A sudden horrible realisation......

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ReversedTime
ReversedTime Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm really really short. Only 4 foot 10 inches tall so i have to be really light in order to look slim. As everyone knows, the lighter and smaller you are, the less calories you burn doing daily things and hence, the less calories you can eat without gaining weight. I now only weigh 104 pounds ( BMI of 21.4) and according to a RMR calculator, in order to maintain my weight without going to the gym everyday, i can only eat 1392 kcal! I'm sure some of you eat that much to lose weight! I know that i have to maintain a healthy diet even after i reached my goal weight but it's really upsetting that I can't even enjoy any of my favorite foods without worrying. Is there really no other way? I have friends who are around my height and weight and they seem to be able to eat anything they want without growing fat. Recently i went on a one-week vacation and even after eating a lot, I didn't gain a single pound. Does this mean that i can eat more as long as i continue making healthier decisions and stay close enough to my calorie budget? I'm terrified of regaining the weight I lost so i wanted some advice before I start increasing my calorie budget.

Edit: Just to avoid confusion, 1392 kcal is the amount of calories i burn if i stay sedentary

Replies

  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    If you want to maintain you have to stay within your goals. You can have your cheat days and yes you can eat more if it a healthy choice. But if you go up in calories even if they are healthy, you will gain.
  • BeckyRayJohnson
    BeckyRayJohnson Posts: 88
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    Maybe moderate or smaller amounts? Or scheduled mini treats? I cant wait to see what others have to say.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
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    just so you know, BMR and RMR tell you the calories to maintain your weight IF YOU LAY IN BED ALL DAY.

    you have to then multiply that by your activity factor. (1.2 for sedentary, 1.55 lightly active, 1.9 very active...etc) to get your actual maintenance.

    you can eat your RMR to LOSE weight, because your activity factor would be your deficit.

    I am small too (110 lbs) and I eat 1800-2000 a day to maintain because I work on my feet. Don't go too low. You CAN eat and lose.
  • vettle
    vettle Posts: 621 Member
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    Don't be terrified. I know we all are at one point, but just try eating better/what you want for about a week and then check in. Don't weigh yourself every day or you'll get mixed results. if you can maintain that way, then you'll be ok. if you gain a pound (no big deal), then you know that it's a bit too much.

    try punching your numbers into www.freedieting.com and see what you get
  • paperpromisesx3
    paperpromisesx3 Posts: 67
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    I am 4'10" as well so I do understand your frustration with our recommended calorie intake. May I ask what you ate per day to lose weight? My goal is 105lb. Personally, with eating the calories I have been, I can't wait to be able to eat 1392 calories per day. But I haven't found my daily calorie goal difficult.

    I would say stick to things you like to eat, in moderation. You may find that you don't want or need to consume that many calories.
  • tmiqueen
    tmiqueen Posts: 254 Member
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    Lots of good ideas here. Maybe even allow yourself the treats in exchange for 30 minutes of movement?
  • saltorian
    saltorian Posts: 192 Member
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    I don't have much advice I can give you, but I can certainly share in your frustration. It's unfair, isn't it? Us short people like food just as much as anyone else, but we have to eat so much less of it in order to stay at a healthy weight. I have a guy friend who's like 6 feet tall and large-framed, and he will ALWAYS get to eat twice as much as I do. What's more, he'll always burn a ton more calories doing the same activity for the same amount of time. *sigh*

    It's something I've had to reconcile myself with, sad as it is. Try to keep your spirits up. Every person must learn how to live with the body they have. Some folks have to deal with diabetes, acid reflux, IBS, food allergies, lactose intolerance, or any number of other challenges. Being petite is just another factor. Yeah, it makes things harder. Yeah, it's unfair. But whatcha gonna do?

    At least when the zombie apocalypse arrives, we'll be able to survive on far less food! :tongue:
  • jodieh06
    jodieh06 Posts: 49
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    i think the trick is to keep exercising, even if it is just going for a fast walk whenever you get the chance.
    "I only exercise so that i can eat more" -thats my diet ideas :laugh:
    to maintain a healthy body, you have to continue eating healthily im afraid. Treat yourself, and dont worry if your weight fluctuates :)
  • caitlin70433
    caitlin70433 Posts: 60
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    Yeah, that RMR is if you are in bed all day. I'm 4'11'' and I am LOSING eating about 1500 cals a day. I lost 1.2 last week. Of course, I am exercising but not crazily so. If you are up and about a bit, walking around at work and/or cleaning house on a typical day, look for a calorie estimate for maintaining as lightly active. If you are at a desk all day, then at a TV or computer and do very little moving about (not reccomended), then look for sedentary. It should still be more as sitting up burns more cals than lying down. :)
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    Everyone is different. The amount you've seen that you're supposedly able to eat is an estimate based on means, not tailored to you specifically. To figure out what works for you, you just need to experiment and see what works.

    However, you may find that's plenty. I'm five inches taller than you are and weigh quite a but more. Yesterday, I ate just under 1,200 calories (even with an 800-calorie workout) and was perfectly satisfied and not hungry at all.

    And you can certainly eat what you enjoy. It's a matter of balancing. Eat a little less one day and a little more the next, exercise, stay active. You'll figure it out.
  • emtweedy
    emtweedy Posts: 4
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    Once you get to your goal weight, you might consider adding a few pounds of lean muscle mass. It won't make you look bigger, I promise, and it WILL boost your metabolism, as lean muscle requires more calories! The more strength/weight training you do, the tighter you will look and feel, and the more you can eat! It's a win-win, in my opinion.

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