Pros and Cons of being short and trying to lose?

I'm pretty short - 5 2" and I feel like I have to eat a lot less to lose constantly... which is difficult sometimes... but, the lbs I do lose do show more so there is a flip side I suppose! anyone else got any weight related pros and cons for being short?
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Replies

  • Denisebar
    Denisebar Posts: 36 Member
    I Am short also and can only think of cons. Every pound I gain is noticable. I could weight at least 10 lbs more for every inch if i could grow!!!
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Pro - walk the same distance, take more steps. :)
  • bett_boop
    bett_boop Posts: 89 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    Pro - walk the same distance, take more steps. :)

    I like that one!
  • Jesslane93
    Jesslane93 Posts: 190 Member
    Con: best friend same age as me who weighs the same as me is in her healthy weight zone while I am considered over weight! I wish I was a little bit taller lol
  • ThatDoll
    ThatDoll Posts: 37 Member
    I'm not short but I imagine a pro would be being able to weight less lol I'll always be heavy no matter how skinny I am
  • LessthanKris
    LessthanKris Posts: 607 Member
    I agree all the above. It is nice the it is supposably more noticeable when you have a small loss, but the calories levels are a little depressing at times :o). I have gotten used to it now and I have checked out what my calories levels will be when I maintain and I honestly cannot imagine eating all that in addition to exercise calories!

    Another con is it also makes it harder to follow the "everything in moderation" motto considering you have fewer calories to enjoy treats if you are trying to get a lot of healthy stuff in.
  • 21million
    21million Posts: 113 Member
    Pro: we can eventually pull off large kid's clothes, making that inbetween goal weight shopping way less expensive!
  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
    I dunno. I'm 5'3.5 " 120 lbs and maintain at 2350 when I'm doing my lifting routine...not everyone has to eat little. Also, depends on your activity level on how much you can consume. It's not all about size :) Embrace being small.
  • 21million
    21million Posts: 113 Member
    I dunno. I'm 5'3.5 " 120 lbs and maintain at 2350 when I'm doing my lifting routine...not everyone has to eat little. Also, depends on your activity level on how much you can consume. It's not all about size :) Embrace being small.

    Wtf, same, only I eat about 1500-1600 to maintain. Jealous! How?!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    21million wrote: »
    I dunno. I'm 5'3.5 " 120 lbs and maintain at 2350 when I'm doing my lifting routine...not everyone has to eat little. Also, depends on your activity level on how much you can consume. It's not all about size :) Embrace being small.

    Wtf, same, only I eat about 1500-1600 to maintain. Jealous! How?!

    Cuz she kicks *kitten* and takes names later. Have you seen her photos??
  • 21million
    21million Posts: 113 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    21million wrote: »
    I dunno. I'm 5'3.5 " 120 lbs and maintain at 2350 when I'm doing my lifting routine...not everyone has to eat little. Also, depends on your activity level on how much you can consume. It's not all about size :) Embrace being small.

    Wtf, same, only I eat about 1500-1600 to maintain. Jealous! How?!

    Cuz she kicks *kitten* and takes names later. Have you seen her photos??

    ...so jealous, more jealous!
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    edited October 2014
    21million wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    21million wrote: »
    I dunno. I'm 5'3.5 " 120 lbs and maintain at 2350 when I'm doing my lifting routine...not everyone has to eat little. Also, depends on your activity level on how much you can consume. It's not all about size :) Embrace being small.

    Wtf, same, only I eat about 1500-1600 to maintain. Jealous! How?!

    Cuz she kicks *kitten* and takes names later. Have you seen her photos??

    ...so jealous, more jealous!

    Turn that jealousy into motivation. Or better yet, "if she can do it, I can *kitten* do it too!"
  • eranganm8
    eranganm8 Posts: 37 Member
    edited October 2014
    Looks younger with the every inch you lose.... Sweeeeeeeeet.... :D I'm 5ft btw... B)
  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
    21million wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    21million wrote: »
    I dunno. I'm 5'3.5 " 120 lbs and maintain at 2350 when I'm doing my lifting routine...not everyone has to eat little. Also, depends on your activity level on how much you can consume. It's not all about size :) Embrace being small.

    Wtf, same, only I eat about 1500-1600 to maintain. Jealous! How?!

    Cuz she kicks *kitten* and takes names later. Have you seen her photos??

    ...so jealous, more jealous!

    Turn that jealousy into motivation. Or better yet, "if she can do it, I can *kitten* do it too!"

    I lurve you guys so hard xD

    My TDEE is a tiny bit high but not too much so. The only exercise I consistently do is lifting 3x a week for an hour at most each session. I am meticulous in logging, food scale almost everything. I'm a stay at home mom, so I do housework and stuff. Part time job 3x a week of cleaning but other then that, I play video games and eat ice cream.

    O.o
  • steff274
    steff274 Posts: 227 Member
    I dunno. I'm 5'3.5 " 120 lbs and maintain at 2350 when I'm doing my lifting routine...not everyone has to eat little. Also, depends on your activity level on how much you can consume. It's not all about size :) Embrace being small.

    Maintaining on similar calories I am short 5ft 2 have an active job go to the gym regularly am 7st 7 thats 105 pounds I now have to be really careful now I will still drop if I don't eat enough excersize calories back!! My problem is I under estimate what I burn off through excersize!! My calories without any excersize is 2010 my settings are set to very active to maintain ;)
  • Maitria
    Maitria Posts: 439 Member
    21million wrote: »
    Pro: we can eventually pull off large kid's clothes, making that inbetween goal weight shopping way less expensive!

