5'1 ladies: how many cals do you eat a day to lose weight?

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loseitgirl13
loseitgirl13 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Also, what is your goal weight?
I'm 5'1, 123 pounds (my highest was 132) and I'm trying to get back down to 100-110. I currently eat 1200 cals a day (give or take) and workout 5 times a week. I also don't eat back my calories just because I workout at night and I don't feel hungry after a workout.
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  • WifiresGettingFit
    WifiresGettingFit Posts: 1,773 Member
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    I'm currently sitting at 190.6 lbs as of this morning with a MFP calorie goal of 1420 to lose 1 lb. (I started out at 1470 when I first started so will probably lose about 50 calories for every 10 pounds I lose.)

    I usually eat around 1500-1700 on active days and stick to my goal for rest days. I don't feel hungry after workouts but I've already accounted for my estimated exercise calories by that point and they have been eaten. I workout relatively close to bedtime. I sleep better.

    Goal weight is 120 but may change depending on how I look/how I feel/etc.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,484 Member
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    I am 5'1 lost from 130-105 eating 1200 PLUS 50-75% of my exercise calories.
    I worked out my average burn was 186 cal so ate 175 back until the last 10 lbs or so when I dropped it to 150.
    If you don't eat back you exercise calories on such a low calorie goal there is a good chance you will easily become fatigued and slow down your daily activity so you have the energy to fulfil your exercise regime. This can work into a cycle of weight loss stalls as you inadvertently conserve your energy.
    It is much better to log accurately and eat back your exercise calories so you have a little leeway as you get closer to goal.

    My maintenance for the past 6 years has also been 1200 cals sedentary, however because I keep active my average intake is 1450 most days. This is an approximation as I rarely count anymore.

    I should add I am 5'1, 100-105lbs, and 62yo so my BMR is probably 50-100 cals a day lower than yours due to age.

    Cheers, h.
  • AmandaIsherwood3
    AmandaIsherwood3 Posts: 47 Member
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    I'm 5ft currently 183lb. I'm having 1200 calories a day and I eat back 60% of my exercise calories. I'm losing around 4lb a month which I'm happy with, I'm just taking each day as it comes. Cutting down on the eating out and takeaways, adding more colourful veg and fruit to my meals and more walking. Small steps to get to a healthier me
  • mystgrl28
    mystgrl28 Posts: 43 Member
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    Im 5'2" and weighing 252.6lbs :s i work a fairly active job (on my feet for most of 12hrs) but set my activity level as sedentary and eat back my exercise calories. Im set for 1320cals/day plus exercise calories. Gives me a bit of motivation to keep moving! So far it's working. Lost 4lbs in 2wks. Got a long way to go yet though. Over 100lbs to lose.
  • chel325
    chel325 Posts: 199 Member
    edited May 2016
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    I'm 4'11 146. I eat 1200, I'm fairly active with 20k steps a day gym 6 times a week. I don't usually eat back exercise calories unless I'm extremely hungry. I lose average 2 lbs a week, sometimes more sometimes less. Goal weight is a range depending on how I feel 120-100lbs
  • Sonyavdg
    Sonyavdg Posts: 17 Member
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    I try to be active enough that my TDEE is around 2000 and to eat around 1600.
  • beautifulwarrior18
    beautifulwarrior18 Posts: 914 Member
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    You should be eating 1500 calories a day. I'd quit with the 1200. The hungrier you are the more likely you are to fail. Don't set yourself up for failure.
  • Adiemus200
    Adiemus200 Posts: 63 Member
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    I'm 5"1 152lbs, I eat 1800 plus exersise callories if I want it. I lose about 1lbs to 0.5lbs a week. I have about a stone to loose.
  • drockncrisso
    drockncrisso Posts: 49 Member
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    I'm 5'2". I eat 1200 a day. I only eat back up to 300 cals on my major excercise days (when I run 7-12 miles - burning 700-1200 cals) and I have not lost an ounce in a month now. I want to give up.
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
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    It depends. I'm 5 foot tall and I could get away with lower calories when I had more body fat energy stored. Ever since I've been under 15% body fat it can't be lower than 1300-1400, so just a slight deficit at least 4 days a week and very slow going whenever I need to get it back down a little after the holidays or a vacation.
  • hornseagirl
    hornseagirl Posts: 32 Member
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    I am 65 years old and just over 5ft and started MFP a year ago at 168 lbs and at the moment am at 136 lbs; that has been using a 1200 cal goal; I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes so have cut down carbohydrate which reduced my calorie intake and also thankfully reduced my blood sugar levels and my weight. I used the diagnosis as an adventure with food. I have never exercised at a gym as my poor old bones are past it! h aha. I always walk to and from work and try and walk at weekends for an hour.
  • Jeniccm
    Jeniccm Posts: 44 Member
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    beautifulwarrior18 wrote: »
    You should be eating 1500 calories a day. I'd quit with the 1200. The hungrier you are the more likely you are to fail. Don't set yourself up for failure.

