Weight loss for people 5’3 and under
Replies
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Just under 5'2 here, I agree it sucks being so short as we get fewer calories. I lost 28 kilos (around 62lb I think) over about a year. I started on 1200 calories and was miserable and hated the entire world (the fact I'd quit smoking 2 months beforehand didn't help!) so I upped my calories to 1300 and started first walking for an hour per day to earn extra calories and eating back half of those, and then as my weight dropped I got hooked with running. At first I ran so I could eat, now I run because it keeps me sane because, also, pizza!
As poster above says, a ton of veggies and salad stuff is helpful as they are low cal and you can stuff your face with them!
Also, I chew gum. I hate gum, but the fact I'm chewing seems to trick my brain into thinking I'm feeding myself!
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WinoGelato wrote: »Short people lose weight the same way as everyone else - by creating a sustained calorie deficit over time. And being petite is not an automatic low calorie sentence for weight loss.
I’m 5’2, and lost most of my weight, ~35 lbs, eating b/w 1600-1900 cals total. I’m currently maintaining at around 118 for the last few years with a TDEE of around 2100-2200.
This all day long. I'm short (5'1") and older and have a bad thyroid and I had no trouble losing weight because I gradually increased my activity from a starting point of being very sedentary.
I think for people who are less active, there's less wiggle room, particularly if you're short, for inaccuracies in logging, and that can make it appear like it's harder to lose weight. When you are logging as accurately as possible, a short person will lose weight just like anyone else.
I lost the bulk of my weight three years ago and am now just playing with vanity weight after struggling for a few years with the hormonal rebound that comes with a large weight loss. I'd like to lose about 8 pounds now that all of that nonsense has calmed down. That was 10 pounds. I've already lost 2 of that eating 1600-1800 calories a day because my TDEE is so high because I'm active.10 -
Weight loss is the same for everyone. Finish your day at a calorie deficit.3
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I'm 5'3". I'm short but I am not petite (meaning I don't have a petite bone structure). I do think it is harder to lose weight that people will notice when you are short. It's also harder when you don't have a lot to lose (not my problem). But it is possible to lose eating healthy protein, and non starchy foods. I eat a lot of fish and that seems to really help. Another thing that I do - when I go to a restaurant, I don't even open the menu - I just order a salad with grilled chicken or grilled shrimp (every restaurant has one) with the dressing on the side.0
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I’m 5’1” and sit at 130. When I started back in 2014 I chose too aggressive of a deficit and didn’t like my composition at all when I got to my goal weight of 120. I lost 60 overall over the course of a year..but honestly could have gone a bit slower and lifted heavier and more often and been better off. I am now where I want to be..but I gained 10 of that back and lift heavy 6x a week.
My advice follow a progressive lifting program and do not set yourself up for the fastest rate of loss possible..rather instead find a deficit that will benefit you more in the long run...and allow you to switch to maintenance more fluidly when you reach your target weight.
I found for me the number meant nothing in the end...I want my composition to tell my story.7 -
rayraynicole15 wrote: »Angielosingitagain wrote: »I'm barely 5'4" (idk if that counts) but I can relate! Unless it's water weight, everything is super noticable. Also, we burn less metabolically speaking and which can make weight gain easier if we aren't careful. It is still very possible to lose it. I have lost 80 pounds but unfortunately I gain some of it back due to stressful period and overeating. So don't lose hope cause of your height! (:
That is amazing you have lost 80 lbs! That is such an accomplishment!! Thank you for sharing that with me! It definitely discourages me seeing taller people who weigh the same as me who are so skinny! Idk if you know this but is it better to eat high protein and low carb? Cause that’s what I have been doing but I don’t wanna over do it with protein and gain weight
overdoing it on protein is not going to cause weight gain unless it puts you in a surplus of calories. you can eat whatever way satiates you, it doesnt have to be high protein or low carb , it can be an equal split of fat,carbs and protein. or however you want to split those 3 macros(aside from any health issues that you may need to eat low carb. overeating period will make you gain weight no matter if its protein,fat or carbs5 -
I'm in my 50s, 5'2 ish and maintaining at 113 for almost 2 years.
I lost ~23 lbs pretty steadily at .5 lb / week. I basically ate according to my FitBit burn -- so to lose, I ate 200-500 below my daily total burn.
What helped me was my FitBit (keeps me aware & active), weighing my food, and weighing in/recording weight every day to see the trends. My FitBit also helped me see that merely staying active throughout the day can contribute way more to my calorie burn than any intentional exercise I do.
Now in maintenance, I'm doing the same things except I eat pretty much what my FitBit says I burn in a day.
