5’2 females, how are you maintaining?

SummerSkier wrote: »

He is a 5'10" man commenting on a 5'2" women's thread. nuff said. WinoGelato you make a lot of sense. Thanks for vocalizing what I was thinking as I slowly up my calories. While I was losing I would have sworn that my maintenance would have been a lot lower than it is. And over time I think you DO need to keep pushing the envelope UP little by little. Apparently our bodies learn to convert to more energy vs store fat. It has been a pleasant surprise to find myself (like Army wife) still trending down even as I push my cals up! And to whoever woo'd my previous post. I can muse about good vs bad calories if I want. That's my personal experience which I am sharing, not pushing it on anyone else.

I'm pretty sure most 'woo'ers really think the woo button is meant in a positive way but the majority of us see it as woo as in BS, so take it in your case as a positive

ryenday wrote: »

RunRutheeRun wrote: »

@purpleannex well I think we all can eat far more than we need, because something tastes really good etc. If you have a lot of salad on the side a few slices of pizza is completely filling and adequate. For you as a guy ok you can have a few slices more but it should still fill you up. I've got used to eating less. It is what it is.

Yeah, doesn’t fill me up. Glad it works well for you, but regular thin crust pizza? Takes at least 1/2 a pizza to fill me up. Salad doesn’t fill me up at all - I remain hungry no matter what quantity of salad.

“Should still fill you up”. Not sure how you can say because it fills you up personally it should be the case for everyone, but happy that it works for you. Less than happy that it doesn’t work that way with me.

It is what it is. Totally agree.

'should' being the operative word. Perhaps I am just so used to smaller portions so its easy enough for me to say that.
I've been eating smaller portions for close on 6 years so my stomach/body has got used to less I suppose and I rarely feel true hunger.

So I have been wondering what exactly is a woo supposed to be used for now? I thought it was for statements of ‘fact’ that are not scientifically backed up, but then I see it on lots of posts that would not apply and assume it is a general disagreement thingy now?

CoachJen71 wrote: »

Congrats!

I'm 5'2.5", 46yo, post-menopausal.

Maintaining 120ish at 1300 or so sedentary, but usually aim for 20k walking steps a day, plus I do some strength work (not wearing the Fitbit then, tho.) Can eat 1800 cals or so for a 20K step day, unless I have been hiking hills. I can get an extra 300-500 cals depending upon how challenging the hike is.

The weight difference between a cut and maintenance (factoring in glycogen, sodium, accompanying water, and the food baby) seems to be about 4lbs for me.

Same here. I am 5'3 and when I make 20000/25000 walkings steps a day I can maintain when I eat 'round 1800/1900 cal. Oh, my weight is 115lbs.

ryenday wrote: »

So I have been wondering what exactly is a woo supposed to be used for now? I thought it was for statements of ‘fact’ that are not scientifically backed up, but then I see it on lots of posts that would not apply and assume it is a general disagreement thingy now?

Most people don't use it as a positive meaning but rather a negative one. Apparenrly it can be used for either meaning which is rather stupid.

SummerSkier wrote: »

that's a VERY interesting statement. ...And not to say CICO is not the end game, but I notice that eating "clean" for me seems like I can eat MORE than if I eat junk. Calorie wise AND volume wise of course. I know we say a calorie is a calorie but some of the junk I think my fat cells like to grab on to. (just musing not starting an argument). 5'1.75" maintain at around 99-100 , 59 years old. Not really all that active although I do try to run daily.

There is a theory that we burn more calories digesting protein. Maybe that ties in with your anecdotal evidence regarding being able to eat more clean foods? Alternatively, small portions of lower cal foods spread throughout the day feels like more food to me than a few higher cal meals, so I feel like I am eating more because I eat more often.

I'm 5'3" 119lbs and I'm currently trying to shed the Christmas belly and love handles. It's weird because I've been having a calorie deficit, under 1000 when I'm supposed to be just over 1700 and I honestly haven't lost a significant amount of weight. I'm actually trying to bulk up. I try to work out 3 times a week atleast.

TeacupsAndToning wrote: »

I'm a touch taller - I'm 5'3". Originally I lost about 12 pounds and ended up at 115 but the weight kept coming off and I went all the way down, by mistake, to about 105. I'm trying to creep back up and so far I've been successful and I'm coming in closer to 110 now which I'm alright with.

I set my maintenance to 1700 but I kept loosing so I'm upping it by 100 cal increments. For the next few weeks I'll try 1800 (which is great since it's the holiday season) and if I maintain here then I'll stay at 1800 and if I keep losing then I'll up it again.

