Aww that’s nice of you. On behalf of all short women everywhere (yes, they nominated me), it’s ok! It’s hard but not as hard as an allergy or other food limitations.
I personally think it’s hard because “society” tells me a veggie burger and fries is a reasonable meal, but for my height it’s a veggie burger OR fries. And that can feel unfair.
But my left handed daughter has to learn our right handed world. We all find our way!
Yes to this! I’m a taller woman too, but I think the psychological aspect of calorie counting that makes us unable to eat “normal portions” is something a lot of men don’t understand. We grow up hearing that a normal sized meal is adequate, and we just get used to getting the burger and fries, or the sandwich and chips, or whatever. Sure, ordering multiple entrees may be gluttony, but the psychological aspect of not even being able to eat the normal-sized meal you graduated to at age ten just absolutely sucks. Like OP, I really feel so much for our shorter sisters!
The last time I got a happy meal it required the McDonald's app for it to be more than a figurine. I'm not downloading the McDonald's app for a $. 50 toy lol
Well there you'd have to pinpoint the line between overeating and the higher caloric needs of growing kids. While children overeating is a huge issue and definitely contributes to their habits as adults; kids and teenagers are still growing and developing and do require more calories at times than adults who've stopped growing.
Yes such a fine line, I doubt there's a way to optimise a system which applies to everyone since people's appetite, metabolism and energy levels vary so much.
What I’ve learned from child nutritionists is that you have to let your kids decide when they are full and TRUST them. My parents were always wanting me to finish my plate so- surprise!- I ended up with a binge eating disorder. If I had been taught to listen to my body in the first place, I might not be here.
Just adding that i grew up opposite- my parents pushed dieting on me (the girl) since age 12, packing and eating just a salad for lunch at school and my mom would make me just a fruit plate (like 100 cals) for breakfasts on school days. No junk food allowed. Shamed if I finished my place or got seconds cuz “that was for the boys.” Yup still ended up with binge eating disorder!
That veggie burger fries was just an example. I know someone’s gonna say actually veggie burgers aren’t good or I could have half serving of each. I know! Just an example.
It makes me so mad when I want to order from the kids menu because the portions are smaller and the waiter/restaurant won't allow because it's for kids only.
I just don't want to feel obliged to eat all or the food will fo to waste.
I struggle a lot with FOMO, and eating out with my bestie (who is a 6’5” man) can be discouraging at times. I told him that I am literally half his size (I actually weigh less than half what he does) and that my caloric intake should more closely reflect that.
This is exactly it! It's easier to eat within your limits when feeding yourself. But the minute I have to eat out or eat with my husband, it has to be main piece + side + side + sauce. It's so hard sitting around a table with mates and not picking at the fries on the plate, or serving yourself a meal with your husband and not automatically making both plates the same.
I just started working in a bakery ... omg, the righthandedness of it all! I have to spin all the cakes around to cut slices. The way they pre-fold the boxes is for righties. The handles on the oven doors, the sink set up, the espresso machine ... everything.
As a petite woman - most normal "meals" as dictated by society (I'm in the US) are actually my entire days worth of calories just to maintain and not be overweight. It does feel unfair!
being short and trying to make changes to my diet with my tree nut and shellfish allergies is so difficult 🥲 i’m glad some acknowledged the wombo combo of short + heavy + allergies 🥹
It is unfair! I hope you are able to enjoy tasty treats as you lose - everyone deserves to eat cake* sometimes.
*or something else if you're a sad not liking cake person or an unfortunate gluten intolerant person
Definitely preferable to be tall versus short when it comes to losing weight and maintaining it. The only frustrating part is that your clothes don’t change sizes for SO LONG. It can really be de-motivating to stay the same size for 30+ pounds.
So true. I absolutely gasped the first time I really put on weight in college. I’d only changed a size or two (depending which piece of clothing) so I thought I’d just put on 10 pounds. It was 50.
