Short Women from about 4'9-5'2...Calorie Intake??

13

Replies

  • NataBost
    NataBost Posts: 418 Member
    5'1" - I eat around 1540 per day. (No eating back of exercise cals)

    I lift 2x a week - may increase to 3. Usually 1/2 per session - I lift heavy

    I do a cardio kickboxing class 1- 3 times a week depending on my schedule. 1 hr per session - fairly high intensity
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
    4' 11-3/4"
    1360
    no i don't eat back my exercise calories because i'm following the TDEE method
  • RebeccaP1972
    RebeccaP1972 Posts: 101 Member
    I'm 4'10 I eat 1200 and I don't eat back my exercise calories
  • yungibear
    yungibear Posts: 138 Member
    I'm at 5'1" and I do some light to moderate exercises (anywhere from 150-450 calories) 6-7 days a week. I am still working to lose weight, so I'm at around a 380-400 calorie deficit if I hit my goals everyday. MFP gives me 1200 calories, even if I say I want to lose 0.5 lbs-1lb a week, so I need to exercise a bit in order to have a little more calories to play with. I eat, consistently and comfortably, 1350-1500 calories a day and I'm losing about 0.5 to 1lb a week.

    On a week that I plateau, I eat one day of maintenance to break the stalemate, which is about 1800-1900 calories.
  • doctorsookie
    doctorsookie Posts: 1,084 Member
    I'm 4' 10.25" and currently weigh 124.6. I started at 168.6 and began with 1200 daily eating back all my workout calories. I have been at it for more than a year and after trials and errors am currently eating 1450 calories a day and I still eat back my exercise calories. I saw a trend where I was actually losing more the weeks I ate more, so I have just started this this week. if you want to add me to keep track of whether it works for me and to see what I'll do next please go ahead but PLEASE put a message so I know where I you from. :-)
  • chelsealfinn
    chelsealfinn Posts: 19 Member
    I'm 5'3 currently 143 pounds at 24 years old (started at 147 pounds 6/10/14). I started out eating 1200 calories and then eating back SOME of my exercise calories but I recently talked to a dietician who told me that she recommended that I eat 1200 calories a day AND burn 350-400 calories every day exercising to lose about a pound a week. *Sigh* I was really hoping I could just get by with eating 1200 and just trying to work out when I can. Ever try exercising with a 3 year old? Lol.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    I'm 5'2", age 41, currently 145 lb (started about 190 lb), target 120-125 lb (well, initial target, I guess). I'm currently on 1350 calories and I don't eat anything back. I don't track exercise calories, but try to walk (brisk but not fast) about 1-1.5 hrs a day.

    I started out at 1200 calories for a couple of months (with no exercise - it was winter), and then upped to 1350 slowly. I'm still losing consistently, although last few weeks have been tricky with business trips messing everything up.

    I'll probably increase again when I have 10 lb to go, although (and I know this sounds ridiculous, but anyway..) I really want to buy myself a nice winter coat in September/October which actually fits me (and not have to buy another one 2 months later..), so I'm trying to lose the next 10-15 lb at a pretty quick rate, otherwise I would have increased already. I've noticed that when you're short, you can rip through the dress sizes VERY quickly.

    Most difficult thing has been learning how to get the protein, fat and fiber in while staying under calories, but it's been a valuable education on what's possible.
  • caraya83
    caraya83 Posts: 23
    I am around your size, 5'2 and 106 pds I am trying to lose just a few pounds but I have found that the 1200 calorie diet is too low. When I tried it before I couldn't even lose any weight. Now I stick to around 1400 before exercise. Also, I exercise 5-6 times a week using Jillian Michaels workout dvds and have been losing a half a pound every week or two.
  • 5'1
    1500 calories a day
    No exercise yet
  • uchube
    uchube Posts: 44
    freakishly small framed 5ft 2 (uk size 3 feet and doll wrists) I carry my fat in my stomach only. its infuriating. I net 1000. not active at all as I'm studying full time and recovering from a bad illness. Also don't have much to lose, but would like it off asap, ideally by mid august. Eating very low carb prevents bad hunger and dizziness.
    I lift heavy for 30mins 2x a week, thats it. Aiming to do 2-4K walk in the evenings 4 days a week to prevent a bad plateau and eat a bit more, but the weathers turning here and its lashing rain constantly. i dont eat back calories from lifting, but would from walking.
    I gain quickly on 1500 when I'm this sedentary. pcos and IR, and a rare genetic disorder means I have low LBM and slow motility. . . getting there slowly.
  • nerooo21
    nerooo21 Posts: 1 Member
    Hi

