Pros and Cons of being short and trying to lose?

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  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Kalikel wrote: »
    Pro - walk the same distance, take more steps. :)

    This is very true. My husband is 5 inches taller than me (we both have fitbits) and I reach my goal before he does when we hike together:) My goal is even farther then his.
  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
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    LauraPa1mer wrote: »
    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.

    3x a week is a lot? I'm not saying that this should be the golden number.... I'm saying I'm an example of how being short doesn't necessarily mean eating fewer calories than someone taller....
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,775 Member
    edited October 2014
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    0somuchbetter0 wrote: »
    steff274 wrote: »
    BombshellPhoenix 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.

    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 ;)

    Jealouser and jealouser of both of you. You must be young.

    At 48 years old, 5'3" and 175 lbs, I have to net under 1400 to lose weight. And I still want to lose at least 45 lbs more. By the time I get to my goal weight, I'll be even older. If I get there and turn 60, say, I'll have to net under 1400 just to maintain! I'm looking at a hungry old age.

    Nope, no pros to being short. :(

    You must be young. At 52 years old, 5' 3 1/2" and (started at 232lbs) currently 176, I have to net about 1680 to lose weight.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    Pros
    • While you're losing, you get through those sizes like there's no tomorrow! I went from 16/18 petite to 2 petite in less than a year. It was unbelievably motivating.
    • I was able to lose on 1200 calories to start with and didn't feel deprived (actually it taught me a lot about getting nutrients into a calorie target, so it was a useful lesson)..
    • ..Now, I'm just into maintenance, I'm realizing that I probably didn't need to go down to 1200 because I'm eating 1700 and still losing sloooowly.
    • As long as I get my roots done, I easily get taken for someone 10 years younger

    Cons
    • I might have to start taking an annual shopping trip to China if I get any smaller. I just don't want to wear kids' clothes. Actually that shopping trip would probably be pretty cool, so maybe not a con..
    • It's just as tricky finding clothes to fit because I'm now a "healthy" petite size than when I was an obese petite size
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    dopeysmelly wrote: »
    It's just as tricky finding clothes to fit because I'm now a "healthy" petite size than when I was an obese petite size

    SO MUCH THIS! The average woman in North America is 5'3" or 5'4". The minimum cutoff to model clothes is 5'9" or 5'10".

    This is why weight loss needs to be about being healthy and fit, not about looking like a runway model or being able to wear all the clothes you see at Fashion Week.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    segacs wrote: »
    dopeysmelly wrote: »
    It's just as tricky finding clothes to fit because I'm now a "healthy" petite size than when I was an obese petite size

    SO MUCH THIS! The average woman in North America is 5'3" or 5'4". The minimum cutoff to model clothes is 5'9" or 5'10".

    This is why weight loss needs to be about being healthy and fit, not about looking like a runway model or being able to wear all the clothes you see at Fashion Week.

    I don't even waste my time with "regular" sizes any more. I order only petite sizes. I don't have time to waste trying on everything and getting everything altered. And I'm willing to spend my money at stores where they give a **** about women of average height.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    dopeysmelly wrote: »
    I don't even waste my time with "regular" sizes any more. I order only petite sizes. I don't have time to waste trying on everything and getting everything altered. And I'm willing to spend my money at stores where they give a **** about women of average height.

    I do that wherever possible, too. Trouble is, most of the stores here in Quebec don't carry petites sizes. And most US chain stores don't ship here, or if they do, it costs a fortune.

    I try to make an annual shopping trip south of the border to a major US city and buy stuff then. Otherwise, though, the tailor is my best friend. And I'm taking sewing classes in attempt to learn how to do some basic alterations, like hems and sleeves.
  • Great_Mazinga
    Great_Mazinga Posts: 214 Member
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    Pro: You'll never NEED to eat as much as someone taller. $$$ at the grocer!
    Pro: Your clothes will tend to be smaller. $$$ at the department store! [I still have to buy 3x shirts, and there is usually a small premium to that size and larger]

    Con: You have to be more conscious of how much you eat, because you don't need as much. My wife's about your height, and she tries to eat as much as I do when we eat out, or split things 1/2 and 1/2. It's too many cals for her, really. At least she doesn't do every day.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    Great_Mazinga wrote: »
    Pro: Your clothes will tend to be smaller. $$$ at the department store!