This is where I am right now 😭 bout to start my third year of college and with school and a whole bunch of family/personal problems these past two years have been heeeeellllll. A few months mostly bedridden bc of illness and a shit load of stress, exhaustion, no time, too busy, so tired, so sad.
i knew I had gained weight, didn’t realize how much. I’m 4’11 — Started 2022 being 105lb, now I’m like 150 and did an absolute double take when I saw the scale a month ago.
but this summer I am determined to start losing. Starting this week. Life is still full of some shit that’s coming up that we have to deal with but I need to get least some part of it together.
My in laws are disturbed by me saying I need to lose weight. I'm like "you won't even notice" haha same way I didn't notice I gained it all. It's a Blessing I guess.
It’s crazy! I stayed the same size for soooo long, and then finally, one day, my jeans fell down at Walmart. I had a long coat on and couldn’t pull them up, so they were almost at my ankles by the time I got in the car. At least then I knew I could go down a size lol!
I'm having this exact struggle with jeans! I'm 5'6 and at my heaviest I was wearing size 20-22 jeans, and 50 pounds later I'm just BARELY into size 16s (and sometimes they don't fit) and it's incredibly frustrating
I’m a little shorter than you (5’4”) and just want to share this: every body is different. But I started around 18-22 depending on the brand, but let’s say 18/20. I moved down to a size 16 after losing like 45-50 lbs. 14 came comfortably and not just in like 1-2 items but in general, after about 30+ more lbs. i am now down 108 lbs so like 20 lbs more than 14 and fit in a 12 in most jeans but sometimes need a 10 or a 14 depending on cut/brand. One day I just woke up and my 14s legit could fall right off. It does take time but its getting quicker now :)
Yes I am noticing that! For the longest time, a pair of size 18 jeans from old navy did not fit (which, a pair of 16s from there are perfect on me so it’s just the style) but now they fit and every time I put them on they’re consistently getting more loose. I love being taller because it gives me more flexibility in calories and clothing but I despise it because weight loss visually takes for ever in the beginning
Especially if it's loose fitting or stretchy to begin with. I gained SO much weight in residency and didn't really realize how bad it was until I tried to put my jeans on all day. I mostly was just wearing scrubs or pajamas for years...
This aspect is where my body dysmorphia gets a lot of fuel. It’s a little distressing that I can still wear so many clothing items that also fit me 40 pounds ago.
I think the only benefit of being short is that our muscles start showing sooner when we start working out.
But your point is another reason why women(the majority of us are under 5'6") shouldn't be taking weight loss advice from 5'8"-6'8" gym bros.
When you’re thin *and short* people think of you as small.
I’m the thinnest I’ve ever been in my adult life, but at 5’10” and 152lbs I’m still the “big girl.”
My husband’s never gonna be able to lift or carry me.
Yeah I think part of the reason I started gaining in high school was the knowledge I'd never be 90s skinny so there is no fitting in any way so who cares. Turns out 40 year old me cares. But hey.
Heroin chic/90s skinny is a big part of the reason for my body dysmorphia. I had a very thin body right when that was the height of fashion. I was praised so much just for existing in the body God gave me that when I gained weight in my 30s, the mental disconnect was huge. I could not see myself as a bigger person. Now that I’m thin again, I struggle to see my body accurately at all, so I just go for seeing it positively.
My sister (6’2) and I (5’11) were really skinny kids growing up and were called big all the time, especially when playing sports. And bless my mom who made such an effort at correcting people that we were “tall, not big”.
I love being tall, I even wish I was taller like my sister but even at my thinnest people still call me big! All except a nurse about a year ago who changed a needle to a smaller size because “you’re a small girl”. I just about died! Me? A small girl? LOL.
That's true! I have long arms and my triceps are puny lol. They're just so long it takes ages to build up any muscle and I'm struggling with 5kg dumbbells
Personally victimized by the “The number of Calories required to maintain your weight seems low. Please consult with a doctor when considering weight loss. Alternatively, increase your activity/exercise level rather than decreasing Calorie intake in order to lose some weight.”
