Short people out there- whats your experience?

mrihel6615
mrihel6615 Posts: 37 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 4'10, roughly 130 pounds.
I started off in January at 142 pounds,
But it has been a slow process of losing weight.
I *try* to eat around 1100-1200 calories a day.
But, I'll admit I don't weigh things and I'm probably not even close to right.
But, I try to eat shy of my actual goal to help accommodate that.
But, I'm not sure how many calories I should be aiming towards.
Online calculators usually just go with the basic 1200 calories,
And others say I'd need to eat 500-700 calories to lose weight.
What's your experience with how many calories you can eat to lose weight?

Replies

  • refuseresist
    refuseresist Posts: 934 Member
    edited October 2014
    I am experimenting with 1330 and sometimes more. I can lose weight on this.
    I lost weight previously on 1100 but was very hungry and did not have energy to exercise much. I am 4'11 currently 115lb. I find it easier when I eat more protein 30-35 % and exercise hard.
  • UmmSqueaky
    UmmSqueaky Posts: 715 Member
    In my experience as a short person who has lost a great deal of weight, accuracy is key. Get a scale and accurately track your food, 1200 calories a day. Do that for several weeks and evaluate. Can't evaluate until you do it accurately in the first place.

    Also read this:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242
  • GingerNerdgasm
    GingerNerdgasm Posts: 2
    I'm 5'3" and around 190lbs, and it seems like it's even harder BECAUSE I'm short! I've tried a lot of different diets, but I know my doctor has always told me to aim around 1000-1200 calories to lose weight, and about 1400 to maintain a healthy weight. And it's always wise to make sure you take a multi-vitamin to supplement the stuff your body doesn't get from the diet.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    edited October 2014
    Weight loss should be a slow process for many reasons including slow reduction in muscle loss. It should also be a learning lesson in health management so you won't gain the weight back. You not weighing your food or accurately tracking will be your biggest problem. You have to ensure the amount of calories you consume/burn is accurate. Online calculators only populate a suggested amount of calories based on the information entered. If the information entered is inaccurate then the answer will be inaccurate as well. Tell those who suggested you eat 500-700 to stop giving advice in an area they clearly don't know anything about. The goal of weight loss is to achieve good health and not bust your *kitten* to lose weight in order to fall through a street grate. Regardless of anything, your body needs a certain amount of nutrients period! Eating 500-700 calories over a long period of time will rob your body of the needed nutrients. The amount of calories needed to lose weight depends on your stats (age, height, weight, health conditions, etc.). Here is some great information that will help you lose weight.

    As a rule of thumb, the following weekly targets would give a balance between minimizing negative side effects and seeing a reasonable weekly weight loss:

    More than 75 lbs. 2 lbs./week
    40-75 lbs. 1.5 lbs./week
    10-40 lbs. 1 lb./week
    Less than 10 lbs. 0.5 lb./week

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • mrihel6615
    mrihel6615 Posts: 37 Member
    Branstin wrote: »
    Weight loss should be a slow process for many reasons including slow reduction in muscle loss. It should also be a learning lesson in health management so you won't gain the weight back. You not weighing your food or accurately tracking will be your biggest problem. You have to ensure the amount of calories you consume/burn is accurate. Online calculators only populate a suggested amount of calories based on the information entered. If the information entered is inaccurate then the answer will be inaccurate as well. Tell those who suggested you eat 500-700 to stop giving advice in an area they clearly don't know anything about. The goal of weight loss is to achieve good health and not bust your *kitten* to lose weight in order to fall through a street grate. Regardless of anything, your body needs a certain amount of nutrients period! Eating 500-700 calories over a long period of time will rob your body of the needed nutrients. The amount of calories needed to lose weight depends on your stats (age, height, weight, health conditions, etc.). Here is some great information that will help you lose weight.

    As a rule of thumb, the following weekly targets would give a balance between minimizing negative side effects and seeing a reasonable weekly weight loss:

    More than 75 lbs. 2 lbs./week
    40-75 lbs. 1.5 lbs./week
    10-40 lbs. 1 lb./week
    Less than 10 lbs. 0.5 lb./week

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    Thanks! And I definitely would never eat that low. I think the lowest I've ever gone was 900. And that was when I was working two jobs and in school and just didn't have too much time to eat that day! Ha!
  • mrihel6615
    mrihel6615 Posts: 37 Member
    UmmSqueaky wrote: »
    In my experience as a short person who has lost a great deal of weight, accuracy is key. Get a scale and accurately track your food, 1200 calories a day. Do that for several weeks and evaluate. Can't evaluate until you do it accurately in the first place.

    Also read this:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242

    My biggest problem with weighing food is that I work at a restaurant, as a cashier/hostess.
    I can't bring my own food, because I have no where to cook it that I won't be in the cooks way.
    and I can't weigh my food while I'm at work.
    So I try eat healthy while I'm here. And try to stick with chef salads and things that I know won't be too bad. /: but working here does pose a problem for me with my weight loss.
    But I'll get there!
  • thin2win777
    thin2win777 Posts: 38 Member
    The generic "palm" rule always works for me, without a scale. palm-size of meat = ~4 oz :) It's not much to get to 4 oz. I know!

    I also notice I can eat seafood and vegetable in abundance, without oil/butter of course. I throw on a lot of seasoning. Also, must log the seasoning...e.g. taco seasoning is 10 cals/tsp., cinnamon has some, etcetc.

    Muscle mass has a VERY direct relationship with metabolism.

    I eat 1300-1900/day, depending on workouts. I have eaten less in the past, around 1,000. Under 800-1000 can be dangerous. I maintain at ~1500 net, lose under 1,350. 1,900 is not ideal, at least for me. Will gain. These #s would be much different without rigorous exercise.

    5'1", 123 currently. Max 159 some years ago, goal 114.
  • UmmSqueaky
    UmmSqueaky Posts: 715 Member
    mrihel6615 wrote: »
    UmmSqueaky wrote: »
    In my experience as a short person who has lost a great deal of weight, accuracy is key. Get a scale and accurately track your food, 1200 calories a day. Do that for several weeks and evaluate. Can't evaluate until you do it accurately in the first place.

    Also read this:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242

    My biggest problem with weighing food is that I work at a restaurant, as a cashier/hostess.
    I can't bring my own food, because I have no where to cook it that I won't be in the cooks way.
    and I can't weigh my food while I'm at work.
    So I try eat healthy while I'm here. And try to stick with chef salads and things that I know won't be too bad. /: but working here does pose a problem for me with my weight loss.
    But I'll get there!

    Why can't you bring your own food? Prepare at home, weigh at home, and know exactly what you are bringing. I bring my own lunches to work and don't cook at the office. Restaurant salads can hide hundreds and hundreds of calories. Heck a single salad, if it's heavy on the cheese, meat and dressing, can be 1200 calories.

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