5'4" ladies - how many cals per day do you eat?

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  • Sidonas
    Sidonas Posts: 19 Member
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    I am 5'4' and am set at 1250 per day. I am struggling to eat that much, so eating any extra I work off is not even in question for me yet. I am much more aware of exactly what I am eating now. I did not realize just how little it was. Too busy to slow down and eat, I guess.

    If anyone has tips, I would appreciate them.
  • eyeamAnne
    eyeamAnne Posts: 24 Member
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    Mine are set to 1200 and that is what I'm doing. When I exercise I do eat them back. I started out at 142 lbs and I also have my goal set to 120 ... so for height and weight we are pretty similar. I lost 4 pounds before I started MFP (by completely dropping soda and controlling my sweets) and I lost 4 1/2 pounds since starting MFP!!!! I know that doesn't seem like a ton, but I'm excited!

    Someone else mentioned they eat when they're hungry. And I have to agree with that. If you let yourself get too hungry it will be hard to keep up the diet.
  • ahadj
    ahadj Posts: 257 Member
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    I"m 5'5'' and I have it set to 1310 cals/day. I try to stay under, but up to 90 cals over is fine for me. So I would say officially 1310, unofficially 1400. MFP allotted me 1440 cals and I lowered it myself, so I think that's fine.

    In terms of eating exercise cals back... I'll usually eat most of them back, but not all unless I am super hungry or am going out to eat (then I let myself splurge and eat them all back -- I've earned it!)
  • beckyinma
    beckyinma Posts: 1,433 Member
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    5'4" here, and get 1690/day (1lb/week) plus my exercise calories which can range from 150-1200 extra, on the big exercise days I can't eat that much extra, even with small indulgences, so I eat 1/4-1/2 back and try to focus on protein intake. Some days, on light exercise, like today, I have 600 cals left, and dinner to eat still. I always eat my base calories, and try to eat my exercise calories, but try to always leave some behind for sake of the exercise estimations being off, as I don't have a HRM.
  • nrvo
    nrvo Posts: 473 Member
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    Mine is set at 1200 to lose 1.1 lb per week. I eat as close to that as I can without going over, and if I do go over....I take my dogs out for a walk to bring it back down.
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
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    I'm 5'4" and set to 1200 when I want to lose, 1450 to maintain. I eat as many of my exercise cals as I feel like eating. Sometimes it's all, sometimes less.
  • Mommyof3texans
    Mommyof3texans Posts: 347
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    I currently have mine set at 1300 and I do eat most to all of my exercise calories back. I'm 5'4" and am at 135lb right now. I have a desk job so i sit a lot during the day. I am on week 3 of the couch to 5k training and run/walk 5k every other day.
  • squishycow7
    squishycow7 Posts: 820 Member
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    1400. It was at 1200 but I was starving, so I decided 1400 would be a little less of a drag... but I have yet to see "results" from the switch (it's only been a few days).
  • fromaquasar
    fromaquasar Posts: 811 Member
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    Hey I'm 5"4 I used to have my calories set at 1200 but that stopped working for me a couple of months ago (I kept gaining and loosing the same pound) so now I'm set at 1350. I normally burn 500 calories a day and eat about 1500 - 1700 so finish my day 200 - 300 calories under (netting about 1000 - 1300 compared to before when I was only netting about 800). I have found my weight loss picked up again and I am MUCH happier for eating a bit more! x
  • jend114
    jend114 Posts: 1,058 Member
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    I'm 5'3" and eat around 1200/day
  • crystal_sapphire
    crystal_sapphire Posts: 1,205 Member
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    1200. i haven't been exercising much lately l besides an active job when i do i eat about 1/2 back if that.
  • taletreader
    taletreader Posts: 377 Member
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    5'4", and I set my goal manually at 1500, staying below most days (about 1350-1450), though with some zig-zags lately especially when I exercise harder. I've averaged a bit more than 2 pounds/week for the last 6 months, so that's quite a success.