I did/do not restrict any foods, but I do eat a ton of veggies (because I love them).
I agree with all of this but especially the bolded... when I tell people that my TDEE as a 118 lb 5’2 female over 40 with a desk job is 2200 cals - they assume I must be a marathon runner or killing it in the weight room but in fact I just work in a lot of activity throughout the day so that I have a high NEAT....10 -
I’m 5’2 and I’ve nearly lost 35lbs. I started out pretty obese though. I started at 205 (check a BMI calculator if you want to know how bad that was). I’m almost at 170 now 😁 which is what I was when I first tried to lose weight on here in 2015. Lol.
I went through a period of being grumpy about being short too. I’m inactive not by choice but because of injuries. That’s the most frustrating thing. I know I could do a lot more and feel better if I could move more. But it’s what I’ve got to work with. Once my toe issue clears up I can go swimming again, and I do physio exercises every day. (I’m 24 in case it sounds like I’m 60. I get along best with the older ladies at work because we can both whine about knee problems 😂).
I’ve found a solid routine (to the point of monotony) and a higher protein & fibre diet more satiating. I make sandwiches and freeze them, we also have hamburgers and etc frozen.
My goal is 1420 for 1lb/week loss. It was 1480 at the beginning. It might be lower now if I re-did my goals but I’m nervous to touch it 😛 it’s a challenge as is.
I try to remind myself that food = fuel to not feel ill. I did cut calories to the minimum at the beginning or when I’m recovering from a binge to remind myself of what food is for. To observe my hunger levels, not for any sadistic reason.
That’s not to say I don’t enjoy treats, but I make sure they either fit my calories or I just indulge once a week. Usually date night- my SO is blessed with a larger calorie goal and is one of those people that don’t have to eat breakfast to function, so eating a large meal & sharing a dessert is delicious and a lovely time.
But I cut out chips and candy and junk food entirely. Quality treats like ice cream and sharing it with people, not eating snacks alone, are a big focus for me. I did overdo it on firework Oreos the other day at a friends house but they were goooood. And it was social. I’m not social so much that it’s going to wreck my progress to enjoy myself.
The problem being short is that portion sizes are often just not built for us. My mom has some very short, under 5’ friends. And they are always attentive to intake, even if they don’t track calories. Salads are a big thing, they also cut meals in half, take small portions, etc. My grandma is also my height and is renowned for eating very little and savouring one single chocolate for a whole day 😂 and she was always a healthy weight. Still is at 84!1 -
I’m 5’2 and I’ve nearly lost 35lbs. I started out pretty obese though. I started at 205 (check a BMI calculator if you want to know how bad that was). I’m almost at 170 now 😁 which is what I was when I first tried to lose weight on here in 2015. Lol.
I went through a period of being grumpy about being short too. I’m inactive not by choice but because of injuries. That’s the most frustrating thing. I know I could do a lot more and feel better if I could move more. But it’s what I’ve got to work with. Once my toe issue clears up I can go swimming again, and I do physio exercises every day. (I’m 24 in case it sounds like I’m 60. I get along best with the older ladies at work because we can both whine about knee problems 😂).
I’ve found a solid routine (to the point of monotony) and a higher protein & fibre diet more satiating. I make sandwiches and freeze them, we also have hamburgers and etc frozen.
My goal is 1420 for 1lb/week loss. It was 1480 at the beginning. It might be lower now if I re-did my goals but I’m nervous to touch it 😛 it’s a challenge as is.
I try to remind myself that food = fuel to not feel ill. I did cut calories to the minimum at the beginning or when I’m recovering from a binge to remind myself of what food is for. To observe my hunger levels, not for any sadistic reason.
That’s not to say I don’t enjoy treats, but I make sure they either fit my calories or I just indulge once a week. Usually date night- my SO is blessed with a larger calorie goal and is one of those people that don’t have to eat breakfast to function, so eating a large meal & sharing a dessert is delicious and a lovely time.
But I cut out chips and candy and junk food entirely. Quality treats like ice cream and sharing it with people, not eating snacks alone, are a big focus for me. I did overdo it on firework Oreos the other day at a friends house but they were goooood. And it was social. I’m not social so much that it’s going to wreck my progress to enjoy myself.
The problem being short is that portion sizes are often just not built for us. My mom has some very short, under 5’ friends. And they are always attentive to intake, even if they don’t track calories. Salads are a big thing, they also cut meals in half, take small portions, etc. My grandma is also my height and is renowned for eating very little and savouring one single chocolate for a whole day 😂 and she was always a healthy weight. Still is at 84!
