5'4" Ladies!!! What do your maintanence calories look like?

Dr_Mouse
Dr_Mouse Posts: 14 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hey there!

I'm on an effort to maintain my weight right now, but I was just wondering if I'm eating too much? It's hard to tell, because I've only just started since the last three weeks. I feel like I've gained fat, but the scale has not gone up save maybe a pound.

I eat 1,800 calories, and I'm a freshman at college who works out every day. Usually my workouts consist of 30 - 40 minutes strength training (either free weights for the arms or squats/lunges/machines for legs) and some form of 30 min. cardio. I walk to all my classes, but that's not a lot of walking compared to how much sitting I do to study.

So many online calculators say 18 year old females need at least 1800 to 2000 calories a day. Yet I see many 5'4" (and shorter) women on here who eat under 1600. What do you guys think???
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Replies

  • litsy3
    litsy3 Posts: 783 Member
    Those people probably don't work out as much as you do. Also it depends what weight they are trying to maintain at.

    I am 5'4'' and maintain at 116lbs, and I eat at least 2300 calories a day, usually more, because I am very active.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    i am 5ft5 and 133lbs and i maintain on about 1900-2000 cals net.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    I'm much older than you at 5'4 and mine will be about 1800 -2000 to maintain. I work out at least 5 days a week.
  • GatorDeb1
    GatorDeb1 Posts: 245 Member
    1500 at 117-120 lbs (without exercise).
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,283 MFP Moderator
    I'm 5'4 and weigh 133 pounds. My maintenance calories are 1660 if I'm SEDENTARY (which I'm not). I maintain on about 1800 to 2000 calories a day - I run 3 to 4 times a week and am fairly active even on non-run days. :) And actually, I'm still losing... so haven't quite figured out what I should really be eating to maintain.

    Edit to add: I'm 35.
  • Bellodesiderare
    Bellodesiderare Posts: 278 Member
    5'4.5", 30 years old. Workout 5-6x/week for an hour/hour and a half. Heavy Lifting, Cardio, HIIT. I eat 1700-1900 calories day. I weigh 142 lbs.
  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
    So many online calculators say 18 year old females need at least 1800 to 2000 calories a day. Yet I see many 5'4" (and shorter) women on here who eat under 1600. What do you guys think???

    I'm on around 1600 a day (with 40 mins cardio, 4 times a week).
    I'm 5ft 3.5", 128lbs, medium framed.....but i'm 48 yrs old - so age does play a part in this.
    I do go over 1600 on quite a few days though. :wink:
    But 1800-2000 sounds about right for you!
  • HealthyBodySickMind
    HealthyBodySickMind Posts: 1,207 Member
    I'm 5' 4.75"

    Before lifting and pregnancy, I maintained at 109-111 lbs on about 1740 cal/day, if I was doing nothing exercise-wise.

    When I started lifting, I needed closer to 1950 cal/day net.

    Now that I'm breastfeeding and lifting, it's about 2600 to maintain.
  • butterbear1980
    butterbear1980 Posts: 234 Member
    5 3.5 34year old 140-144 cross fit 4xs/week, active job, 3 kids. I'm surprised my tdee isn't higher but its 2400-2800.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I maintain on around 2000. Some days less, some days more (I use an activity tracker). I weigh 125 lbs and I have a desk job.
  • F00LofaT00K
    F00LofaT00K Posts: 688 Member
    It depends on your activity level as well as age/height/weight. I maintain at 2400. I'm currently working my way up to that to transition into maintenance. I work in a warehouse lifting 50+lb boxes and pushing, pulling, carrying heavy things on top of speed-walking at least 8 miles throughout my day. The more active you are, the more calories you need.

    The larger you are, the more calories you need. If you're maintaining at 130lbs, you'll need to eat more food than if you were maintaining at 120lbs.

    The more muscle you have, the more calories you need.