    I'm 5'0" and my daily calorie intake is 1200. I've been losing 1-2 lbs a week. Also, when I work out I eat some of the calories back but not all.
  • 2BeHappy2
    2BeHappy2 Posts: 811 Member
    Well....hmmmm...Im "short" but since you didn't ask for anyone for under 4'9 then I guess me being 4'2 doesn't qualify :ohwell:
  • ccm1912
    ccm1912 Posts: 39 Member
    5'2, anywhere from 1000 to 1400 calories a day, but usually under 1300. I work out 3-4 times a week about 60 min. Ive also started some weight training but nothing crazy. I weigh 116 right now down from 120, trying to get back to 110 which was my weight pre-medication i started in september of last year. Oh and I usually dont eat back exercise calories, or at most 1/3rd of them.
  • pangepange
    pangepange Posts: 49 Member
    I'm 5'1, and I usually eat 1500-1600 per day, as long as I get reach my goal of 10,000 fitbit steps. If I don't get the steps (rare), I try to stick to 1200-1300 but it's hard to keep that low and still have a snack between lunch and breakfast - my elevensies. I run three times a week at least, so I typically get my steps and then some on those days. :D
  • williamsge
    williamsge Posts: 70 Member
    Great topic! Always looking for information on fellow petites.
  • katkins73
    katkins73 Posts: 416 Member
    Well my 1100 cal experiment lasted two days and I went over both days :laugh: I have now changed my activity level to lightly active and I get 1350 a day before exercise but I am not adding walking anymore unless it is a walk of over 30 mins that I do with my HRM. I have a Fitbit now and realise I walk a minimum of 10,000 steps a day so cannot really consider myself sedentary. I am tempted to try out the TDEE method and eat 1700 cals everyday (I work out with Jillian Michaels dvds and do some long walks/bike rides over the week) but I am nervous to do it! Has anyone tried and had good success? What I am doing now is working, I have lost 16lbs in 12 weeks (1.3lb a week average) so I am worried about changing things up!
  • spara0038
    spara0038 Posts: 226 Member
    Usually mine's around 1300-1400. I sometimes do, sometimes don't, eat back exercise calories... depending on what I do (if I burn lots of calories I definitely eat SOME back, but I don't if I was just out for a walk or something).

    I don't really have a formal "routine" in the summer months since I'm usually pretty active with yardwork and construction projects around the house, but on average I'd hit the gym 3-4 times per week for an hour. I've lost 25 lbs in 22 weeks, but that has slowed down as I'm getting closer to my goal weight. It's more like 0.8 lbs/week, down from the 1.3 ish I was getting when I first started.
  • lawlorka
    lawlorka Posts: 484 Member
    I'm 5'2", currently 133lbs, and I average between 1600 and 1700cals a day. I use the TDEE - 20% method, and exercise daily. I average it out over the week so on some days I'll eat under so that I don't have to worry so much about what I eat at the weekend!