Are you eating back exercise calories? We have basically the same stats, except I started at 210 and I'm only to 190 now.1 -
Stellamom2018 wrote: »I’m 5’2 and I’ve nearly lost 35lbs. I started out pretty obese though. I started at 205 (check a BMI calculator if you want to know how bad that was). I’m almost at 170 now 😁 which is what I was when I first tried to lose weight on here in 2015. Lol.
I went through a period of being grumpy about being short too. I’m inactive not by choice but because of injuries. That’s the most frustrating thing. I know I could do a lot more and feel better if I could move more. But it’s what I’ve got to work with. Once my toe issue clears up I can go swimming again, and I do physio exercises every day. (I’m 24 in case it sounds like I’m 60. I get along best with the older ladies at work because we can both whine about knee problems 😂).
I’ve found a solid routine (to the point of monotony) and a higher protein & fibre diet more satiating. I make sandwiches and freeze them, we also have hamburgers and etc frozen.
My goal is 1420 for 1lb/week loss. It was 1480 at the beginning. It might be lower now if I re-did my goals but I’m nervous to touch it 😛 it’s a challenge as is.
I try to remind myself that food = fuel to not feel ill. I did cut calories to the minimum at the beginning or when I’m recovering from a binge to remind myself of what food is for. To observe my hunger levels, not for any sadistic reason.
That’s not to say I don’t enjoy treats, but I make sure they either fit my calories or I just indulge once a week. Usually date night- my SO is blessed with a larger calorie goal and is one of those people that don’t have to eat breakfast to function, so eating a large meal & sharing a dessert is delicious and a lovely time.
But I cut out chips and candy and junk food entirely. Quality treats like ice cream and sharing it with people, not eating snacks alone, are a big focus for me. I did overdo it on firework Oreos the other day at a friends house but they were goooood. And it was social. I’m not social so much that it’s going to wreck my progress to enjoy myself.
The problem being short is that portion sizes are often just not built for us. My mom has some very short, under 5’ friends. And they are always attentive to intake, even if they don’t track calories. Salads are a big thing, they also cut meals in half, take small portions, etc. My grandma is also my height and is renowned for eating very little and savouring one single chocolate for a whole day 😂 and she was always a healthy weight. Still is at 84!
Are you eating back exercise calories? We have basically the same stats, except I started at 210 and I'm only to 190 now.
Yeah I usually need to eat them back0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »I'm in my 50s, 5'2 ish and maintaining at 113 for almost 2 years.
I lost ~23 lbs pretty steadily at .5 lb / week. I basically ate according to my FitBit burn -- so to lose, I ate 200-500 below my daily total burn.
What helped me was my FitBit (keeps me aware & active), weighing my food, and weighing in/recording weight every day to see the trends. My FitBit also helped me see that merely staying active throughout the day can contribute way more to my calorie burn than any intentional exercise I do.
Now in maintenance, I'm doing the same things except I eat pretty much what my FitBit says I burn in a day.
I did/do not restrict any foods, but I do eat a ton of veggies (because I love them).
I agree with all of this but especially the bolded... when I tell people that my TDEE as a 118 lb 5’2 female over 40 with a desk job is 2200 cals - they assume I must be a marathon runner or killing it in the weight room but in fact I just work in a lot of activity throughout the day so that I have a high NEAT....
Same here.
Desk job - but I make an effort to move whenever I can. My TDEE is ~2000 cals. The most liberating concept for me was when I realized I didn't need to "kill it at the gym" to get results - or maintain them! 5 -
rayraynicole15 wrote: »
1200 is what mfp gave me as well. I do great through out the day and workout out 5 days a week but after dinner things start to go downhill and I binge. Idk how to control it ☹️ but it messes up my progress and I keep fluctuating between a couple ounces that keep me from losing another lb .rayraynicole15 wrote: »
Mfp gives me 1200 calories a day
We give ourselves the calorie allotment—MFP computes it based on the info we enter. And it wont go below 1200, no matter we input.
The question you should answer for yourself is — “Why?” What happens before the evening binges? Boredom, sadness, frustration? What are you doing when you have the urge to binge? What can you do instead?3 -
I am 5'1.5". When I first started on MFP I was making the same comments myself as seemed like so many people where on so many more calories than me. Over about 5 months I lost 18lbs using MFP - it was very slow, my calories were 1200 (ie. lowest MFP will go). I was exercising though - using Fitbit which gave me extra calories - I would eat some of the calories back because I just couldn't survive on only 1200 calories a day. I am in maintenance now and probably eat most of my exercise calories back so about 1600-1700 per day (that's total not just exercise calories!). I have been well over on the weekends lately though and that is starting to show on the scale - about 5lbs up - but winter here at the moment and because I'm keeping track of it I know what to do (before summer).
