Any other shortys out there?

Without added exercise every calculator tells me that I'm between 840 and 1020 calories per day to lose 2 lbs per week (I have a lot to lose). I've had a couple of weeks where I wasn't able to exercise and my weight loss immediately stopped.

I go for just shy of the 1200 that MFP allocates me and at 4'10" I am steadily losing. Need to exercise though, even just taking stairs instead of lift (elevator), squats whilst brushing teeth, random 50 start jumps (jumping jacks) before I sit on the sofa (couch) each time.

I am 28 though, and I don't understand this increased age = less calories thing, because I'm not a medical professional...

I find it hard to eat less than 1000cal though, even stocking up on the veggies, I need at least 1000cals each day

TasiaTa wrote: »

As Kalici said it was weight loss calculators. I was also warned by them that dropping that low is not good for you. I know that I need more calories to function properly. A large problem I also have is consistency. I lack it. I will go 3 weeks tracking food and working out then POOF! I don't care. They damage I do to my self in that week is devastating. Can't seem to break this cycle.

That is exactly what I do!

TasiaTa wrote: »

As Kalici said it was weight loss calculators. I was also warned by them that dropping that low is not good for you. I know that I need more calories to function properly. A large problem I also have is consistency. I lack it. I will go 3 weeks tracking food and working out then POOF! I don't care. They damage I do to my self in that week is devastating. Can't seem to break this cycle.

It takes 3,500 extra calories to gain a pound. Unfortunately, when you're short you don't get that many calories to start with.

I think the first thing is just to get yourself recording everything you eat. Even when you don't care if you gain. Even if you know it is going to blow your calories away. Make it something you do every day no matter what. Like brushing your teeth. Then at least it'll be habit and you can make choices with the complete knowledge of what you're doing. No surprises.

I'm 5' 2", and 48 years old. My BMR is 1388. I lose on 1800 per day including exercise calories. When I first started, I tried the 1200 calorie routine, it didn't last long. I use the TDEE -20% method, and am very happy with it. Yes, the loss is fairly slow, but I don't mind, since I can eat like this indefinitely without feeling deprived.

I'm 5'1" and target about 1300 net calories, more if I earn more with exercise. Anything below 1200 is generally not advised unless you're really teeny-tiny, because you need to get enough nutrients through your diet.

I think the pitfall of those calculators is the 1-2 pound per week pace that you're targeting for weight loss. Since we're shorter, 1 pound is a greater percentage of our target body weight than it would be for a taller person. Aim for a 15-20% calorie deficit vs. your maintenance instead of an absolute deficit of 3500 calories/week. For some of us that will mean slower weight loss. But it should also be more sustainable in the long term, avoiding that 3-4 week log and then crash cycle you talked about.

I just started. In my 40's 5.2". eating between 1500-1600 calories a day. I have 50 pounds to loose.

TasiaTa wrote: »

ok...so if I hang between 1200 and 1500, what should the macros look like?

I've been experimenting with these values, too. Most calculators will tell me to up the protein and fat, and lower the carbs. I've never really been able to successfully pull that off, because I like carbs too much! My current macro targets are 50% carbs / 20% protein / 30% fat, and even with that, I'm constantly high on carbs and low on protein (and sometimes fats). So for now, I'm just targeting the calorie goal and letting my body dictate what to eat, and not stressing too much about macros, as long as I'm getting enough nutrients.

Eventually as I look to change body composition and not just lose pounds, I may attempt to cut back on the carbs and increase protein consumption. But for now, I'm just concentrating on feeling full within my total calorie goal.