1200 calories too much for 4'11 woman

Addicted2desserts
Addicted2desserts Posts: 2 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey!

I went from 220 to 129. I am only 4'11 so i really need to lose 29-35 more pounds. Would 1200 calories be too much? I feel like I probably should be eating 800-1000 calories to lose 2 pounds per week but at the same time I don't feel as full and satisfied as i do when i eat 1200 calories.

Would appreciate any help!!

Replies

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  • MarkusDarwath
    MarkusDarwath Posts: 393 Member
    cnjg420 wrote: »
    I'm 4"11 also I tend to stay between 1180-1200 calories a day I have lost 35 pounds

    How long did it take you? That info may help the OP.
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  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    I am 5'1, so a little taller, but went from 130 to a maintenance of 100-105 eating 1200 plus exercise calories. That took me to about 1400 a day. When I got to 110 I dropped 50 cals off my exercise, so 1350 a day.

    I started at 130 losing 1lbs a week for about the first 2 month. It then dropped to .5 a week until I hit around the 110lbs mark. After that it was incredibly slow, but it happened. All told it took about a year. I have maintained between 100-105 for 6+ years.
    I found my energy levels were too low on 1200 and not eating back exercise.

    After so long in a deficit you may benifit from a diet break and eatat maintenance for a couple of weeks.
    If you find you like that, you could work out your goal maintenance and start eating at that. Your weight loss will be a little slower, but you won't need to adjust.

    Cheers, h.
  • 1shedev
    1shedev Posts: 144 Member
    I'm 4'11, I use 1100 for a base on rest days, go up from there based on which exercises I do. I'm steady losing 1 to 1 1/2 per week. I prioritize protein and fiber macros. It does take a little discipline.
  • DetroitDarin
    DetroitDarin Posts: 955 Member
    Perhaps you consider focusing on a weekly goal than a daily goal? That gives you wiggle room to find the nutrition you need, maybe?
  • jennypapage
    jennypapage Posts: 489 Member
    try the 1200 for a couple of weeks and see how much you lose (or don't lose),and how you feel. i'm 4'8 and i've been doing 800-1000 for months now, but i feel good and all my blood tests came back good.for you that could be too low. if you're losing at 1200,then no need to eat less than that.
  • Jeyradan
    Jeyradan Posts: 164 Member
    I'm 5'2", but hypotonic and very small-framed, so my maintenance is theoretically around 1200-1300. In practice, I maintain pretty solidly at 1000. Which, by the way, sucks, because it means I never get any treats (yes, I can exercise for them, but when you're this small, you don't earn nearly as many calories doing that as a larger person would).

    (By the numbers, 950/day would be an 0.5lb/wk loss. You literally have to eat negative calorie values to lose 2lbs/wk.)
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited August 2016
    Forget about losing 2lbs a week saying you have less that 30lbs to lose - 0.5 to 1lb is more than enough to plan on losing and that way you wont have to drop those cals too much.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Jeyradan wrote: »
    I'm 5'2", but hypotonic and very small-framed, so my maintenance is theoretically around 1200-1300. In practice, I maintain pretty solidly at 1000. Which, by the way, sucks, because it means I never get any treats (yes, I can exercise for them, but when you're this small, you don't earn nearly as many calories doing that as a larger person would).

    (By the numbers, 950/day would be an 0.5lb/wk loss. You literally have to eat negative calorie values to lose 2lbs/wk.)

    Your maintenance even sedentary can't be that low. I'm same height and OK I'm very active but I maintain on 2100. If I was sedentary I could maintain on 1600. You need to do a reverse diet by the sound of it and slowly work yourself up to maintaining on more cals imo.
  • Pawsforme
    Pawsforme Posts: 645 Member
    I'm 4'10" on a good day, 53 yo and hypothyroid. When my thyroid is behaving (right now I think it is not--doc appointment next week) I maintain on about 1650 calories a day and so can lose at a satisfactory rate on 1200-1400 calories a day. I agree with the others that you probably shouldn't be trying for a 2 pound per week loss. That amount isn't really realistic for people who are shorter and have a relatively small amount of weight to lose.
  • Addicted2desserts
    Addicted2desserts Posts: 2 Member
    Thank you so much everyone! I think I'll stick with 1200 calories! I guess it's better to take my time rather than starve myself and gain everything back.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    I am just under 5' and have been on 1200 calories/day plus some fraction of my exercise calories--depending on how hungry I am--for a year and a half. 215 starting weight, currently 137, target 115. I am losing very slowly now but still losing. 2 lb/week is a lot for your current weight. I am currently losing about 0.5 lb/week, sometimes less. Be patient and keep working at it, the weight will eventually come off.
  • realcalm
    realcalm Posts: 63 Member
    The tables really don't take us very short people into account, do they? I am 4'10 but due to Spina Bifida am shorter than my general upper body size would predict. Despite all the warnings to Never! eat less than 1200, it is pretty clear that at some point I will probably have to aim lower than 1200. For now 1200 is working (down about 30), so I guess we just have to play it by ear.
  • heartofplastic
    heartofplastic Posts: 68 Member
    Hey! I'm 5'1 and mine is set at 1200 to lose 1 lb per week but I've been doing well with 800-900 cals per day. I know I'm probably going to get criticism for this but I've lost 8 lbs in the last couple months (I'm 104 lbs now which is still a very healthy weight) and I feel great! I also have really good self control so I don't go crazy and binge (which is what happens to many people who eat at a deficit.) I think it's much better for you to do what works for you though. I think 2 lbs per week is a bit too aggressive and you will be fine with 1 or even 0.5 lb per week. Good luck!
  • Jeyradan
    Jeyradan Posts: 164 Member
    RunRutheeRun wrote: »
    Your maintenance even sedentary can't be that low. I'm same height and OK I'm very active but I maintain on 2100. If I was sedentary I could maintain on 1600. You need to do a reverse diet by the sound of it and slowly work yourself up to maintaining on more cals imo.

    @RunRutheeRun - I wish it weren't that low! I mean, yes, there's obviously always going to be some error in logging, but I'm definitely not hundreds of calories off. I use a food scale and log pretty carefully. As I said, though, I'm also hypotonic and pretty tiny, and my metabolism is distinctly the opposite of fast. (I'm also not exactly five-foot-two, more like five-one-and-a-half.)

    That said, what's a "reverse diet?" I'd love to maintain on more calories if you have any advice as to how I can get there. Because I'm already maintaining on ~1000, I'm afraid to increase because that theoretically should result in my putting on weight...
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