Hope you are successful too in your weight loss. I use a Fitbit which is great for tracking exercise calories - so I would recommend this. Also people did notice eventually when I lost weight but usually people at the gym (as I suppose more obvious in your active wear) - also I went from 123 to 105lbs and it wasn't really until I got to 105 that people would pass comment.2 -
Story of my life lol. I’m 5”2 and I struggle to keep my weight down. I’m also a chronic dieter with some disordered eating issues since age 13, now 39. Currently working on a reverse diet bc my body was not responding to a calorie deficit. I track & use a digital scale so I know my portions.
I found a thread on here where women the same height & activity level are maintaining on 1800+.
Start with a modest deficit bc the body adapts and you don’t want to start with a large deficit & then not have much wiggle room to drop more.3 -
im 5'1 and have lost over 100 pounds.
yes, we get fewer calories. thank your parents.4 -
callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »im 5'1 and have lost over 100 pounds.
yes, we get fewer calories. thank your parents.
Did you do mfp recommended and then exercise cals or which method did you use?0 -
Story of my life lol. I’m 5”2 and I struggle to keep my weight down. I’m also a chronic dieter with some disordered eating issues since age 13, now 39. Currently working on a reverse diet bc my body was not responding to a calorie deficit. I track & use a digital scale so I know my portions.
I found a thread on here where women the same height & activity level are maintaining on 1800+.
Start with a modest deficit bc the body adapts and you don’t want to start with a large deficit & then not have much wiggle room to drop more.
Do you have the link to that thread? I would appreciate it if you do.
I started in January of this year on 1200. Once I was back in the normal weight range for my height (5'3"), I started increasing my calories by 100/day each month (1st month 1300/day, 2nd month 1400/day, etc.) until I reached 1800/day, August 1st!
I wear a Fitbit and use it to make sure I am burning those 1800 calories each day. I do not want to live on 1300 calories or less/day for the rest of my life as I have read some women my age and height are doing. I would feel so deprived and resentful. I understand if I had physical limitations that prevented it, but while I am healthy and fit, I plan to eat hearty.
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@HeyJudii How did your reverse diet go? Did you have a spike in weight?
Here is the link to 2 different ones. I’m impressed by people my size being able to eat so much more. So I’m hoping I can actually get there and not revert back to low calories & excessive cardio.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10014310/any-slim-shorties-maintaining#latest
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10641330/light-petites-maintaining-on-2000-calories/p11 -
I am 5’1”, over 50, and I have a sedentary desk job. I played with all the goals for my stat and MFP sets me at 1200 -1300 calories based in my per week loss goal. So I left it at 1200 and deliberately go over sometimes. I take the weekly view on calories and don’t stress about it too much. Most days I am close to the target. Other days I go over 300-600 calories for special events. I do eat exercise calories if I am hungry. I have lost 18 lbs in approximately 4 months.4
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I am 5'1 and eat around 1700 calories per day (often more than that, rarely less). I am rather active throughout the day so i get away with that easily. I have lost 27pounds so far and the difference is very noticeable average loss has been a little over 1 pound per week.
I don't know if it is harder to lose being short because I have never been any taller
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@Talan79 I never had a spike in weight, well, not one that I noticed anyway. Due to my personality type, I only weigh once a month, so if a spike occurred with a calorie increase it was hidden in the overall monthly loss.
What I did notice was the slowly decreasing monthly losses, but I had been mentally preparing for that when I started increasing my calories. I am still working on a deficit for those last vanity pounds. (I want to be able to fit back into all the clothes I bought 3 years ago when I was at goal.)
I did it this way, this time because when I lost the weight before, I just went right back to my previous behavior within weeks, because I had no maintenance plan. This time around, I started "maintenance" prep before I lost all the weight I wanted to in the hope that I would have well established habits weighing foods, logging foods, meal prep, being active all day/every day, by the time I reached my ultimate goal weight.
ETA: Thanks so much for the links!
Also, I average over 30k steps per day during the week. I rarely sit down unless I am coloring with, playing with blocks, etc. or cuddling my grandkid.
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Stellamom2018 wrote: »callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »im 5'1 and have lost over 100 pounds.
yes, we get fewer calories. thank your parents.
Did you do mfp recommended and then exercise cals or which method did you use?
i ate what mfp recommended. usually between 1200-1400 cals. exercise calories i eat back about half, but if im not hungry, I don't worry about it. if im starving or want that higher calorie item, i might eat back more. its all about learning your body.
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I wanted to add:
I go by weekly CICO.
