Weight Loss for short people! Any tips?

Elizabloob wrote: »

Hi! I'm 4"11', 22yrs old, and weight 113lbs. I know I am in the "normal" bmi range but feel that I could loose about 10lbs.

The hard part is that because I'm shorter, I feel my calorie intake is already at the lowest level (1200) available on MFP. Thus making it difficult to actually lose weight.

Am I being delusional about the need for a smaller intake? Should I aim for a lower calorie intake or just wait it out?

Patience is super important when you're short. Being so little and not having much to lose in the first place is going to make weight loss very slow. I'd set MFP to lose at the rate of .5 lbs and go from there. But I think the most important thing is going to be patience.

I'm 5'1" and 115#. I had a metabolic issue that runs in my family show up (alongside a personal health incident)-- I shot up from 98# over a year without change to my diet or exercise regime and panicked. I know I am not overweight, but I have been struggling to get it back down. I am avoiding metabolic medications for another few years as long as I can (I know some people disagree with that choice.) I don't like taking medications. However, I feel that vitamins and supplements can be beneficial. I upped my work out regime and have been taking magnesium (for energy ATP conversion, fat conversion assisted), a Vitamin B (B2, B12, etc) supplement and take fiber and feel they have both been helping tremendously. My weight has stayed pretty even-keel, but my muscle mass to fat ratio has changed considerably.
I'm in the same boat- I feel awful dropping below 1400 calories, especially 1200. I have issues where I have a great few days and lose it over the weekend.
Try a few vitamins and make sure you get your fiber intake (a lot don't). There are great brands out there that dissolve completely and you don't even taste it. (I hate taking things.) I think Benefiber or Beneful is one of them. They have to-go flavoring packs.

My suggestion is take some vitamins and fiber, up your cardio, and try to stick closer to 1400 while working out. Its miserable eating less, especially socially. Eat healthy carbs, don't cut them out they fuel your brain.

I think I would lose more literal weight if I didn't do as much weight lifting as I do. But I'll take the fat to muscle conversion. Now time for some more cardio. I think 105# I would be happy with.

I am 5"4, bit taller but still I find being small makes it so much trickier because you do have to be a lot stricter, especially the last 10lbs that I'm on

I am 5'0" and 112 lbs. I am on my last few lbs until my goal, and it is slow, not because of the size, but because I have gotten lazy in my logging :P

I am quite active, and can lose on 1700 calories (total, not net). If you want to eat more, move more Plan on losing 0.5 lbs a week averaged out over time. It seems so slow, but the good thing is with being short, even 5-10 lbs can make a visible difference. I look much smaller now than I did at 122 lbs, and this last 5 lbs should cover the rest of my belly fat.

I am another petite one. 5'1.
I went from 130-105 lbs 6+years ago and now maintain between 100-105 lbs.

1200 cal plus eating back a portion of your exercise cals will do it, but do it slowly.
Move as much as you can during your daily activity. March in place chopping veg, squats while waiting for the microwave, planks and push-ups during commercials, lunge on the way back from the bathroom. Anything to burn a few more calories.
MFP counts sedentary as the equivalent 5000 steps a day, so if you are desk bound try some of the above.
I worked out that I burn about 200 cals per hour of exercise so are back between 175-125 of them. The lower feedback was when I reached 110lbs.

You may like to look at lifting weights, it will help reshape your body and give you a slightly higher BMR for your weight.

Don't lower your intake, move more.

Cheers, h.

@Elizabloob please don't follow @AnneWalker2's diet. It is VLCD and should only be followed with a doctors supervision.

@AnneWalker2 you have medical conditions that may be hindering your progress. Have your doctor reassess your medication and labs, then refer you to a professional who can construct a healthy diet for your particular needs.
No one should be eating 800 cals and exercising unless supervised.

My post above was how I lost weight when 54. I am 62 now.

Cheers, h.

I feel for you @AnneWalker2. Weight loss is so slow at our size. I am happy at 100-105. A little lighter and I would have to work at it, though I have dropped that low occasionally.
Being an ex dancer you probably had a good muscle mass and BMR to go with it.
Eat at a reasonable level and keep active is all I can say.

Did your doc check you for diabetes 2?
If you are menopausal ( I was at your age) and are carrying fat in your abdomen, it may be worth checking. The increase in visceral fat due to the increase in testosterone can predispose one to it. Just a thought as that can slow weight loss if not treated.

Cheers, h.

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