I only work out three times a week - I do strength training Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Hello, I’m currently 125 with a heigh of 5”2, goal weight would be ideally between 110-115. Wondering how you lost those 12 pounds when you were 127? Currently doing the Kayla Itness book 2-3 Days a week. And one day a week I go running for 5 miles.

mskimee wrote: »

I'm 5ft and maintaining at 120lb with 1,200 a day (my job is sedentary. As in, I sit at a desk and don't move for 40 hours a week) but when I do exercise I get to eat the calories back. I want to drop another 5lb, but dread the thoughts of having to cut any more calories and just can't find time to exercise this time of year (to dark to go for a run, no space for work out DVD and the nearest gym is a 40 min drive away).
I'm hoping in the summer when I can go for runs and work out outside I'll be able to drop the last few pounds and hit my 115 goal.

You'll find when the summer comes those extra pounds will just disappear. If you really want to do a workout Jessica Smith (youtube) specialises in indoor workouts where there is hardly any room (i.e she just uses the space of a yoga mat) to workout.

darlibby wrote: »

Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »

WinoGelato wrote: »

For the women in here maintaining at 1500 or below - is that before exercise? Because many of you seem pretty active and that seems kind of low. How accurate is your logging? Have you tried reverse dieting to slowly add calories to see if maintenance is actually a little higher? Most people that assume because they are petite they must eat low cals to lose and then maintain are often surprised to find that if they increase 50-100 cals at a time slowly, that their maintenance number is higher than they would have previously thought, and for those who are active, that's certainly the case, and even without strenuous exercise, just having a higher NEAT from walking and ancillary movement can have an impact on how much you can eat.

This was true for me. I maintained at around 1700 for a year with exercise but then slowly added and found I could maintain at 2100-2600. Been maintaining same weight for 2 years now.

Can someone PLEASE tell me how this is possible? I’m 5 feet tall, 95 lbs and my maintenance is about 1350. This is according to MFP and it seems pretty accurate to me. How can you maintain at 1700 then all of a sudden also maintain at almost thousand calories more?

My calories are frustrating low.

I’m 107lbs right and doing a mini bulk, but my maintainence calories is usually around 2300 calories. You have to slowly reverse diet out of cutting phase. I don’t know how long you’ve been eating 1350 calories for and your activity levels, but you pretty much need to reverse diet to slowly increase your calories to further increase your metabolism.

darlibby wrote: »

Can someone PLEASE tell me how this is possible? I’m 5 feet tall, 95 lbs and my maintenance is about 1350. This is according to MFP and it seems pretty accurate to me. How can you maintain at 1700 then all of a sudden also maintain at almost thousand calories more?

My calories are frustrating low.

There's a reason why so many of us are cardio queens.

I'm 50 y.o. & 5'3 & I do walk daily as an exercise. I typically don't do cardio but I'm physically active. My maintenance is no where near 2000 and I'm fine with that. I think I would get sick of eating if I had to down that much food a day. Age also probably should be considered as a factor, maybe not a huge one.. but somewhat.

WinoGelato wrote: »

darlibby wrote: »

Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »

WinoGelato wrote: »

For the women in here maintaining at 1500 or below - is that before exercise? Because many of you seem pretty active and that seems kind of low. How accurate is your logging? Have you tried reverse dieting to slowly add calories to see if maintenance is actually a little higher? Most people that assume because they are petite they must eat low cals to lose and then maintain are often surprised to find that if they increase 50-100 cals at a time slowly, that their maintenance number is higher than they would have previously thought, and for those who are active, that's certainly the case, and even without strenuous exercise, just having a higher NEAT from walking and ancillary movement can have an impact on how much you can eat.

This was true for me. I maintained at around 1700 for a year with exercise but then slowly added and found I could maintain at 2100-2600. Been maintaining same weight for 2 years now.

Can someone PLEASE tell me how this is possible? I’m 5 feet tall, 95 lbs and my maintenance is about 1350. This is according to MFP and it seems pretty accurate to me. How can you maintain at 1700 then all of a sudden also maintain at almost thousand calories more?

My calories are frustrating low.

How active are you? How long have you been eating at that level? Did you lose weight to reach your current weight and are now in maintenance? Do you have a maintenance range? Have you dieted often, and have you cut calories very low when you do? How accurate is your logging?

