Short girls! How many calories do you eat to lose and mai rain
jme260
Posts: 44 Member
I am 4’11. I was wondering how many calories you ladies eat to lose or maintain. I’ve lost 15lbs since Jan 1st eating about 1100-1200 calories per day (plus half of my excercise calories)
I’m not quite at goal yet, but want to just work toward eating a little more while I try to build muscle and tighten. I ate between 1300-1400 calories this week and I am up 1 lb at my weekly weigh in. I know it’s only a lb and normal fluctuation can occur, but I don’t know how to adjust Into maintence without continuing to gain. Is it normal to gain a few lbs when you make the switch?
SW - 150
CW - 116
GW - not sure
I’m not quite at goal yet, but want to just work toward eating a little more while I try to build muscle and tighten. I ate between 1300-1400 calories this week and I am up 1 lb at my weekly weigh in. I know it’s only a lb and normal fluctuation can occur, but I don’t know how to adjust Into maintence without continuing to gain. Is it normal to gain a few lbs when you make the switch?
SW - 150
CW - 116
GW - not sure
4
Replies
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Because you’re within the optimal BMI range for your height, I would recommend starting recomp, which will help give you the appearance you’re describing.
What you’re describing is likely normal water weight fluctuation.1 -
It is normal to gain a little when you switch to maintenance. It's generally water weight from added salt and carbohydrates, just from the fact that you're eating more of it. I've experienced it with diet breaks. It generally flushes out, but you'll always have some fluctuation. From threads I've read from people in maintenance, it's good to have a weight range that you're in of +-2 or so pounds rather than a set weight, as fluctuations will still happen, and it's not really necessary to keep adjusting for those fluctuations. You want to watch trends, so keep weighing and make sure that doesn't trend up or down.
I'm 5'1'' and still losing. When I calculate my goal weight and activity levels (I'm pretty sedentary) my maintenance calories at goal would be about 1,500.1 -
RelCanonical wrote: »It is normal to gain a little when you switch to maintenance. It's generally water weight from added salt and carbohydrates, just from the fact that you're eating more of it. I've experienced it with diet breaks. It generally flushes out, but you'll always have some fluctuation. From threads I've read from people in maintenance, it's good to have a weight range that you're in of +-2 or so pounds rather than a set weight, as fluctuations will still happen, and it's not really necessary to keep adjusting for those fluctuations. You want to watch trends, so keep weighing and make sure that doesn't trend up or down.
I'm 5'1'' and still losing. When I calculate my goal weight and activity levels (I'm pretty sedentary) my maintenance calories at goal would be about 1,500.
Thanks! I really wish we could eat more calories!0 -
Because you’re within the optimal BMI range for your height, I would recommend starting recomp instead of losing weight. Recomp will help give you the appearance you’re describing.
I’ll look into this for sure! 115 was always my perfect weight pre kids. Now I feel different, but I think I need to tighten up.0 -
RelCanonical wrote: »It is normal to gain a little when you switch to maintenance. It's generally water weight from added salt and carbohydrates, just from the fact that you're eating more of it. I've experienced it with diet breaks. It generally flushes out, but you'll always have some fluctuation. From threads I've read from people in maintenance, it's good to have a weight range that you're in of +-2 or so pounds rather than a set weight, as fluctuations will still happen, and it's not really necessary to keep adjusting for those fluctuations. You want to watch trends, so keep weighing and make sure that doesn't trend up or down.
I'm 5'1'' and still losing. When I calculate my goal weight and activity levels (I'm pretty sedentary) my maintenance calories at goal would be about 1,500.
Thanks! I really wish we could eat more calories!
