be considering those as additional calories or if I should stick to the 1280? I am starting to go to the gym but am not logging that. I always go over to about 1620 but then due to iphone steps (I do 13K on average) the net total is about 1450-1500. I know that's still pretty high but I'm unsure if that would allow me to lose weight in the long run or if I really need to go down to 1280 as if so my current net calories would be taken to more like 1100 from iphone steps alone. Advice would be very helpful thanks

Well one thing I have learned over time (and I mean a lot of years of up and down) is that you really cannot exercise your way to healthy weight loss. I think it helps some and does increase your TDEE but mostly just moving more seems to help. Plus it makes you feel better!

I have noticed that since I stopped going to the office in Mid March where I was walking more (my watch says I sit more minutes per hr than I did before) my weight has crept up. And I have actually increased my running distance and still do all the exercise. So I think you CAN use your steps and SHOULD use your steps as some extra but I don't think it's the complete picture. Everyone of us counts differently and eats different things and works out differently so what you have to do is personalize your own program. Trend weight aps are very helpful for us shorties also. I have been in deficit for about 2 weeks now yet I gained almost 1.5 pounds the last 2 days. Most likely because it's been so hot and I drank about 2 gallons or more of water yesterday. slosh slosh slosh.// It's hard for me NOT to react to the scale doing that when I know I am in deficit but as petites we really get some pretty large variations I think so just stay the course and if you are not losing in say 4 or 5 weeks (and I am older than cycles so that could effect you also) then you know you are off either in the way it's counting exercise or the way you are eating so you need to drop more cals. sadly.

It's definitely not fair being short! Right now I'm living with two men my age (26) who are trying to gain weight because they're so tall and it has been really hard to remind myself that I can't always have a snack when they get food out.