As others have said it's a trial and error process. Start by adding 50 or 100 extra calories and stick with that for several weeks. Aside from any temporary water weight gains, if no additional impact is seen then increase again in a few weeks. The other key is keeping activity high - you don't have to go balls to the walls with exercise but many of us who have higher than average TDEE for our height get a lot of steps or are otherwise active - I average 12-15k steps and that's not just from exercise.

You are also 2 inches shorter and about 15 lbs lighter than me so I would expect a little lower maintenance level but I would imagine you could increase from 1350, especially if you're active.

I am not very active, I have two jobs, work 7 days a week and also go to graduate school. Both jobs and school are sedentary. I do jog at the park a few times a week when the weather is okay, but according to my research my 3 mile jog/walk is only counting for 180ish calories burned.

I have only been in maintenance for about a month, and I was on a 1000 calorie diet to lose about a pound a week I haven't gained anything on 1350 but haven't lost anything either.

I don't understand the concept of 'reverse dieting', if I'm maintaining at 1350 with little exercise, how can I just add calories and maintain without increasing activity? I understand I have not been in maintenance for a long time, but I can't just imagine eating more calories, not burning them off, and staying the same weight.

darlibby wrote: »

WinoGelato wrote: »

darlibby wrote: »

Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »

WinoGelato wrote: »

For the women in here maintaining at 1500 or below - is that before exercise? Because many of you seem pretty active and that seems kind of low. How accurate is your logging? Have you tried reverse dieting to slowly add calories to see if maintenance is actually a little higher? Most people that assume because they are petite they must eat low cals to lose and then maintain are often surprised to find that if they increase 50-100 cals at a time slowly, that their maintenance number is higher than they would have previously thought, and for those who are active, that's certainly the case, and even without strenuous exercise, just having a higher NEAT from walking and ancillary movement can have an impact on how much you can eat.

This was true for me. I maintained at around 1700 for a year with exercise but then slowly added and found I could maintain at 2100-2600. Been maintaining same weight for 2 years now.

Can someone PLEASE tell me how this is possible? I’m 5 feet tall, 95 lbs and my maintenance is about 1350. This is according to MFP and it seems pretty accurate to me. How can you maintain at 1700 then all of a sudden also maintain at almost thousand calories more?

My calories are frustrating low.

How active are you? How long have you been eating at that level? Did you lose weight to reach your current weight and are now in maintenance? Do you have a maintenance range? Have you dieted often, and have you cut calories very low when you do? How accurate is your logging?

As others have said it's a trial and error process. Start by adding 50 or 100 extra calories and stick with that for several weeks. Aside from any temporary water weight gains, if no additional impact is seen then increase again in a few weeks. The other key is keeping activity high - you don't have to go balls to the walls with exercise but many of us who have higher than average TDEE for our height get a lot of steps or are otherwise active - I average 12-15k steps and that's not just from exercise.

You are also 2 inches shorter and about 15 lbs lighter than me so I would expect a little lower maintenance level but I would imagine you could increase from 1350, especially if you're active.

I am not very active, I have two jobs, work 7 days a week and also go to graduate school. Both jobs and school are sedentary. I do jog at the park a few times a week when the weather is okay, but according to my research my 3 mile jog/walk is only counting for 180ish calories burned.

I have only been in maintenance for about a month, and I was on a 1000 calorie diet to lose about a pound a week I haven't gained anything on 1350 but haven't lost anything either.

I don't understand the concept of 'reverse dieting', if I'm maintaining at 1350 with little exercise, how can I just add calories and maintain without increasing activity? I understand I have not been in maintenance for a long time, but I can't just imagine eating more calories, not burning them off, and staying the same weight.

First - losing a pound a week if you didn't have a lot to lose is pretty aggressive. How long were you eating at 1000 calories? Most people reduce their rate of loss to 0.5 lb/week as they get closer to goal, to help ease that transition into maintenance.

Second, if you were losing a pound per week, then your maintenance is presumably 1500, not 1350. If you've been steady for about a month at that level, add another 50-100 and see what happens. You may see a short blip from water weight but may level off.

Most people have a maintenance range of 3-5 lbs that they naturally fluctuate within. Are you comfortable with your weight going back up slightly as part of the process of finding your true maintenance numbers?

When you do exercise, do you eat back those calories?

Certainly increasing activity would help you push that maintenance cals up but again, it doesn't have to be a strenuous activity. I have a desk job but get up and move as often as possible - it's sometimes not possible but any chance you get to walk on breaks could help.

Read the thread linked above, called "of refeeds and diet breaks" it has a lot of great info about the science behind working to up calories and the impact long term aggressive dieting has on our bodies.