Short ladies, what's your daily calorie goal?

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Replies

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,481 Member
    62 yo, 5'1, 100-105 lb, maintenance 1200 sedentary ( sat reading a book all day) 1400-1500 active ( moving more than above).
    I started at 130 lb, ate the same as I do now to lose 25-30 lb. It took about a year. The last 10 lb took 6 month as I was so close to maintenance.

    I did/do a variety of exercises to retain LBM, and increase cardiovascular health, mobility, flexibility, balance, strength, and posture.

    For those women who are doing 1000 cal a day:
    Have you worked out yet what your maintenance will be at your goal weight

    And if so, have you considered eating to that, instead of eating at such a low calorie level?

    Also, as you are eating at such a low calorie level, which could deplete your LBM, are you a) doing anything to preserve your LBM, b) under a doctors supervision?

    Although I can't condone a low calorie diet in principle, I can understand how a shorter, older, lighter person has to take a naturally lower metabolic rate into consideration ( mine is about 950).

    However if you post your calorie intake in the general forum, to save being flagged, or lambasted by your fellow MFP members, etc, it would behoove you to explain your reasons. That way a 22 yo, 5'6, 160 lb person does not think that 1000 is an acceptable intake for her/ him.

    Cheers, h.
  • kacey65
    kacey65 Posts: 4 Member
    Verdenal wrote: »
    kacey65 wrote: »
    I am 5ft 1 in and I weigh nearly 225 lbs. I am eating less than 1200 calories a day (at or around that). I have been doing this for 3 weeks plus I have added in some bicycling and riding. Other than some water weight I gained on my holiday I have lost NOTHING in 3 weeks :-(. ...   Suggestions anyone ?

    Are you weighing your food, and recording everything? It's easy to underestimate if you don't.

    Hi Verdenal - I do weigh and record EVERYTHING. Even my tablespoon of salsa on my 1 whole egg, plus 1 egg white for breakfast. I have added in biking for over an hour (5-6 times per week). Nada. I'm going for around 70 grams of protein a day, very little fruit besides some berries I pick up on my bike ride, and the rest veggies (mostly low carb but some potatoes and squash from our garden). Most of my food is organic, and almost nothing is pre-processed (besides the salsa :smiley: ). ANY help is appreciated, I am going on week 4 with no, no, no change. *sadness*
  • YellowApple666
    YellowApple666 Posts: 35 Member
    I'm 5'4 and I maintain a weight of 113 on 1,800-2,000 calories a day (depending on how much exercise I do).
    More or less the same :)

  • Verdenal
    Verdenal Posts: 625 Member
    edited September 2015
    kacey65 wrote: »
    Verdenal wrote: »
    kacey65 wrote: »
    I am 5ft 1 in and I weigh nearly 225 lbs. I am eating less than 1200 calories a day (at or around that). I have been doing this for 3 weeks plus I have added in some bicycling and riding. Other than some water weight I gained on my holiday I have lost NOTHING in 3 weeks :-(. ...   Suggestions anyone ?

    Are you weighing your food, and recording everything? It's easy to underestimate if you don't.

    Hi Verdenal - I do weigh and record EVERYTHING. Even my tablespoon of salsa on my 1 whole egg, plus 1 egg white for breakfast. I have added in biking for over an hour (5-6 times per week). Nada. I'm going for around 70 grams of protein a day, very little fruit besides some berries I pick up on my bike ride, and the rest veggies (mostly low carb but some potatoes and squash from our garden). Most of my food is organic, and almost nothing is pre-processed (besides the salsa :smiley: ). ANY help is appreciated, I am going on week 4 with no, no, no change. *sadness*

    You might wanted to be tested by the doctor to rule out medical issues. There also is a new theory that it takes more than a 3,500 calorie deficit to lose a pound.

    You might consider going on a Protein Sparing Modified Fast just for a week or two. That's a Very Low Calorie Diet: High protein, very low fat, almost zero carbs. It's a hard diet and not for everyone. There's a lot of information in the sidebar, including a link to a calculator, and the people in the forum are pretty helpful.

    I wish I had more to suggest. Although it's gotten harder to lose weight as I age, anytime I've tracked my calories, weighed myself daily, and made adjustments when necessary I've lost weight.

  • Verdenal
    Verdenal Posts: 625 Member
    edited September 2015
    62 yo, 5'1, 100-105 lb, maintenance 1200 sedentary ( sat reading a book all day) 1400-1500 active ( moving more than above).


    For those women who are doing 1000 cal a day:
    Have you worked out yet what your maintenance will be at your goal weight

    And if so, have you considered eating to that, instead of eating at such a low calorie level?

    No. If I ate my maintenance calories, I would not lose weight. When I'm actively trying to lose weight I eat to create a deficit that will allow me actually to lose weight. I also don't engage in pointless behavior such as "eating back" my calories after exercise. First of all, exercise, while good for you, does not burn that many calories. Second, ordinary estimates of calories burned during exercise are inaccurate. People frequently overestimate their calorie burn.

