Question for short girls with about 20lbs to lose..

4rgl
4rgl Posts: 106
in Health and Weight Loss
First of all, hi everyone!!

I'm new on here and am a little confused about what my calorie intake should be.

I've been eating healthy without counting calories and running several times a week and went from 145 to 133, and have been stuck here for a while.

I joined MFP and decided to keep track of my calories.

I'm 5'1 and 133lbs. I would consider my activity level to be lightly active to active. I jog 3-5 miles about 4-6 days a week, go to school full-time and work full time as a waitress. So a combination of lots of sitting down in the mornings at school and lots of standing/ walking in the evenings at work. Given my height and activity level, what is a good caloric range for me? I was thinking 1200-1500 would be fine but I hear a lot of people saying that's too little. But on the other hand, 1700-2000 (some people have said this might be better) seems way too much for my height and weight.

What is your height, weight, your average calorie intake and what have your results have been? How long did it take you to get those results?

Replies

  • 4rgl
    4rgl Posts: 106
    Either everyone is genetically superior to me in the height department here on MFP or nobody wants to help out a newbie.. how dissapointing :sad:

    Judging from other posts I have looked through I really thought the Forums on here was a great place to ask questions, but I guess I was wrong!

    Anyhow.. just forget I asked anything

    Have a nice day/ night :ohwell:
  • anunknownmouse
    anunknownmouse Posts: 118
    Roughly estimating here but I think you'd do just fine eating 1500-1600 calories a day and exercising. Just see how it's working out after a couple of weeks and adjust as necessary.
  • teenasbody
    teenasbody Posts: 212 Member
    There must be no short people on MFP I have posted this same question serveral times and never got a response.

    I just decided to go by my BMR number I will get my calories some were around that number and just eat clean when I am hungry.
  • fit4evaR
    fit4evaR Posts: 9 Member
    my trainer recommends 1300- 1500 cal for weight loss and 1500-1700 maint. calories along with 3 hard 30 min weight routines per week. I went from about 138 to 118 and I'm 5 ft 3. it worked really well for me!
  • krissytee
    krissytee Posts: 5
    Although I'm a bit heavier than you (about 155) and am wanting lose about 30, we are about the same build and doing the same activities. My doctor has told me to be eating 1200-1300 cals a day. I've been doing that for 2 months and have lost at least 2lbs a week steadily without hitting a plateau yet. I found it pretty sound advise coming from my doctors and it has been working great for me so far. Plus I don't feel too hungry or deprived. Hope that helps!
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
    I'm 5'3" and currently weigh 117lbs. I started Jan 2012 at 135lbs.

    1st month, diet only, no exercise.

    2nd month, I started bootcamp.

    3rd month, invested in a HRM. I made sure my heart rate reached the anaerobic stage for at least 20% of my workouts.

    I consume 1200 calories on days I don't workout. I go over sometimes by 100 calories
    On my bootcamp workout days, I eat 1700.
    I workout vigorously twice a week.

    Mid-May, I plan to start the INSANITY DVD workout videos.

    I am 5lbs away from my goal.

    Good luck!
  • VooDooChylde
    VooDooChylde Posts: 36 Member
    A healthy weight for a person who is 5’1” is much different than a healthy weight for a person who is 5’8”.
    Depending on the intensity and duration, consistent exercise will also increase your BMR. Because your fairly active I would suggest between 1500 and 1600 BMR. Keep it up your doing excellent!
  • VooDooChylde
    VooDooChylde Posts: 36 Member
    I'm 5'3" and currently weigh 117lbs. I started Jan 2012 at 135lbs.

    1st month, diet only, no exercise.

    2nd month, I started bootcamp.

    3rd month, invested in a HRM. I made sure my heart rate reached the anaerobic stage for at least 20% of my workouts.

    I consume 1200 calories on days I don't workout. I go over sometimes by 100 calories
    On my bootcamp workout days, I eat 1700.
    I workout vigorously twice a week.

    Mid-May, I plan to start the INSANITY DVD workout videos.

    I am 5lbs away from my goal.

    Good luck!

    That is so awesome!! good for you what an inspiration!!
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
    Well, I'm 5'1....so there are SOME shorties here =) Actually lots of us! The forum just isn't very busy at this time of night (well it's night in LA anyway)


    I have gone from 140 to 110 in 1 year's time, eating about 1230 a day + my exercise calories. I've also dropped my body fat percentage significantly.
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
    Yes, check out what your Basal Metabolic Rate is (BMR). You will find it in the TOOLS section of MFP. That will tell you how many calories your body needs at rest.
    There must be no short people on MFP I have posted this same question serveral times and never got a response.

