Short, relatively small women in long-term maintenance

Thanks for starting this thread! Good to see I'm not alone. It's hard for me to read about other people maintaining (and even losing) on 2,000 or more cals/day and I'm struggling with my TDEE of 1400 or so. I'm 5'3" hovering around 115, and I just can't let up on the cals at all if I want to lose even a couple more pounds. I don't want to think of it as a life of restriction, but I will always have to be more careful than my taller counterparts. It doesn't help that everyone else in my house is over 6' and has the metabolism of hummingbirds. Damn teenage boys, they can eat the metric equivalent of a dump truck....

segacs wrote: »

I'm 5'1" and recently hit my goal weight after losing 50 pounds this past year. I'm aiming to maintain between 105-110lbs (I'm currently at 106), all the while working on fitness and strength goals to keep motivated.

I think that maintenance for us small shorties presents certain specific challenges. For instance, our maintenance calories tend to be lower than many larger people's deficit calorie goals. Restaurant portions are still too big for us even at maintenance, and our daily food intake still has very little room for error. Also, shopping for clothes is just as frustrating as it was before weight loss, 'cause I've shrunk in weight but I haven't grown in height.

I'm looking for some like-minded short small women like myself to add to my MFP feed for motivation and support. I've had tons of great support from the MFP community during my weight loss, and I'd like to continue that into what will hopefully be long-term maintenance.

Send me a friend request (not blank, please) if you're in the same boat.

Hello & Congrats!

I'm 4'10" & have maintained 2+ yrs now.

And you are absolutely right, things when you're 'fun' size is a little different.

Ann Taylor The Loft & The Limited has a fairly robust Petites section for clothes. Express sizes is also very accommodating to a smaller frame although not technically petite.

And Victoria's Secret was the only place I found XS undies which didn't have rainbows, hearts, & unicorns on them ... which there's nothing wrong with that if you like it.

After I lost the weight I also went to VS to get fitted properly for my new bra size. A good bra, especially for us minis can make a huge difference.

There is definitely an adjustment & re-figuring out what size from what brands fit, but honestly I didn't mind the process. I saw it as a reward for the hard work of losing 40 lbs.

Enjoy it & have fun with it!

Yessss!
Im 5'1 and I maintain at 105.
The worst part I think is the clothing. Nothing seems to fit right, everything is either too boxy, too flowy or to long!

However, my go-to place for jeans is target!
They make 28in in seam jeggings that fir perfecty!

Oooh bras,
I have just trekked around trying to find a good strapless one. I have ended up with a 32D because nothing is available with a smaller strap. Sales advice- you can always take the strap in!!
I ended up getting it but I feel as though I am strapped into a fortress, 4 hooks at the back, a new one for me. I am just about to try it with the dresses I want to wear it with and I have the odd feeling the back will be so bulky it will look like I have a mic pack down the back of my dresses.
LaSenza used to do a great small strap 32, that fit like a 30. But of course now I need some new ones that line has been discontinued.

I hate all of you because you can buy shoes. I used to be able to buy at M&S when I was in the UK, but when I was there in the spring even their shoes were too big.

Segacs, your feet sound just like one of my sisters, within the adult size range, just, but really narrow.

Runrutheerun, I used to envy your calorie allowance, but the other week I went to visit my son and grandson, ate 2400 cals of heaven, and by the end of the day I thought I was going to explode.

I think in my normal day to day life my 1200-1400 cals suits me well, and though I drool over decadent things, I am happier having small samples of lots of tasty things, rather than an over abundance of calories.

I do go for fish and chips at the local pub every couple of weeks, 2 pieces of battered fish 175g each and tonnes of chips. I love it, never finish it, and know I am going to sit moaning about being bloated for the rest of the night. Well worth it though.

Sorry to natter on I am a west coast night owl so miss all the early east coast and beyond chatter when it happens.

Cheers, h.

@middlehaitch ahh I have days when I feel ridiculously full too - Saturdays are my fish n chips plus cake day so I end up patting my really full tummy and feeling bloated but I really look forward to that weekly splurge that's my 2400-2600 day, the rest of my week I average more like 1800-1950 (takes that to keep the overall weekly cals in check), I feel empty/lethargic if I eat less and I need to fuel my workouts.

I do think we get used to eating less over time.

You must have very small feet if M&S can't even sort you out I love Dorothy Perkins and Debenhams....actually in the UK we have an abundance of terrific shops and most of them online too

I guess cos I'm not very petite as I just don't have the same issues as a lot of you gals have when it comes to buying clothes/shoe's and just as well as I LOVE to shop (much to the annoyance of my hubby lol)

Runrutheerun, the rest of my family is in the UK. You should see my visits, usually lots of clothes, some shoes, shopping, and an extra suitcase to bring it all home with.
I do think clothing in the UK is made to a slightly shorter average height.

Here is a question for anyone that's lifting. Has your back got much broader?

This is back to the bra shopping again, and dresses to a certain extent.
My back/ under breast measurement was almost 30 when I initially lost weight, now it is a solid 31, without a weight gain. I like to think I am doing the slowest recomp in history. Any input?

Don't you just love comparing peccadillos with others that can identify.

Cheers, h.

What would you guys say is the maximum 'modern healthy weight' for a 5'4" 40year old woman?