Increasing your muscle mass and exercising on a regular can increase your TDEE and allow you to eat more. I'm not at all an expert on that, but there are plenty of threads on here about techniques like re-comps to help. I'm not a big exerciser so I just accept less calories, lol.1 -
I'm just a hair under 5' tall, and 58 years old. I've lost 140 lbs in 17 months by sticking to 1100 --1200 calories per day. Any more than that, and I did not lose, even with regular exercise. I hope to eat 1300 or 1400 calories per day when I hit maintenance, which I hope to be in another 25 lbs. Things have really slowed down in the last few months, though, snd though I've been told that's normal, it's discouraging.1
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queenoscots wrote: »I'm just a hair under 5' tall, and 58 years old. I've lost 140 lbs in 17 months by sticking to 1100 --1200 calories per day. Any more than that, and I did not lose, even with regular exercise. I hope to eat 1300 or 1400 calories per day when I hit maintenance, which I hope to be in another 25 lbs. Things have really slowed down in the last few months, though, snd though I've been told that's normal, it's discouraging.
The last 20 or so pounds for us short girls is tortuously slow. I make myself feel better by reminding myself that a 1/2 pound on my frame is more significant than someone who is six inches taller, so less loss is fine lol. The last time I lost (I definitely regained) I was super happy to lose 2lbs. a month in those last 20 pounds.1 -
I'm just a hair over 5' tall - currently at about 140 and would like to get to around 120-125 (depends on how I feel and look more than the scale #). I eat around 1200-1300 now - don't know what maintenance is exactly -but I am figuring around 1500 - as long as my activity allows for it. Basically if I eat less/equal to what my FitBit says I burned in a day - I do pretty good. (and I only take that thing off for showers and or to charge it when I'm being pretty sedentary anyway - charges while in shower or while I'm reading or something).0
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I'm 5'1" and very active. I currently weigh 117 pounds and am working on a few more vanity pounds. I lose on around 1700-1800 calories a day.3
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GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I'm 5'1" and very active. I currently weigh 117 pounds and am working on a few more vanity pounds. I lose on around 1700-1800 calories a day.
That’s great! I’m hoping to build enough muscle to do this as well!0 -
I'm just a hair over 5' tall - currently at about 140 and would like to get to around 120-125 (depends on how I feel and look more than the scale #). I eat around 1200-1300 now - don't know what maintenance is exactly -but I am figuring around 1500 - as long as my activity allows for it. Basically if I eat less/equal to what my FitBit says I burned in a day - I do pretty good. (and I only take that thing off for showers and or to charge it when I'm being pretty sedentary anyway - charges while in shower or while I'm reading or something).
I forgot about the fit bit tracking your daily expenditure! Do you find it pretty accurate?0 -
I'm just a hair over 5' tall - currently at about 140 and would like to get to around 120-125 (depends on how I feel and look more than the scale #). I eat around 1200-1300 now - don't know what maintenance is exactly -but I am figuring around 1500 - as long as my activity allows for it. Basically if I eat less/equal to what my FitBit says I burned in a day - I do pretty good. (and I only take that thing off for showers and or to charge it when I'm being pretty sedentary anyway - charges while in shower or while I'm reading or something).
I forgot about the fit bit tracking your daily expenditure! Do you find it pretty accurate?
Seems to be.....now I'm not an expert on figuring my total expenditure anyway....but I know if I eat less than that thing says I burned - and consistently at about a 200-300 deficit - I lose. Sometimes I hit even bigger deficit depending on what I did that day...but it seems to help keep me in line. I figure to allow some wiggle room - maybe 50+ calories either way for what I may have logged for food - or it being off on expenditure.
My son bought it for me for Christmas last year - so I'm learning still - but I find it definitely helps to keep me in line.
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GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I'm 5'1" and very active. I currently weigh 117 pounds and am working on a few more vanity pounds. I lose on around 1700-1800 calories a day.
It's a sad day when that is my maintenance calories at 5'4" and 143 lbs aiming to get to 125lbs. MFP claims my maintenance will be 1620 calories
On another note, what do you do that classifies you as 'really active'? Is it a lot of cardio?1 -
etherealanwar wrote: »GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I'm 5'1" and very active. I currently weigh 117 pounds and am working on a few more vanity pounds. I lose on around 1700-1800 calories a day.