    I find that targetting your RMR is a good option -- it ensures you're getting enough food & fuel but automatically creates a deficit.
  • R4z0r4Mm0
    R4z0r4Mm0 Posts: 131
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    I'm 5'4" and set to 1200 when I want to lose, 1450 to maintain. I eat as many of my exercise cals as I feel like eating. Sometimes it's all, sometimes less.

    ^^^ Exactly what my wife does too - she's a little over 5'4''.
  • carobert95
    carobert95 Posts: 26
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    Im 5'4" and I consume 1200 cals a day. I do eat my exercise cals but at the max half of the exercise cals and sometimes not at all. Keep in mind I exercise when Im finished my diner and Im not usualy hungry after my exercise. If I do it after my workout I will eat something I was craving, like a chocolate. Ive lost 8 lbs so far. Hope it helps :D.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    5'4", and I set my goal manually at 1500, staying below most days (about 1350-1450), though with some zig-zags lately especially when I exercise harder. I've averaged a bit more than 2 pounds/week for the last 6 months, so that's quite a success.

    I find that targetting your RMR is a good option -- it ensures you're getting enough food & fuel but automatically creates a deficit.

    We're pretty similar I think - I'm 5'4" and currently 80kg (178 pounds or thereabouts). I eat between 1460 - 1550 plus most of my exercise cals. I aim for around 1500 net but don't get stressed if it is a bit above or below.
    It's working well for me, 12kg down in almost 120 days.
    How do you measure your RMR, I know BMR but not RMR?
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
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    How do you measure your RMR, I know BMR but not RMR?

    http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php

    They also explain the difference.

    However, if you know your body fat percentage look for a Lean Body Mass RMR/BMR calculator... which I couldn't find on a quick google (bookmarked at home).

    Katch-McArdle Formula

    The Katch-McArdle Formula is a basal metabolic rate calculation that you can use when you know your lean body mass measurement. As a result, it's a more accurate metabolism formula than Harris-Benedict Formula.

    Because it uses your lean body mass measurement, there is no reason for separate formulas for men and women in the Katch-McArdle Formula.

    As with the Harris-Benedict equation, you need to convert pounds to kilograms by dividing your lean body mass by 2.2.

    BMR = 370 + (21.6 x lean body mass in kg)

    There is also a slightly different formula for resting metabolic rate (or resting energy expenditure, as it's sometimes called) that you can use. This formula is called the Cunningham formula.
    Cunningham Resting Metabolic Rate Calculation

    Again, using kilograms,

    RMR = 500 + (22 x lean body mass in kg)
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    I eat 2000 calories a day. I ALWAYS eat back the vast majority of my exercise calories. I am currently maintaining my goal weight, but even when I was in loss mode I rarely went below 1900 or 2000. For reasons I can't explain, my body goes into starvation mode when I'm under it by very much. At one point, I went down to 1700ish and was in starvation mode very quickly. So, I know that for me personally - 2000 is a minimum. I work out 3 days a week/60 mins each day.

    I should note that my BMR is 1453.
  • marielw
    marielw Posts: 126 Member
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    I'm 5'4" and am set at 1300 calories per day (to lose 1lb a week with 4 workouts of 30 mins).

    I usually manage to keep at around 1300 but sometimes go slightly over if it isn't an exercise day.

    I do eat back at least half of my exercise calories and sometimes all.

    I'm at a bit of a plateau at the moment, but i did have a few days off over Easter so that's probably to blame.
  • Bailey_Renee2
    Bailey_Renee2 Posts: 13 Member
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    Im 5'4! it has me at 1210 a day but I usually stick between 1210-1400 I just change it up when what I'm doing doesn't work well
  • phinners
    phinners Posts: 524 Member
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    I'm 5 '4" and mine is set to 1250 to lose 1.7lb a week. I usually earn 400 ex cals per day and I eat them, not religiously but if I want a treat or a take out I use them for that, or if I want a square of chocolate etc.

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