Being short sucks for dieting
localgrr
Posts: 99 Member
Hi there I'm only 5'3 / 1.5m - and even after I reach my goal I'd still be 10kg within the healthy weight for my height - I can't even imagine eating any less that I am right now, I can't believe anyone my height can be skinny!!
I really envy tall people who can seem to eat so much more. I realise I could do a lot more exercise but that's something I'm working on.
I really envy tall people who can seem to eat so much more. I realise I could do a lot more exercise but that's something I'm working on.
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Hi I feel your pain , I'm even shorter than you 5ft but might be a bit less.
It does suck that we cant eat as much and every pound shows, but stick to your deficit and weight will come off.
The only excersise I get is walking and I eat back those cals if I need to.
Truth tall people can eat more but if they eat too much they get fat too, and just because you can carry it well for a while , obese is obese.
I've come to terms with I can't eat big everyday but I can make the foods I love work
Good luck with your journey x0 -
I think the problem is not your height, there are thousands of petite people (including me) on this site who have succeeded in losing weight and are now within the normal BMI range, but accepting that you have to eat less than you are use to. This is applicable to nearly everyone on this site, not just petite women.
Sometimes it is easier to start with just .5 lbs as your goal and slowly decrease your calories to your appropriate goal especially if you have over 75lbs to lose and are aiming for 2lbs a week.
You can also just set yourself a higher calorie goal and lose a little slower if that is more satisfying for you.
As you start to increase your exercise remember that MFP is set so that you log it and eat back those calories, (your deficit is in your base calories) it is part of staying healthy as you lose. However MFP, and most cardio machines, tend to overestimate calories burnt through exercise, eating back 50-75% is usually enough.
Cheers, h.0 -
I like the replies above and they are probably true..
But I so agree being short sucks...0 -
I think your personal history with food can affect your perspective. In my case, I really wasn't eating that much more while I was putting the weight on than I need to for maintenance now, so it's not been a drastic change for me volume of food-wise (I'm the same height, and I lose on 1650, maintain at over 2000, and all I've really done while losing is increase my walking). The worst bits about being short for me is that every extra lb looks like more.0
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middlehaitch wrote: »I think the problem is not your height, there are thousands of petite people (including me) on this site who have succeeded in losing weight and are now within the normal BMI range, but accepting that you have to eat less than you are use to. This is applicable to nearly everyone on this site, not just petite women.
Sometimes it is easier to start with just .5 lbs as your goal and slowly decrease your calories to your appropriate goal especially if you have over 75lbs to lose and are aiming for 2lbs a week.
You can also just set yourself a higher calorie goal and lose a little slower if that is more satisfying for you.
As you start to increase your exercise remember that MFP is set so that you log it and eat back those calories, (your deficit is in your base calories) it is part of staying healthy as you lose. However MFP, and most cardio machines, tend to overestimate calories burnt through exercise, eating back 50-75% is usually enough.
Cheers, h.
This 100%
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thorsmom01 wrote: »middlehaitch wrote: »I think the problem is not your height, there are thousands of petite people (including me) on this site who have succeeded in losing weight and are now within the normal BMI range, but accepting that you have to eat less than you are use to. This is applicable to nearly everyone on this site, not just petite women.
Sometimes it is easier to start with just .5 lbs as your goal and slowly decrease your calories to your appropriate goal especially if you have over 75lbs to lose and are aiming for 2lbs a week.
You can also just set yourself a higher calorie goal and lose a little slower if that is more satisfying for you.
As you start to increase your exercise remember that MFP is set so that you log it and eat back those calories, (your deficit is in your base calories) it is part of staying healthy as you lose. However MFP, and most cardio machines, tend to overestimate calories burnt through exercise, eating back 50-75% is usually enough.
Cheers, h.
This 100%
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Us shorties don't need as many calories. Our needs will be less than someone much taller.0 -
How I've dealt with it is having patience and being okay with losing weight very slowly, and exercising a lot so I can eat more
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Hi there I'm only 5'3 / 1.5m - and even after I reach my goal I'd still be 10kg within the healthy weight for my height - I can't even imagine eating any less that I am right now, I can't believe anyone my height can be skinny!!
I really envy tall people who can seem to eat so much more. I realise I could do a lot more exercise but that's something I'm working on.
That doesn't even make any sense. We shorties can't eat very large amounts of food without getting fat, but we get full on smaller amounts. Tall people eat more because they need more.
5'3 is more like 1.60.0 -
I too am 5'3 but I think the only thing that bugs me is I look bigger than a taller person who weighs the same lol.0
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dreamsofescaping wrote: »I too am 5'3 but I think the only thing that bugs me is I look bigger than a taller person who weighs the same lol.
But you do have a higher BMI than a taller person who weighs the same as you
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For me (5 ft 4) the problems start when I try to eat as much as my 6 ft tall partner, haha! Now that has been a recipe for disaster xD0
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Yeah we don't need as many calories I get that but eating is pleasurable so it's fun to do it, do I need to explain that?0
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kommodevaran wrote: »
That doesn't even make any sense. We shorties can't eat very large amounts of food without getting fat, but we get full on smaller amounts. Tall people eat more because they need more.
Tell that to my stomach! Height has nothing to do with how quickly you get full. Which is why there are obese short people.