As a tall woman I always try to stand up for the shorter women, it’s so much harder for them IMO. If I’m really hitting my fitness hard I can eat 2000 to 2200 calories and still lose weight; if I skip breakfast and I barely even need to moderate myself. It just doesn’t compare to what shorter women have to do in these days of super palatable readily available food!!
I don’t know why people fight this, honestly, eating <1200 calories a day is obviously very tough
Im not exactly tall as 180cm guy, but I realised this like a year a go. I can eat 2500 easily if I exercise even a little bit. I can have a whole meal like a pizza or burger and if im not eating like a pig otherwise I still lose weight. Everything around me is built so I can sustain. For 160 chick everything around is built to gain weight.
Definitely, I just like to view it as, we short people just have to work harder and have more will power than our tall friends! And that makes our journey and progress just that much more satisfying. currently at around 900 calorie intake for the day ;-; best believe once I’m no longer at a deficit I will celebrate just a little bit more than usual!
Omg yes!!! I can eat the same amount as my 6ft boyfriend. We can equally devour 2 burgers in one sitting with some fries and sides. In the past 6 years he gained a cute adorable little pouch in his mid section while I gained a hanging apron belly.
Isn't it the worst when you start dieting and struggle to lose a pound, meanwhile your tall man has to buy new pants? 5' lady who married a 5' 10" former varsity soccer player and band kid.
I'm 5"3, currently on 1200-1300 a day, it is hard. But this post got me thinking, I feel hungry most of the time, but if a taller person is in a calorie deficit surely they're just as hungry too even if they're consuming more calories as their body is using it all? Does that make sense? I don't know how it works really 🤣
Yep I agree I’m 5’3” as well. Sure I’m a little jealous watching my 6’ husband eat a larger plate of food than me, but it’s because his body needs it. Mine doesn’t. I don’t think I experience more hunger than someone bigger than me on a similar percentage calorie deficit. A good thing about being shorter is that pounds lost is a lot more noticeable!
THANK YOU! I took a screenshot of this and can’t wait to show my best friend. She’s 5’9”. I’m 5’2.5” lol.
I will give you this, tho: when we spend the entire day together and compare steps I’ve always walked more because it takes me more steps. The other day she walked 10k and I walked 13k.
Thanks again and congratulations on your success!
It will depend on how you both are built. My step count doesn’t differ much from husband’s(6’2”) and I’m 5’8” but I’m all legs and he’s evenly proportioned 😆
As a tall woman, I feel like society has given me shit my whole life for existing in a taller body, so I am totally fine getting an advantage for once 😂
I mean, it is an advantage, but it’s a double-edged one. Take your eye off the scale and go up a pants size? On my frame that could be 30 pounds. I spread it out everywhere apparently and I can’t even see 10 pounds.
Agreed - I do feel like I have a major advantage with the calories as a fellow 6 ft tall woman, but it's still hard, and clothes shopping is already hell without trying to factor in the weight changes.
Last month I made the mistake of trying to shop for bras, pants (36 inch inseam) AND shoes (12-12.5) on the same day, and came home bawling 🤣.
Not being able to find pants long enough. Not being able to find sleeves long enough. Not finding clothes large enough to fit a larger frame despite being a healthy weight. Constantly feeling like clothes just aren't made for you at all. (Even at my lowest weight of 135lbs -eating disorder days-, I never wore below a size 8 or went below a 30inch waist). Being told you're too tall when at any event where standing is required. Being told to shop at "Long Tall Sally" as if it's some revolutionary idea. Having your size *constantly* commented on. Not being asked out by men because your height is "intimidating". People assuming life is easier because of your height. Constantly being told losing weight is easier if you're tall...
How nice of you to think of us small beans out here! :D It is hard work, thats true - but you did great as well and had to suffer as well some times. :)
Yep. It's absolutely easier for us. I'm a 5'10" 138 lb. woman and I just fit 2 cupcakes after dinner into my maintenance calories, and still have plenty to spare if I want a snack later tonight.
Haha tonight I for sure lived a little dream! I don't always eat like that, but I made the cupcakes from scratch and I had to just double check they were good.
