Advice for losing weight - short female

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eve1293
eve1293 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi
I'm a 4ft 10" woman and I currently weigh 54.5kg, so I'm about 0.5kg-1kg overweight but ideally I would like to get back down to 50kg. I've been trying for about 6 months and I've managed to lose nearly 1kg (not great for 6 months I know, I've only really be concentrating on it for 1 month) but now I seem to be stuck at 54.5kg.

MFP has recommended 1200 calories a day, which I achieve when I can workout everyday but somedays it's not possible so I average 1100-1400 calories a day and working out 3-4 times a week.

Any tips for losing this last bit of weight as a very short woman?

Replies

  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    it will take a long time as it doesnt look like you have much to lose?
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
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    As a fellow shorty- You must go get a food scale. They are $12 on Amazon for a good one. I can only lose when I use it consistently, otherwise I just maintain.

    Our daily deficit is so small, that underestimating our food intake by 100-200 calories can negate it, and we don't lose.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Do you use a food scale?
  • aislingeach
    aislingeach Posts: 9 Member
    edited July 2015
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    I am short too (5' 1.5") at 130 lbs trying to get down to 125 lbs and the MFP calorie suggestion for weight loss is 1200 for me as well. I think that is the minimum the app will give you because that doesn't work for me either. In order for me to lose weight I have to keep my calories down closer to 1000 per day when I can't work out that day. I can get closer to 1200 only if I work out and anything more than that will either maintain my weight or make it bump up.
  • petitehealth
    petitehealth Posts: 148 Member
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    ASKyle wrote: »
    As a fellow shorty- You must go get a food scale. They are $12 on Amazon for a good one. I can only lose when I use it consistently, otherwise I just maintain.

    Our daily deficit is so small, that underestimating our food intake by 100-200 calories can negate it, and we don't lose.

    Excellent advice regarding the food scale. We are so small, a few calories adds up fast! I also suggest investing in some sort of heart rate monitor/calories burned calculator. I use the Polar H7 and I love it and feel it is pretty accurate for determining the amount of calories I've burned during a workout!
  • zmeplay
    zmeplay Posts: 28 Member
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    I have tried different diets throughout the years and I have recently noticed that keeping a calorie count under 1000 is making a difference. I weigh EVERYTHING and I do not add salt to any of my food. Surprisingly I am always full. Now if I find I am hungry I will eat extra, which is no big deal. I exercise 3-5 days a week:weights and 20 minutes of cardio. I still eat my favorite foods and my favorite coffee drinks. I just do it sparingly or just a bite. I am 5'0, 30 years old with two kids. I stay motivated with a motivational board and journaling, plus a motivational folder on pinterest I look at whenever I lose motivation. I don't weigh myself, but I do take measurements. Good luck ladies!
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    aislingeach wrote: »
    I am short too (5' 1.5") at 130 lbs trying to get down to 125 lbs and the MFP calorie suggestion for weight loss is 1200 for me as well. I think that is the minimum the app will give you because that doesn't work for me either. In order for me to lose weight I have to keep my calories down closer to 1000 per day when I can't work out that day. I can get closer to 1200 only if I work out and anything more than that will either maintain my weight or make it bump up.

    I agree. They (whoever "they" are) say that 1200 calories is minimum dietary requirements for a woman. Is that for a 4'10" woman or a 5'10" one? Is that for a 110 pound woman or a 300 pound one? What about me, at 5'2" and 142 pounds? I've gotten used to their red statement saying that I'm going to starve to death if I don't consume another 100 calories . . .
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
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    I would be very sad having to eat at 1200 or less forever! I am 4'11" and don't think it has to be that way.
  • Meorainthemaking
    Meorainthemaking Posts: 22 Member
    edited August 2015
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    1200 calories is what the body needs to make the body minimally run without added walking/activity/ exercise (coma). The majority of the time 1200 is recommended is because of a higher loss of lbs per week elected in My Fitness Pal in set up.

    I am 4'11", currently around 120lbs (after 70lb loss) and I eat around 1600-2000 calories a day. I was told by a personal trainer to avoid the max loss calculation of 1200 calorie restriction because it would not provide adequate energy nor allow me to train effectively. Once I thought of my exercise as "training" and food as "fuel" I thought: "I don't want to invest hours on weights or cardio and have nothing to show for it on top of being hungry.That is crazy!"

    My suggestions:
    Drop the idea you have to eat 1200 calories or less to lose weight. If you get inadequate calories and nutrition, your hormonal balance is going to suffer and subsequently your metabolism as well.

    Find something you enjoy to build more muscle and increase metabolism naturally.

    Weighing food with a scale is a good idea if portion control is an issue

    A heart rate monitor is a good idea for cardio calorie expenditure. Currently the technology is not advanced enough to correctly calculate calories expended during weight lifting or non cardio training.
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
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    @lizanne_3 said what I was thinking but didn't have time to say. Excellent post.

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