    The older you get, your metabolism tends to slow and you would need fewer calories. A 50yr old woman needs less to maintain the same as an otherwise identical 20yr old.

    As you can see, it's all very individualized. What other women in your height range are eating won't be of very much help in determining your own caloric needs for maintenance. Online calculators are only an estimate. They can get you pretty close (and sometimes they're dead on, depending on the individual) so they can be an excellent starting point, but it will be some trial and error to get a real, accurate number for yourself.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    What everyone else said about activity levels. Your weight is a factor too- the less one weighs, the fewer calories are required, all other things being equal.

    I'm 5'4", 118 pounds, 27 years old, but I maintain on 1500-ish a day if I'm not exercising because I have an office job and sit on my butt all day. If I want to eat more I have to move more.

    Maintaining is lots of trial and error and it won't be the same for everyone.
  • Laura3BB
    Laura3BB Posts: 250 Member
    I'm 43, 5.5, 150 pounds, sendenteray job, no sports but walking.

    Maintaining at 2000.
  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
    5'3.5" 121 lbs maintaining on 2350. My activity is standing, cleaning house, taking care of my kids and I weightlift 3x a week
  • Nicole_BGA
    Nicole_BGA Posts: 45 Member
    I'm 5.41/2 so please excuse my half inch!!! I do very little exercise and I can maintain at 1750-1800.
  • MeganFexevans
    MeganFexevans Posts: 2
    You can also base it off your current Wight. Take your current weight and multiply it by 10 than add your excersis calorys burned. This is your mantens calorys you do not need to eat this by any means you just should not eat more than that. to get your calorie Deficit subtract what you eat/drink. this will let you know about how much weight you should expect to loos or gain pending on your numbers. Example I am 293 lb there for I can have 2930 calories without gaining. If I do 300 PA (Phisical activity) I add that = 3230 subtracted food 2000 I would have a deficit of 1230 I will loos about 1/3 lb. Don't expect to see it on the scale evry day water waight plays a factor. but calculate a months worth and I find it to be priddy accurate.
    I
  • mruntidy
    mruntidy Posts: 1,015 Member
    Hmmm so seems a lot of women notice that extra half inch then...
  • MissLeelooDallas
    MissLeelooDallas Posts: 145 Member
    I'm 5'3", 104 pounds, and I net 1460 cal/day. I run 5k 5 days a week and on those five days I also do another 4-5 miles of walking and about 10 minutes of strength training. On those days, I'm usually eating around 1900-2000 calories. My other two days, I have 'rest days'. I'll go out and have fun, but I don't do my workouts. Those days, I'm usually sitting on a straight 1460 for the day.

    *Edited to add that I'm 30 years old.
  • sassyjae21
    sassyjae21 Posts: 1,217 Member
    Hmmm so seems a lot of women notice that extra half inch then...

    lol.

    I'm 5'4 and haven't figured it out yet lol. That's why i'm poking my nose in here. I usually try to stay around 1600 no matter what. I have a desk job and sit on my bum all day, also. And I haven't been able to work out for the last week and a half. And I haven't been logging food. And I haven't got on the scale in like 2 weeks. So I really don't know and prob don't want to know what's going on. Lol i've been slacking. But I plan on getting back on it starting yesterday. I've only been at maintenance for about 2 months.
  • alereck
    alereck Posts: 343 Member
    You work out a lot, sounds like a good number but I think the scale/measurements are a better indication. Like you said, 3 weeks is not a long time so just play with it.

    5’7” 123.5 lbs – 2,000

    I’ve been increasing calories for the last 4 months trying to gage my maintenance calories while trying to slow bulk but my numbers are pretty steady, so I might go up a bit more in a few weeks.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    1800 cals a day for me, to maintain 120 lbs. I'm 26. I don't eat back exercise calories, and sometimes I just average 1800 over the course of a week, versus hitting that exact number each day.