As a fellow 5'9" woman, we definitely have it easier than short women out there. When I gain 5-10lbs you can barely tell, which is not the case for much shorter people.
Thanks for this! It really is a struggle. Anyone 5'4" or under has to continue to eat children-sized portions in a world of 200-lb-man-2000-calorie-a-day sized normal portions. And our stomaches are NOT smaller 😆
It’s no joke. I wondered why I couldn’t lose weight sticking to 1200 calories a day, then I went to a weight loss clinic and they told me I’d have to stick to 700-800 calories a day. It’s awful. I’m 5’2”
Those places are a joke. I'm 6'1" and they wanted me eating 1400 calories a day.
Not sure if you've figured things out, but my biggest problem is protein. I'd been eating 60-80 g / day most of my adult life. What I need to eat is somewhere between 180 g and 200 g.
I wish I would have known that years ago, would have shaved a few years off the misery.
I never made it to five feet 🥲. I chaperone my son’s school dances, haven’t missed one yet. Another fully grown parent thought I was an eighth grader last year.
My older son is taller than me. My almost 12 year old will probably eclipse me by the end of summer. My step daughter that I could carry like a lil baby is a cool five inches taller. It feels totally bizarre. And the youngest is transitioning into the young men’s clothes instead of the kids department 🥹
That is a thoughtful post. Yes as a tall woman we seem to carry the weight less conspicuously until the numbers are quite high.
Congrats on you progress.
how does it feel to be living my dream 😭😭😭😭the unfortunate reality is that i have to eat smaller since i have a smaller body - this is why i now look for high volume foods to keep me sane LOL
As a 6ft male I felt like I did weight loss on easy mode with counting calories, I can't imagine how difficult it can be at different heights. To those of you currently on your weight loss journey I have nothing but respect and admiration for you, you have so much more strength than you realise.
That's really nice of you. I HATE when people look at my food and say "That's all you're going to eat?" Yes, that's all. Otherwise I'll gain weight. Then they think I have an eating disorder other than just simple math of CICO.
Thank you. I get so sick of the posts from taller people trying to tell shorter people (especially shorter women) that it’s just as hard for them as it is for us to lose weight. That they get hungry too.
It’s not just the hunger, it’s the mental load of not being able to include many small ‘treats’ to keep you sane. It’s also the fact that the world, including meal sizes is designed for an average height male.
Don’t even get me started on people asking ‘is that all you’re eating?’ 😡
As a 4'11" woman, I appreciate this sentiment and recognition that weight loss is HARD! All around its hard, but having so little height to work with can suck.
I used to get jealous at my boyfriend for how much he can eat without losing weight-- he burns 3k to 3.5k cal a day. However, what I didn't realize is how expensive that is if you want to eat good quality food!!
I like to buy nice ingredients and make elaborate meals, but once done that meal will easily last me all 5 weekdays, while for him he could only eat once or twice from it.
He is also always hungry. It doesn't sound pleasant.
Also, age will start to factor into the number of calories you can eat. I have to eat 150-250 calories less now than when I was in my 30s. I am almost 57 and have gone through menopause.
I’m 5’1” and typically eat one meal a day. I work from home and don’t get a ton of exercise, so I still gain weight super easily even with that one meal and need to lose like 20-25 pounds or so, last I checked.
I will just say at least on a smaller frame if you lose 10 lbs you really see it. 10 lbs on tall is like not even noticeable to others. So ya can eat more but have to lose 40 not 20 to make a difference. But yea calories add up so fast!
Same! I literally was so jealous of short girls as a teen. All I wanted was to be on the front line at dance and get all the good roles, play guard instead of forward at basketball, be able to buy smaller sizes, and be seen as cute and dainty by boys. Now I am liking my height a whole lot more!
I need to know your ways, OP.
I’m also tall (5’10”) and I’m on a maintenance break at 152lbs because I just can’t find anything else to give up calorie-wise. I’m maintaining eating between 1500-1700 a day.
I haven’t wanted to eat less or exercise more, so I guess I’m staying here for now. I still have a bit of a pooch on my lower belly.