It's a sad day when that is my maintenance calories at 5'4" and 143 lbs aiming to get to 125lbs. MFP claims my maintenance will be 1620 calories
We 100% have to work out to make up for those bigger meals some days, or having a few drinks. I’m worried how much I will gain on vacation.0 -
queenoscots wrote: »I'm just a hair under 5' tall, and 58 years old. I've lost 140 lbs in 17 months by sticking to 1100 --1200 calories per day. Any more than that, and I did not lose, even with regular exercise. I hope to eat 1300 or 1400 calories per day when I hit maintenance, which I hope to be in another 25 lbs. Things have really slowed down in the last few months, though, snd though I've been told that's normal, it's discouraging.
Ugh, I find this so depressing. 5'2", mid 40's and I've been eating 1200-1300 calories and the scale hasn't budged. I'm finding 1200 calories challenging. I sure hope I don't have to go down to 1100 to see any movement.
Huge congrats on your loss! Incredible to lose that much in 17 months!0 -
Came in thinking I was short enough to be included (5'5''). I'll see myself out...
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I’m 5’0, weigh around 122 right now. My GW is around 112. I’ve been working out for 2 months now, 3-4 days a week doing between 30-50 minutes of cardio and I eat between 1200-1400 calories a day. I haven’t noticed ANYYY changes on my body. Feeling extremely discouraged and wanting to give up. I hate being short because the fat is compressed lol, if I was a couple inches taller, it would all even out.0
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I’m 5’2. During weight loss, I started on 1200 calories and towards the end, was given 1,100 (different app to this one). Now I maintain at 1,530 calories.0
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GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I'm 5'1" and very active. I currently weigh 117 pounds and am working on a few more vanity pounds. I lose on around 1700-1800 calories a day.
That’s great! I’m hoping to build enough muscle to do this as well!
While I have a lot of genetic muscle mass (quads and hammies) and do lift weights, I have a lot of nervous energy and am one of those "can't sit still" types. That's why I burn a lot of calories during the day and have such a high TDEE. My maintenance calories are around 2200.0 -
etherealanwar wrote: »GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »I'm 5'1" and very active. I currently weigh 117 pounds and am working on a few more vanity pounds. I lose on around 1700-1800 calories a day.
It's a sad day when that is my maintenance calories at 5'4" and 143 lbs aiming to get to 125lbs. MFP claims my maintenance will be 1620 calories
On another note, what do you do that classifies you as 'really active'? Is it a lot of cardio?
I'm busy all day! Some of it is intentional exercise, some of it is stress walking, some of it is just puttering around the house. I clean a lot and do it very inefficiently.0 -
I'm 5ft, age 37, 108lbs w/ 18% bodyfat according to my scale (was 106 w/ 20% bodyfat prior to this). I was 122lbs with a bodyfat mass of 33% in August 2018 when I took the gym's free InBody Test offer as a new member.
I'm aiming for 105lbs but I'm pretty satisfied where I'm at. My daily calories on MFP is 1470 and Very Active (1hr treadmill runs when not biking to work during lunch break, bike commute 20-24mi/day to work 5days/week somewhat casual pace 10mph-14mph, sometimes 30-60mi on a weekend. Also lifting weights every other day.)
Prior to losing weight I was already doing a lot of bike activity, same as mentioned minus access to the gym's treadmill and weights, but I wasn't eating proportionally to my size and mindlessly snacked and drank a beer often when I didn't track anything I ate. I was noticing I was moving slower and I easily was losing my breath on climbs on my hilly weekend rides. Not the case anymore now.0 -
I'm 5'0", I maintain on roughly 2500 (I don't always log in maintenance). I've been eating 2100 to lose a couple of pounds and move to the lower end of my maintenance range, I may try and lose a few more pounds before summer.
I'm very active (I'm a SAHM to 3 small people), I lift heavy 3x a week, and I'm breastfeeding (an older toddler, not exclusively) so you can take about 300 calories off for the breastfeeding. If I wasn't breastfeeding, I'd probably be maintaining around 2100-2200 and losing at 1800. Or maybe I burn more breastfeeding, I'm not sure.0
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