    I don't excersize heavily, I rarely burn over 100 calories during a workout. So I don't try to eat any back.
  • Kymmu
    Kymmu Posts: 1,650 Member
    I'm 5'4 had a dexa scan done and it said 1200 cals.
    That was not taking exercise into account.
  • JazzFischer1989
    JazzFischer1989 Posts: 531 Member
    I'm 5'3.5" and I eat around 14-1600 calories (though I'm trying to gradually add to that as I want to gain some weight. I'm 94-95lbs). And I only workout ~twice a week for 45-60 minutes.

    So I think you're fine, assuming you're not way underweight like I am.
  • sarafischbach9
    sarafischbach9 Posts: 466 Member
    Do I want to admit how many calories I eat?

    I'm just under 5'4"... technically I'm 5.3'5". I was maintaining at 103 lbs but right now I'm fluctuating between 104-105 lbs. Not sure what is going on right now... All I know is that I will lose weight on 1800-2000 calories, but that is only because I'm very active. When I was maintaining at 103 lbs for 3 months, I ate between 1900-2500 calories a day with an average of 2200-2300 kcal.

    Here is the catch though.... I am training for a marathon. In July and August I was running between 45 to 55 miles per week. Just recently upped my mileage to 60 miles per week and my appetite has been bad, leaving me in between 2000-2700 calories. Luckily I think I netted just 1 lb of weight gain, but I still have to be careful.

    So I'd say I eat anywhere between 2000-2600 most days with an occasional day under 2000 when I'm resting and an occasional day over 2600 when I run, like 18 or 20 miles. I've maxed out at 2900 calories and I remember it didn't even bloat me, but I ran 20 miles that day and walked like 5 in addition to that.

    I'm very very active though. I run a lot and burn through all my food, so I think most women my height and weight would gain a heavy amount of weight on my diet.
  • steff274
    steff274 Posts: 227 Member
    Hey I am 5ft 2 I am 105 pounds never really ment to maintain that low but here I am!! I work with horses and do alot of gym activities.. My maintenance is 1830 but on days that I work on the yard then go to the gym afterwards it's not enough! Go up to 2000 and sometimes over that.. Have a naughty habit of if I have a day off the next day will drink my excersize calories in wine and vodka! :p
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
    I've been maintaining for six months. My maintanance calories are about 1850.
  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
    I'm just under 5'4"... technically I'm 5.3'5".

    So I'd say I eat anywhere between 2000-2600 most days.........
    I'm very very active though. I run a lot and burn through all my food, so I think most women my height and weight would gain a heavy amount of weight on my diet.

    The days of eating 2600 cals a day and not gaining are far behind me i'm afraid. :sad: :wink:
    I'm the same height and maintain (128 lbs) at around 1600, but don't do half as much exercise as you!
    Gonna definitely start upping my game though - with more Resistance Style Training.
  • JGonzo82
    JGonzo82 Posts: 167 Member
    I'm 32 years old & very active; most days I eat in the neighborhood of 2500 cal, currently ~143 lbs with relatively low bodyfat.
  • dancedivine
    dancedivine Posts: 18 Member
    I'm 5'4" - a bit older than you are & hovering around 123.5 pounds... ;) But, my body fat weight scale tells me I can eat around 2,100 calories each day to maintain my weight. I work out pretty regularly as well - weights and cardio. So, I figure as long as I keep it around 2,000 calories or less each day, I'm good. Of course, MyFitnessPal wants to give me a much lower calorie allowance & I don't like seeing that red, negative number each day.... But, as long as I'm not gaining weight, I'm happy!
  • cosmonew
    cosmonew Posts: 513 Member
    thanks for this thread... I am 5'4 and still working on weight loss. Wondering what maintenance will look like.
    My goal was 145... which would put me at the tip of the "normal weight" bmi... but I see so many folks are so many pounds under that... I guess I'll wait and see what 145 looks and feels like.

    Congratulations on moving to Maintenance.

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