    Also, as you are eating at such a low calorie level, which could deplete your LBM, are you a) doing anything to preserve your LBM, b) under a doctors supervision?

    Regimes like Protein Sparing Modified Fasts are designed to preserve muscle mass. A doctor's supervision would be ideal, but not everyone has insurance, and insurance probably wouldn't cover the appointments except in the case of an obese person.


    Although I can't condone a low calorie diet in principle, I can understand how a shorter, older, lighter person has to take a naturally lower metabolic rate into consideration ( mine is about 950).



    However if you post your calorie intake in the general forum, to save being flagged, or lambasted by your fellow MFP members, etc, it would behoove you to explain your reasons. That way a 22 yo, 5'6, 160 lb person does not think that 1000 is an acceptable intake for her/ him.

    Cheers, h.

    That's why I suggested a group. It gets tiring having to repeatedly justify one's caloric requirements to people with more confidence than knowledge.
  • Verdenal
    Verdenal Posts: 625 Member
    edited September 2015


    I dont know about special group other than it would possibly eliminate some of the ruder comments. So far I am able to remind myself that while 25 lbs. is huge to me, it's still short term to many I would have a different strategy if I had more to lose.

    My approach is simple: 1000 cals. is actual food and then I throw on my coffee creamer cals. So I can see my other info. This program works fine at 1000 cals.

    As for the insistence on weighing food etc, I have concerns for myself. I am obsessive enough as it is. That would make it worse for me. And 2 I must keep in mind that this program is a tool only. My willingness and rigorous honesty about what I am eating and why and accepting that I must commit to regular exercise is central to my success.

    Not spreadsheets, not rigid rules, and definitely not focusing on other people and imagining that policing others is remotely positive.

    One great benefit of being older is understanding finally that other people are different and that what works for me might not fit someone else. My days of having to be Right are over. It's such a pleasure to know....just share My experience. Let others play guru and learn the hard way that they aren't really helping anyone and it definitely isn't beneficial to themselves.

    As I just said in another response, a group would be nice because it would make unnecessary having to repeatedly explain one's caloric needs. It would also be nice not to have to worry about seeming to be callous to people who have more weight to lose. To a small, short woman, a gain of 5 pounds is like 10 to someone else.

    I understand the point about being obsessive, but when you can eat so few calories you have to keep very careful track of what you're eating. A compromise is to figure out three to five meals with a known calorie count and eat them while losing weight. After reaching maintenance, one could manage by eliminating sugar and unnecessary fats and carbs completely, or more realistically, several times a week. It's also essential to weigh oneself at least once a week, but with a smaller woman, more frequently is better so that adjustments can be made sooner.

    As for motivation, I say use whatever it takes and from whatever source. One source I reject is people who are ill-informed about smaller women. There are quite a few of them.
  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
    I am 5'2.75", 53 years old, my starting weight was 237. I have lost to 185.6. I eat 1200 plus half of my exercise calories back. In the beginning I was losing 2 pounds a week almost every week. Now I am losing between 1 and 1.5 pounds a week, eating about the same amount and my loss has not been as consistent week to week as it was when I weighed more.
  • Abby_C2014
    Abby_C2014 Posts: 86 Member
    5'1" and my calorie intake is 1500. My goal is to lose 2 lbs per week. Last week, I lost 6lbs. I don't want to lose so many lbs in a week. Depending on this week I will increase it to 1600 or more.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,481 Member
    Verdinal, thanks for the reply.
    You have what works for you worked out, good.
    can I just ask you what your maintenance will be when you reach your goal weight?
    As I said, my maintenance is between 1200-1400, and I was curious what another petite older woman would maintain on, recognising that we are all different.

    Cheers, h.
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,659 Member
    I'm another shorter, older person -- 5'1.5", 56, and 120 lbs. I was eating 1200 + exercise and lost about 6 lbs., but haven't gone below 120 in a long time. I'm eating a base of 1000 now, plus whatever exercise calories my fitbit gives me. I have a pretty low metabolism. After a pretty busy day walking all over campus dragging a roller bag, I've burned only 1398 calories; if I'm totally sedentary (which isn't often), it's closer to 1000. So to create a deficit, I have to eat around 1000, but find it very hard to eat that little. Right now, I'm trying for a recomp, increasing my protein and getting back to strength training to increase lean muscle mass and change my body shape. I've accepted that 120 is probably what I'll weigh for the rest of my life, but still track because at my low metabolism, it doesn't take much to start gaining again. I don't advise eating below 1000 unless you're really small and older or so heavy that a doctor puts you on a VLCD.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    I'm 5'1", 35 years old, 105lbs. I'm working on finding my maintenance right now, but I think it's around 1600 including exercise (I use TDEE method). I'm eating at 1600 now anyway, and I'll adjust as needed.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,481 Member
    Segacs that is very interesting.
    My TDEE is 1400 ( self derived) same stats but 27y older. Looks like it lines up with expected decrease in BMR over the decades.