    I just decided to go by my BMR number I will get my calories some were around that number and just eat clean when I am hungry.
  • suzi67
    suzi67 Posts: 162 Member
    I work part time as a server, so I set my activity level at the lowest and then calculate calories burned while working by inputting walking 2.5 mph times number of minutes worked. Not an exact science without a heartrate monitor, but as good as it gets for me.

    Sidenote: sometimes forum topics get bumped off the main screen before it gets seen, especially when there is a mass amount of posts at the same time. Not being ignored, just the way of forums.
  • Tzippy7
    Tzippy7 Posts: 344 Member
    i think 1200-1500, eat back your exercise cals.
  • 4rgl
    4rgl Posts: 106
    I'm 5'3" and currently weigh 117lbs. I started Jan 2012 at 135lbs.

    1st month, diet only, no exercise.

    2nd month, I started bootcamp.

    3rd month, invested in a HRM. I made sure my heart rate reached the anaerobic stage for at least 20% of my workouts.

    I consume 1200 calories on days I don't workout. I go over sometimes by 100 calories
    On my bootcamp workout days, I eat 1700.
    I workout vigorously twice a week.

    Mid-May, I plan to start the INSANITY DVD workout videos.

    I am 5lbs away from my goal.

    Good luck!

    Thanks for the reply and great job on your progress so far!!

    I did Insanity for 3 weeks and it was pretty hard, but a great workout if you stick to it. I got the stomach flu, then a bad cold, then the flu and all lasted about 3 weeks each so I stopped doing Insanity during that time, actually I stopped all exercise since then.

    I didn't lose any weight on the 3 weeks I did Insanity. I realize when you start a new exercise program, especially one as hard as insanity, your muscles retain water for a few weeks. Nevertheless working my butt off every day and not seeing a change really discouraged me, so I never went back to it. Don't let the same thing happen to you. I'm sure you'll get great results if you stick to it.

    Good luck!
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
    I am 5'3", 108 lbs and maintaining. I eat at least 1600 calories on non-workout days, and 1800-2200 calories when I work out. So I think 1350-1500 net calories would be good for you since you don't have much to lose (net means you eat your exercise calories).
  • 4rgl
    4rgl Posts: 106
    Thanks for all the responses! I guess the forums are not that bad after all :happy:

    I decided I'm gonna try 1500 on exercise days and 1200 on rest days.
  • nnylee
    nnylee Posts: 811 Member
    Hey, your stats are almost exactly like mine. Im' 5'1" and 130lbs. I eat around 1450 calories, but I eat back my exercise calories. So it can go from 1500-1700.
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,374 Member
    If you can't calculate your calories burned at work b/c of no HRM then I would set up your activity level at somewhere between moderately active & very active b/c of work & running....Check out this site to figure this out & instead of logging your exercise calories & eating them back just eat the amount it tells you at TDEE & you should do fine....HTH


    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

    BTW I am 5'2" but weigh more than you...You are actually at my goal level.... :)
  • SarahBarker1987
    SarahBarker1987 Posts: 27 Member
    I'm 5ft 4in and lost 20lb sticking to 1200 recommended by MFP and exercising 3 times a week. It's taken me just over 3 months to go from 160lb to 140lb. My Goal is 130lb. Hope that's useful :)
  • michellexoxo90
    michellexoxo90 Posts: 8
    I'm 5'1 and 140 pounds and I have been told to eat around 1200 calories a day.
  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,357 Member
    I'm 5'3 and I've lost 116 with about 20 more to go. I am at 1200 still, till that stops working for me, I'm not changing it, so I might not be the best to answer this lol. Use the BMR tool on the site?

    BTW, I weight 134.5lbs right now. and I refuse to eat back my workout calories (please don't stone me) but it just don't work for me. I believe everyone's body is different, you just need to find what works best for you.
  • persilcolours
    persilcolours Posts: 92 Member
    I'm 135 pounds and 5'3. I started strength-training but seem to be in maintenance mode by eating around 1800 calories. Definitely need to cut it back to 1300 -- but so hungry with weight-lifting!
  • zeezee1983
    zeezee1983 Posts: 7 Member
    hi im on 1500 cals and i work out twice a day i burn about 2000 cals a day i work out 6 days a week iv lost weight quick there are some daysill eat more cals like 1800 cals i can afford to as im losing 2000 cals a day iv drop 3 stone in 5 months ....keep it going people were all doing really well
  • jj3120
    jj3120 Posts: 358
    I go by my fat2fit radio goal-weight calories at 5'0" they are 1958 I eat this amount daily and don't eat back exercise calories. This is working for me, I feel great! & losing steadily around 0.5lb a week I have around 30lb to go.

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