5ft4 ladies...how do you maintain?

arditarose wrote: »

I'll be hitting about 1800 calories this week, which will be the low estimate for maintenance. I wasn't losing on 1550, so I don't have high hopes for being able to eat much more than that. The most I'm ever going to cardio is an hour a week, which is like a negligible amount of calories so I don't even know if it's worth it.

I'd say so that hour of cardio a week. I don't think of cardio as burning calories. I think of it as exercise to strengthen my cardiovascular system. The heart is a muscle too! So... In my opinion... That hour a week is worth it!

Start at 1800 and wait a while so see what you're body does with it. I still think you may be surprised and your maintenance will be higher even without cardio!

arditarose wrote: »

maddyk91 wrote: »

I lose on 1500. Maybe more slowly now, but it will still happen. I have a feeling your pound weight gain might just be a sodium/hydration=related gain, because gaining on 1500 is just.....silly. 1lb=3,500ish calories. That would mean that for you eating like two days a week, you're just putting on straight poundage (assuming you're weighing and measuring your food properly!)m

I maintain on 1800 calories, sometimes a little more. But I had to slowly eat my way up to 1800 over the span of a month or so.

Just give it more time, the scale will always catch up to your efforts.

I hope you don't mind if I ask, do you maintain on 1800 plus exercise, or do you use TDEE method?

TDEE for sure.

At 5'4" and 133lbs I was maintaining at 1500-1600 calories. I don't exercise much at all though to be honest, only walking, so would be able to maintain a little higher if I actually moved more! I've put on a few lbs since though so back to 1200 for me to lose the extra weight.

5ft 4, 132lbs, 49 yrs and maintaining on around 1800 cals.
I Powerwalk 4 times a week (50 mins) and go on the Crosstrainer once a week (45 mins).
I've actually lost a pound this week, so maybe my maintenance is slightly higher.

I am 34 and 5' 4.5" or so, and I weigh 112. I am still trying to figure out my maintenance calories, but they seem to be right around 1400-1500. I always gain with menstruation (just a pound or two) and feel like I have to cut back a bit, but typically if I do I just end up a little lower than before, once everything settles down. I don't get nearly the amount of physical activity as many others here. I am up and down all day, but I don't run or lift, etc. When the weather is nice I sometimes walk, and if my appetite is insatiable I occasionally jog in place (if I am stuck inside) to help offset the extra food. I play with my kids and cook and clean, but I don't do a lot beyond that. MFP has me at 1490 for maintenance. For my own feelings, this is my happy weight, but I am borderline TOO thin (or just too thin, depending on who you talk to), so I don't want to lose any more, but I don't really want to gain either.