    Kids clothing is so much cheaper. My favorite pair of jeans is a kid's pair, but I won't be wearing them anytime soon. They were such a comfortable and good fit that I've held onto them even though they were really inexpensive. <3
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    Advantages:
    One restaurant meal = 2-4 meals for you
    Less money spent on food overall
    Less time spent on eating/prepping/cleaning/logging
    Less hunger at 1200 (or whatever) than someone who's burning more
    More likely to survive a zombie apocalypse or other world famine

    We're small and efficient. Like a Prius. :D
  • kwantlen2051
    kwantlen2051 Posts: 455 Member
    Yeah, I'm on the short side as well. Every extra lb showed so heavy on me. I am in maintenance now since July. Because of my height and frame, my calorie requirement is not that much. So I really have to watch what I eat. If I over do it on the weekend (which I did this weekend), I have to make sure I make up for that this coming week. Being on the slim and short side makes us "shorties" look younger though smiley:


  • Marianne802
    Marianne802 Posts: 91 Member
    Hi everyone, new to myfitnesspal. I too am short 152cm, (5"). I find I have strong calf muscles because of all the lifts I do when hanging out the washing. A basket of clothes can be up to 50 reps :)

    However, I find my biggest mistake was loading up my dinner plate equivelant to my hubbies who's 6".

    And like someone else mentioned, us shorties have to walk at a faster pace to keep up with the tallies, so I reason higher cardio?
  • corofinlass
    corofinlass Posts: 43 Member
    Hi Shorties, 5' 1.5" here
    Pros:
    Getting in extra exercise: jumping up on steps every time I need something from the top shelf.
    Getting an excuse to talk to a hottie in the supermarket (excuse me, do you mind reaching that for me) ....hope the hubbie doesn't read this ;-)
    Killer heels are necessary ..... not sure if this is a pro or a con
    Cons:
    Having to get clothes altered
    I don't carry weight well
    Not seen by barman for ages if bar is crowded (don't get out much anymore but this used to drive me nuts!)
    Feet not reaching the bar on the bar stool (see above)
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    Double con -- being short and older -- 5'1.5" and 55 yo. I'm maintaining on around 1200 + exercise calories. It does get depressing at night to measure 3-4 oz. of fish on a plate, a veg., and 1/2 cup of cooked rice and say "I'm done for the day" while the males in my family load their plates. This is with exercise, too.
    I've calculated the numbers and by the time I'm 60 I'll have to eat only around 1000 a day to stay the weight I am now.
  • 21million
    21million Posts: 113 Member
    rosebette wrote: »
    Double con -- being short and older -- 5'1.5" and 55 yo. I'm maintaining on around 1200 + exercise calories. It does get depressing at night to measure 3-4 oz. of fish on a plate, a veg., and 1/2 cup of cooked rice and say "I'm done for the day" while the males in my family load their plates. This is with exercise, too.
    I've calculated the numbers and by the time I'm 60 I'll have to eat only around 1000 a day to stay the weight I am now.

    This IS depressing. 1000 before or after exercise?? Either way...:/
  • 95836
    95836 Posts: 1
    Ya I am 5'1 and I weigh a smaller number than my sister but because she is tall she is healthy and am overweight
  • markrichtsspraytan
    markrichtsspraytan Posts: 89 Member
    Some people like to have a goal of a small dress size... For someone short, a size 0 or 2 may be a reasonable goal, but for someone tall, a size 0 might be only at a very unhealthy weight. So you can "I'm a size X now!" which might seem more impressive when X is smaller.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    I am tall (5'11) but I've often been jealous of your shorties.

    Pro of being short and losing weight:
    -People notice every few lbs you lose. It took 25 lbs lost before many friends noticed on me.
    -You change sizes more rapidly. I have lost 50+ lbs now and I can still wear my fattest pants. They're a little baggy, but not unwearable. I'm only 1-2 jean sizes smaller.
    -Clothing is designed for you at whatever weight you are. When I was tall and big, I could wear big jeans. As I drop down in waist/hip size, even tall pants in smaller sizes get shorter.
    -You can weigh 100-120 lbs and be healthy (if you're short enough). I would LOVE to be that light, but it's unattainable/I would look ghastly/I would be soooo underweight.

    Cons of being short and losing weight:
    -You have to workout more to eat at the same levels of a sedentary tall person
    -If you're a dude and you're short and you're lifting, people think you have a complex.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    Some people like to have a goal of a small dress size... For someone short, a size 0 or 2 may be a reasonable goal, but for someone tall, a size 0 might be only at a very unhealthy weight. So you can "I'm a size X now!" which might seem more impressive when X is smaller.

    THIS SO MUCH THIS. Again, I'm tall. One of my shorter coworkers once said, "Ugh if I were a size 8 I would just kill myself. Talk about being a chumbo." Yeahhhh. I'm 5'11. For me, I'm a size 8 when my BMI is 19-19.5 (136-140 lbs). I could probably NEVER be a size 6 and remain in the healthy weigh range.
  • 21million
    21million Posts: 113 Member
    @tall ladies, do you find dieting easy with the calories you get? Typically I need 1400 to lose .5lb/week, and I am usually pretty hungry if I make bad choices. I know some taller women can eat around 1900 (?) For the same results. Mu question is, does this seem like a lot of food to you (it would be GREAT for me) or do you have to watch yourself like I do lest you end up hungry?
  • I guess at 5'9 I am considered avg, to short for a Man, at least in my circle of friends. Most of my friends are north of 6ft. A pro for me was always the shorter distance the bar had to travel for a "good Lift". 5'9 225, with a 29 inch inseam. Im all torso, which leads me to my con... no matter how much I loose, I look stocky.
  • LauraPa1mer
    LauraPa1mer Posts: 65 Member
    Yeah... obviously most short women will not maintain at 2350. It's great if that works for you but not everyone lifts that much and not everyone wants to. And that's fine.
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