I agree with the original sentiment it sucks being short. I need more calories! lol
I'm assuming my stomach will get used to having less in it and shrink appropriately. Please let this be soon!
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kommodevaran wrote: »
That doesn't even make any sense. We shorties can't eat very large amounts of food without getting fat, but we get full on smaller amounts. Tall people eat more because they need more.
Tell that to my stomach! Height has nothing to do with how quickly you get full. Which is why there are obese short people.
I agree with the original sentiment it sucks being short. I need more calories! lol
I'm assuming my stomach will get used to having less in it and shrink appropriately. Please let this be soon!
I agree that height has nothing to do with how quickly you feel full. That's why there are obese tall people too. It has a lot to do with habits and attitude. What you perceive as a need isn't necessarily a need, it could be a want.0 -
I'm 5ft 2" and been maintaining my weight loss for 3+ years, its doable at any height and not easy for anyone, it takes being consistent /accurate with counting calories, patience and exercise helps too.0
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Yeah we don't need as many calories I get that but eating is pleasurable so it's fun to do it, do I need to explain that?
You could try to reframe. You can get the exact same pleasure from smaller amounts, if you set your mind to it.
Or you can keep on complaining and feeling sorry for yourself, that's always an option. I don't care what you choose 0 -
Losing weight is hard at any height. I feel like a lot of posts in this thread insinuate that it's so much easier to maintain a healthy weight when you're tall, but as a taller person I don't feel that way at all. I'm glad I can eat more but like others said, whether or not eating is also a pleasurable experience, our bodies require and feel fuller or fewer or higher calories based on height, weight, sex, etc.
There are positives and negatives of any height, and you've presumably been that height for your entire adult life. It does not seem like a valid thing to blame for weight struggles.0 -
Hey, you know what, I think we all know why we are here and accept that we have to change our lifestyle to get to where we want to be. However on days like today where I feel like I'm starving, its ok to have a bit of a moan. Particularly if having a bit of a moan stops me from saying *kitten* it and eating the contents of the fridge.0
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I would look at it from another perspective: I'm 5'3", if I lose 5 lbs it makes a big difference in my appearance. One of my siblings is 5'9" he needs to tell people he lost 5 lbs because nobody notices it...0
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Trust me being tall is not a help.... I am 5'10" and i have to eat a lot less than I am used to get results and it was alot longer before anyone noticed which was a little soul destroying. 0
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Using height as an excuse that weight loss is more difficult, isn't really valid.0
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You gotta go to Asian countries then. Average Asian for females is 5'-5' 4". And many are on the "skinny" side. While genetics matter, culture and habitual behavior do to. Many Asians that migrate to the US inadvertently gain a lot of weight due to eating behavior change.Hi there I'm only 5'3 / 1.5m - and even after I reach my goal I'd still be 10kg within the healthy weight for my height - I can't even imagine eating any less that I am right now, I can't believe anyone my height can be skinny!!
I really envy tall people who can seem to eat so much more. I realise I could do a lot more exercise but that's something I'm working on.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Hi there I'm only 5'3 / 1.5m - and even after I reach my goal I'd still be 10kg within the healthy weight for my height - I can't even imagine eating any less that I am right now, I can't believe anyone my height can be skinny!!
I really envy tall people who can seem to eat so much more. I realise I could do a lot more exercise but that's something I'm working on.Hi there I'm only 5'3 / 1.5m - and even after I reach my goal I'd still be 10kg within the healthy weight for my height - I can't even imagine eating any less that I am right now, I can't believe anyone my height can be skinny!!
I really envy tall people who can seem to eat so much more. I realise I could do a lot more exercise but that's something I'm working on.
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Hey, you know what, I think we all know why we are here and accept that we have to change our lifestyle to get to where we want to be. However on days like today where I feel like I'm starving, its ok to have a bit of a moan. Particularly if having a bit of a moan stops me from saying *kitten* it and eating the contents of the fridge.
lol eating the contents of the fridge. I found that pretty funny for some reason. But really, you're right. If having that little bit of a moan keeps you from it then by all means, do it
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You put the weight on, and you gotta lose it. It's doesn't make any difference if you are short, medium or tall.0
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What sucks for me is restaurant portions and trying to fit in eating out. They don't make a "short persons" menu, and while a 700 calorie plate is only 1/3 of my bf's quota, it's 1/2 of mine. So, it's a matter of trying to figure out how much to leave on the plate (which can be tricky), or just accepting that I'm going to have to skip the accompanying cocktail and order water while he gets to indulge in two sodas.
Some restaurants will offer an a la carte menu. Those places rock. It's so much easier to order small (when you can) then try and figure out how much of your wrap you'd have to leave behind to equal 200 calories.0 -
Hi I feel your pain too being 5'1, but I read an interesting article on how the BMI ratio calculation is out dated, they showed 6 women all the same weight, some appeared to be over weight, anyway the point of the article was that because we are so different we should calculate our waist measurement to get a more accurate assumption of if we are unhealthy or not. I thought this was a more positive way of keeping track of my health.0
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I'm close to your height, and I've been maintaining for the last 20 years. It took some readjustment of my expectations, training myself to snack less, and thinking of physical hunger as my guide to eating, not appetite or the urge to eat.
It helps me to eat my meal, and then go do something that really occupies my attention, not drift around feeling bored, looking for more food. It takes a while for satiety to set in.0
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