    Actually that's a misconception. Petites is considered "specialty" sizing for women (even though the average height for women in the US falls in the petite range) and petites sizes tend to cost more. For really tiny women, the clothes that fit best are often the higher-end designer ones, which cost even more than that.

    You'd think that less fabric = lower price. But nope. It comes down to production runs. Regular missus sizes are mass-produced in large volume runs, sold everywhere, and are cheap to produce and face high competition. Whereas the few stores that carry petites know they can charge a premium, so they do.

    Add the cost of getting *everything* altered / hemmed / tailored -- and it's even more expensive than that! Especially since tailors and seamstresses charge a premium to alter women's clothing.
  • Lalalindaloo
    Lalalindaloo Posts: 204 Member
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    segacs wrote: »
    [*]Being able to dress as a hobbit, or one of the munchkins, for Halloween.
    [/list]

    This made me laugh out loud. I'm not going as a Hobbit or a Munchkin, but I am going as Hit Girl from Kick *kitten* (the character is a child). 5'2" here.

    I love my height. And the more I lose and curvier I get, the more offers I get to come change my light bulbs/help me reach the top shelf/clean the gutters or whatever they think I might not be able to do. ;)

  • gemmamummy
    gemmamummy Posts: 185 Member
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    4'11 here and I cannot think of a single con to being shorter than pretty much everyone commenting in this thread. You don't need to starve yourself due to being vertically challenged - I'm up to 2000 kcals a day, with 3 hours weightlifting a week and am maintaining on this. Ladies you can do it....just lift!
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    Love the positivity, @gemmamummy! That's the spirit!

    I should note that just because you're able to maintain on 2000 calories a day while lifting 3 hours a week doesn't mean that will work for everyone. Like you say in your profile tag, you do what works for you.

    Still, way to go!
  • gemmamummy
    gemmamummy Posts: 185 Member
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    segacs wrote: »
    Love the positivity, @gemmamummy! That's the spirit!

    I should note that just because you're able to maintain on 2000 calories a day while lifting 3 hours a week doesn't mean that will work for everyone. Like you say in your profile tag, you do what works for you.

    Still, way to go!

    Absolutely! Just want to let peeps know that sometimes your body can surprise you. I was once a 1200 a day girl......and also a grumpy/hungry girl. I never believed I could do what I'm doing. Just saying us little folk don't need to be 'hangry'.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    gemmamummy wrote: »
    Just saying us little folk don't need to be 'hangry'.

    OMG THIS! Yes! I'm definitely prone to hangriness (and it's a real word, folks!) when I don't eat enough. I find my solution is to eat constantly -- snack on broccoli at my desk, etc. and make the calories I do eat as filling as possible.

    I've never been able to stick with a weight training program, but it's great that you've seen such good results with it. I may try again yet!
  • klmab9
    klmab9 Posts: 15 Member
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    I'm 4'11, and I feel your pain. Every pound gained shows. My goal right now is only 10 lbs and it's not easy!
  • Icandoityayme
    Icandoityayme Posts: 312 Member
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    The only problem I have with being short is needing a chair to reach things. Other than that, as far as weight loss, I don't feel like my height really has much of an effect on how much I lose or how fast I lose it. Weight loss is weight loss.
  • 2essie
    2essie Posts: 2,867 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Try being 5ft 0in and 63 years old. I walk around 10 miles a day so my TDEE is around 1800 to 2000. So I can eat around 1400 and still lose weight.

    Lose this weight whilst you are young. The older you get the harder it gets. DO IT NOW. Trust me.



    url=http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker]25436425.png[/url]
  • whitehorse67
    whitehorse67 Posts: 101 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Pro:....Us short people almost NEVER bump our heads on anything!
    Con....I never seem to fit into the "Height" requirement for women in online personals (even from from the short women!) Grrrrrrrr.....
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Pros: a pound lost looks like 5+ pounds.
    Cons: Vice versa, a pound gained looks like 5+.

    I'm 5'0", 115 lbs (pregnant)
  • livelaughrunn
    livelaughrunn Posts: 4
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    me too! im super short! However, my tall friend always tells me she wishes she was shorter because apparently a) taller women can't wear heels ( i don't see why not..what about models?) b) most men like shorter girls (?) I have no idea if any of this is true....

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