    Cheers, h.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
    Segacs that is very interesting.
    My TDEE is 1400 ( self derived) same stats but 27y older. Looks like it lines up with expected decrease in BMR over the decades.

    Cheers, h.

    Yay, something to look forward to!

    (Haha, seriously, good for you.)
  • kacey65
    kacey65 Posts: 4 Member
    Hi Verdinal - thank you for taking up the thread! I will look into the protein sparing fast. (I'm willing to try anything for a short time - as long as my long term nutrition is good, then the more I know about how MY body reacts the better. At least that is what I think.)

    H - how do I know what my maintenance calories will be ? I am currently eating at/under 1200 calories per day, and riding my bike (outside - up and down hills, in the wind) for over an hour 5 times per week. I am, basically, not losing. Is this my maintenance level ? Then OMG what is my 'losing' level ?

    This is a great thread - and interesting to see the variability in people.

  • Kim55555
    Kim55555 Posts: 987 Member
    Just looking for input from other shorties. I'm 5'1" and MyFitnessPal set my calories to 1670 to lose a pound a week. I'm not in a hurry, I just want to find something I can stick with long term so I didn't want to cut my calories way back. I'm curious what everyone else has theirs set to and what results they are seeing?


    Hi
  • Kim55555
    Kim55555 Posts: 987 Member
    edited September 2015
    Kim55555 wrote: »
    Just looking for input from other shorties. I'm 5'1" and MyFitnessPal set my calories to 1670 to lose a pound a week. I'm not in a hurry, I just want to find something I can stick with long term so I didn't want to cut my calories way back. I'm curious what everyone else has theirs set to and what results they are seeing?


    Hi
    Just looking for input from other shorties. I'm 5'1" and MyFitnessPal set my calories to 1670 to lose a pound a week. I'm not in a hurry, I just want to find something I can stick with long term so I didn't want to cut my calories way back. I'm curious what everyone else has theirs set to and what results they are seeing?


    I'm 5'2 and atm weigh 64.4 kg. I want to get back to 57 kg. I'm losing eating a gross weekly average of 2000 calories. I'd say I'm at about a 10 % deficit. I don't mind if it takes 7 months to lose it. I'm in no hurry either.

    3 times per week sprints, 1 moderate intensity session, 2 times per week heavy weights. Plus I walk to and from my car to work 30 mins there, 30 mins back.

    Everyone is different and lose at a different pace. I guess you just gotta work out what works best for you. For me I like to have the energy for my activities, I need the extra fuel to achieve my performance goals. I also don't like to go hungry.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    I'm 5ft 2" and been maintaining my goal of 133lbs for 2 years, I maintain on 2200 gross calories, when I was losing I ate 1800 gross to lose around 1/2-3/4lb a week. (46yrs old /average 17k steps a day/ lift 3 times a week/ yoga - twice a week)
  • Optimistical1
    Optimistical1 Posts: 210 Member
    I'm 5'0". I started MFP August 29th at 149.5 pounds. As of yesterday, I weighed 140.5 pounds. I'm keeping it at 1200 calories a day and underestimating then eating back half of my exercise calories. There have been three occasions within the past month that I've cheated (big time) and drank so much that I failed to log, but overall, I think sticking to the 1200 calories a day is what prevented a weight loss plateau/setback over the cheat days. So far it's working great for me. As long as I stick to my protein goal, I never feel hungry or deprived.
  • MarcyKirkton
    MarcyKirkton Posts: 507 Member
    My diary spells out thst BELOWI 1000 is not recommended.

    I'll stick to abiding by the actual Mfp guidelines, not individuals who obviously are unaware.
  • Verdenal
    Verdenal Posts: 625 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    medion21 wrote: »
    Hello. I'm 5ft 2 and set to loose 2lb a week. I've put my self as inactive because I hate exercise . I want to change that though. ...that's why I've joined MFP. Oh yeah I'm on 1200....finding it hard to stick to that :/ xx

    Two thoughts:

    One reads "I need to exercise; I hate exercise." on MFP a lot. I spent most of my life way too inactive. The reason I became active? I found something I love that involves activity. So, I suggest trying to think of it in terms of "fun ways I could be moving more" not The Dreaded Exercise.

    Also, if it's hard to stick to 1200 . . . that "fun thing that involves movement" will buy you more calories to eat every day you do it. That may make it even easier to enjoy it!

    I will never give up trying to find a way to be active every day because it promotes health, but I don't like exercising. Even when I rigorously exercised, it didn't burn that many calories. The well-known expression is that "abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym".

    I walked 16.5 miles last weekend. I'm not averse to all activity. But it's not a major factor in weight loss. In fact, after exerting myself I reward myself by indulging more. This is a common phenomenon.