Currently, I am at 12,600 in and 16,100 out.
So, as long as my calories in are at or below, and my calories out are at or above by the end of the week, I am a happy camper.1 -
5'1" here and I have lost 90lbs so far. Losing these last 10 is so damn tedious.1
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There's been discussion here before about whether or not being shorter and smaller translates into a smaller appetite that corresponds with your decreased calorie needs vs someone who is say, 6'4 and 200 pounds. Personally, I don't think it does. And socially, food is definitely not scaled for us! (At least not in the US, land of huge portions).
That said, we lose weight just like anyone else - via calorie deficit. Do I get jealous when I see someone who has a maintenance level of 3k calories because they're larger and more active than I am? Absolutely! But I deal with it.
My OH is a foot taller than me. He eats whole portions of restaurant entrees - I eat half. Once I got into my head to always only eat half, it was easy.
(If we're not going straight home afterwards, like when we go to a movie after dinner, we'll split an entree and salad and he will get popcorn at the theater, and I will just have a bite of that. I'm not really into eating during movies. If I was, we'd skip the dinner first.)1 -
rayraynicole15 wrote: »
1200 is what mfp gave me as well. I do great through out the day and workout out 5 days a week but after dinner things start to go downhill and I binge. Idk how to control it ☹️ but it messes up my progress and I keep fluctuating between a couple ounces that keep me from losing another lb .rayraynicole15 wrote: »
Mfp gives me 1200 calories a day
Whenever I hear "I do great through out the day...binge" I think the person is not eating enough during the day.
MFP gave you 1200 calories based on what rate of loss you chose. Do you want to lose slowly and steadily, or not at all due to having chosen an overly aggressive calorie deficit for you?
Set a slower rate of loss, increase your exercise, figure out what percentage of exercise calories you can eat back, and you will lose.5 -
rayraynicole15 wrote: »Angielosingitagain wrote: »I'm barely 5'4" (idk if that counts) but I can relate! Unless it's water weight, everything is super noticable. Also, we burn less metabolically speaking and which can make weight gain easier if we aren't careful. It is still very possible to lose it. I have lost 80 pounds but unfortunately I gain some of it back due to stressful period and overeating. So don't lose hope cause of your height! (:
That is amazing you have lost 80 lbs! That is such an accomplishment!! Thank you for sharing that with me! It definitely discourages me seeing taller people who weigh the same as me who are so skinny! Idk if you know this but is it better to eat high protein and low carb? Cause that’s what I have been doing but I don’t wanna over do it with protein and gain weight
Eat however makes you feel the fullest on the fewest calories. For some that is indeed high protein/low carb. For others it is high fat/low carb. I also know plenty of healthy and fit vegans (high carb.)
It's not macros that make you gain weight - it's excess calories.3 -
I am just now beginning to accept how much a few pounds shows up on my body. I thought I could have a pretty big goal range, and everything would be fine, but that isn't the case. At 128+ my clothes are tight/don't fit and I feel bad about how my stomach looks. At 125, my clothes are comfortably loose and I am starting to like my stomach. My previous range was 125-130. My new one is 123-126. I am within it but trying to get down to the lower end, which is where I was when I took my profile pic a few years ago.3
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I'm 5'1, and while every kilo we gain is more noticeable, it goes both ways. When I lose even the tiniest bit of weight, it's quickly noticeable.
This is so interesting, I actually thought that because I am short I look smaller than I am. Like, yes a taller person at my current weight would look smaller, but they ARE, like in terms of BMI. But a shorter person at a higher BMI looks smaller/is less heavy on the scale than a tall person. Like I was in the second class of obesity and on the cusp of plus/regular sizes. I shopped the first couple sizes in plus size stores, but many regular sized stores had my size in XL or XXL.0 -
I'm 5'1, and while every kilo we gain is more noticeable, it goes both ways. When I lose even the tiniest bit of weight, it's quickly noticeable.
This is so interesting, I actually thought that because I am short I look smaller than I am. Like, yes a taller person at my current weight would look smaller, but they ARE, like in terms of BMI. But a shorter person at a higher BMI looks smaller/is less heavy on the scale than a tall person. Like I was in the second class of obesity and on the cusp of plus/regular sizes. I shopped the first couple sizes in plus size stores, but many regular sized stores had my size in XL or XXL.
We can fit into 'regular' clothes at higher weights, but proportionally that XL on us is every bit as large as plus sizes on someone taller. Seems like taller people can carry some extra weight a little easier. I feel like Humpty Dumpty even in a regular XL. It's just not a good size for my stature. I'm not short and cute when overweight. Just short 5
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