    At the moment, cycling is my main exercise - I cycle in and out of work at least 3 days a week, which is 7.5miles each way. I also try and get out for a run 3 times a week, as well as walking my dog every day for at least 2 miles. I'm trying to keep consistent with my strength training but finding the time has become a bit of an issue!
  • vlearmonth
    vlearmonth Posts: 3 Member
    Hello, I am 4'-11" and decided to eat a bit more, from 900 cals to 1300 cals a day and gained 20 pounds in just 6 months, so, I'm utterly disappointed! I'm now back on 900 cals a day and keeping my same routine of exercising 4 times a week for 60 minutes - hard cardio.
  • soma23
    soma23 Posts: 1 Member
    I'm 5'1', 142lb and my BMR is 1229. I probably burn an extra 400-600 calories a day depending on exercise. I eat around 1100 calories a day but I don't appear to be losing much weight. In fact I've put on two lbs this week! I'm finding it difficult to find a balance
  • ghudson92
    ghudson92 Posts: 2,061 Member
    edited July 2017
    Hey, I'm 5"1 and a half. I am currently on 1250 cals a day, exercising three times a week. I don't eat back my exercise calories unless I'm reallyyyyyyy hungry :-)
  • bribucks
    bribucks Posts: 431 Member
    How many calories you need will also depend on your weight and your activity level, not just height - but you are correct that us shorties tend to eat lower calories.

    I am 5'3'', 119 lbs. my activity level is sedentary (desk job). I set my activity level on MFP to "sedentary" and add my exercise manually; I try to only eat back 50-75% of my exercise calories. I am currently goaled at 1300 calories to lose 0.5 lbs/week. On days where I go to the gym, I eat moreso around 1450-1500.

    Your best bet is to calculate your TDEE.
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
    I'm 5'1 - 2 and can burn up to 3000 calories on work days but sat on sofa days 1650-1800
  • getfitchelle
    getfitchelle Posts: 31 Member
    edited July 2017
    I'm 4'11", I am 83.8kg (a hair under 184lbs) and breastfeeding an almost 12 month old. I'm averaging 1600-1900cal a day and losing about 2kg a week (a couple of pounds). I'm not exercising at all right now because my husband has taken over my workout space with some woodworking project and I can't reach my rack! But when I do, I do Olympic lifts and also squats etc. And eat it alllll back.
  • keiraliz
    keiraliz Posts: 1 Member
    I'm 5'3" and currently 193.2 lbs (down from 201.4 lbs) with a goal weight of around 130 - 140 lbs (for now, waiting to see how I feel once I get there). I usually eat anywhere from 1200 to 1500 calories a day. I do light exercise 4 - 6 days a week (30+ minutes a day, alternating between yoga and walking), and I don't eat back exercise calories (I'm not hungry after I exercise).
  • tomorrowistoday0000
    tomorrowistoday0000 Posts: 125 Member
    I'm 5'2" and 115 lbs. Currently, I eat between 1600-1900 calories. I'm sedentary at work but do strength training 4-5xs/wk and 2-3 30 mins of HIITa week. Like most have said, I wasn't seeing progress with calorie restriction in the 1200-1400 range. Also note, the quality of the food helped tremendously at taming cravings and keeping me satiated.
  • sofchak
    sofchak Posts: 862 Member
    I am a tad under 5'3" with a maintenance range of 117-123lbs. Been maintaining since November on 1750 - 1900 cal on weekdays and 2000 - 2300 cal on weekends with the occasional refeed of 3000 cal when I feel I really need it. I don't eat back exercise because average exercise amounts are already factored into my calorie goals (TDEE). I exercise 6 days a week - a variety of activities including running, cycling, swimming, strength training and yoga.
  • Vanilla_Lattes
    Vanilla_Lattes Posts: 251 Member
    I'm 5'2 and completely ravenous with anything less than 1500. Light exercise only.
  • Kristen8912
    Kristen8912 Posts: 32 Member
    Hey there. I am 5'0". I started this 35 days ago and eat 1200-1400 calories a day to lose weight. I do not exercise and am pretty sedentary. I'm down 10.5lbs. The first 5lbs came off after the first week so it was probably water weight. On average I lose .5 - 2lbs a week depending on my activity level. Hope this helps you. Everyone is so different so you'll need to experiment to see what works for you. Good luck!
  • Muana1005
    Muana1005 Posts: 172 Member
    If you're really overweight then you'll be able to lose eating a high number of calories up to a point. For many healthy bmi women who don't work out 1200 is often too high to lose. You can go down to 1,000 cals safely when you're shorter as a last resort if nothing works.
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