    I'm 5'0. This is my maintenance on days that I don't run lol

    I lost 10lbs from January until the end of March. I netted 1200/day.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    drockncrisso wrote: »
    I'm 5'2". I eat 1200 a day. I only eat back up to 300 cals on my major excercise days (when I run 7-12 miles - burning 700-1200 cals) and I have not lost an ounce in a month now. I want to give up.

    How accurate is your logging? Are you using a food scale? Had you been losing for a period of time and then it stalled or is this all relatively new?
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
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    I'm around 5' with a calorie allowance set at 1390 a day. Some days I eat more (much more) some less, but I aim for my averages to be <1750 total or <1500 NET. I based these target figures using Scoobysworkshop calculator, and am aiming to lose around 1.5lb PER MONTH.

    I have about 20lb to lose, and a long slow target suits me fine - I have the energy to carry out workouts, dance, go for long walks, run etc. plus I get to enjoy my food without feeling like I'm struggling too much. 1200 calories on a daily basis just wouldn't work for me - I couldn't have the odd glass of wine, crumpets slathered in butter, beer etc. But some days I just am not interested in eating loads. I'm not a junk food eater, but I do like exploring foods and eating out, so having the flexibility to eat more some days works for me.

    I'm using a trendweight app to track my weight, and it is generally on a downward trend, but I also go by how I feel and how my clothes fit. Weighing less is less important to me than getting fitter and looking sexier.
  • meganmoore112
    meganmoore112 Posts: 174 Member
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    5'2", currently 136. Started at about 150. I lost the first 10 on 1400-1500. I've dropped it down to 1300-1400 now. You could probably get away with up to 1400 and still lose depending on activity. When I get closer to my goal weight of 120, I know I'll probably have to get close to 1200 to keep losing.
  • chellekoren
    chellekoren Posts: 273 Member
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    I weigh and measure a lot of my food. I'm 5'2" at 152. I am netting around 1350. I bank for the weekends. This past weekend doesn't count because I indulged for Mother's Day both days which was unintended but I couldn't say no when you are being showered with dinners and desserts, lol. My family can't cook so eating out is their only hope for spoiling me. Lol and I'm weak when it comes to eating out.

    When is was netting around 1450, I either wasn't losing or losing much more slowly than I could handle.

    Do you exercise the same way everyday? Maybe change it up and surprise your body. I like to do that too. Change the type of exercise or make a day very low in calories.
  • catsdogsh
    catsdogsh Posts: 130 Member
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    12,00 to 1000 only 5 foot 2 need to get back to 120. Also have pcsd, hypothyroidism, and diabetes. So I still only lose very little at a time with exercise. Never ever eat back exercise calories.
  • kthompson601
    kthompson601 Posts: 174 Member
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    I'm 5 foot even and 29 years old, started at 290 pounds, current weight 171. I have my calories set at 1350 a day (with my activity level set at sedentary) and exercise 6 times a week; I usually eat about 1600 to 1700 calories and am happy with my weight loss speed. Slow and steady!
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
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    WinoGelato wrote: »
    These threads always make me sad to see young, very active women eating 1200 calories, exercising strenuously, and not eating back those calories. You are likely under fueling your bodies, sacrificing muscle mass, and could lose weight eating a lot more than you are!

    FWIW I'm 5'2 and 41 and I lost the majority of my 30 lbs eating between 1600-1900 cals and am maintaining at 120 with a TDEE of about 2200.

    Me too. I'm 5' 2" and 52 and I've lost 20lbs eating a darn sight more than 1,200 calories. I'm currently at 133lbs and aiming to lose another 7-10lbs. It might take me a while, but hey, if it means I can eat pizza and have a few beers then it works for me.

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