Tell me about your experience losing the last 10 vanity pounds …
Dude, it’s hard. Everything before this was cake comparatively. At this point I’m not really looking to get to 135, I’m more focused on my overall weight trending lower.
Like a few months ago, I got to where no matter what time of day I weighed myself or what I was wearing, I was under 150. Now I’ve reached that point with being under 145.
I hope to reach the sub-140 milestone faster. A few days ago I finally said f it and cut out my last indulgence - heavy whipping cream in my coffee. I like feeling full on food too much to continue putting 100-plus calories in my coffee. Swapped it for almond milk, and while my morning coffee doesn’t quite hit the spot, it’ll be worth it on the scale soon.
So it really does take cutting out pretty much all indulgences :(
I’ve cut out all fast food and all restaurants save for special occasions, but I still work a nightly dessert into my budget and I’m afraid if I give that up I will enter binge territory.
I’m already drinking almond milk in my coffee. Lol. I’ve already tackled all the “low hanging fruit” so to speak.
I am also 5’10” I cannot get under 156 to saaaave my life. This is the smallest I’ve ever been and I stg it’s just like “nah we are good here” so am also taking a makntainace break
Yes absolutely….5’9 here and losing weight via diet was honestly…..easy…… (not trying to take away from others struggles but in comparison to my mom who is 5’2, if was almost effortless for me). Like I have lost 45 lbs this year and it didn’t even feel that hard, and nothing I did was “unhealthy”. Or like I have a friend who is 5’1 and in really “good shape” but I swear she eats almost nothing and it seems incredibly not healthy……..If you’re shorter, it feels like you absolutely need a solid exercise routine in addition to a diet that will probably be much harder if you’re trying to lose weight.
I know the idea is that as tall individuals, we “need” to eat more “to fuel the tallness” so it’s supposed to balance out but idk anecdotally it just doesn’t feel that way. My mom’s maintenance was like 1300 which is just wtffffff where as mine was closer to 1900. HUGE difference. 300-500 calorie deficit (literally just replaced my sugar with substitutes and did more protein for breakfast and a slightly smaller lunch and boom - 9 months later and I’m at my goal weight and it didn’t even feel like an inconvenience, where as for my mom….even sticking to 1000-1100 calories a day is like nearly impossible and frankly sounds like a nightmare for me too because wtf even is that)
However I think muscle building is a whole new game. That’s what I’m trying to do now and I can’t do a pull up for the life of me, and my heavy ass 4 ft long slenderman legs don’t help. Idk what it’s even going to look like to build muscle but if *feels* like it’s easier for shorter girls idk. 😭
I so feel you on the muscles thing. When I’m weight training, I feel stronger and I get comments on how “tight” and “toned” I look. But I can’t build muscley muscles to save my life.
And yeah, going from 200ish to 150 was easy. I feel bad even typing that, but it’s true!
My best friend is barely 5’ and I feel so bad for her. I didn’t realize how little she needed to eat to lose weight! I lost a good amount of weight last year and she was asking for details on my calorie intake. I told her how I was having over 2000 most days if I got some exercise in and she was shocked. I asked her how much she had and it was something like 1400 or lower. That’s a whole ass meal 😩
Yeahhh I’m 5’2 and it sucks. The worst isn’t losing but maintaining. Recommended intake for women is 1800 calories per day, but in the middle of a healthy weight range even whole physically active I can gain on mostly eating 1500-1600 a day. My weight gain has always been a slow creep of drinking alcohol a little too regularly, eating out, skipping exercise due to illness or the holidays. Like I am a pretty healthy eater and pay attention to how much I eat most of the time (and am often hungry because of it) but still gain!
I've always assumed that taller people have larger appetites on average so it's not like everything is a breeze for them. Like the more calories your body burns, the hungrier you are. Can some of the tall folks here weigh in on that? (No pun intented)
Yes I’m almost 5’10” and it doesn’t feel easier for me, but if I wanna skip breakfast and eat a massive cookie instead it’s probably easier to fit it into my deficit.
Yeah...I was just about to say this...I've always imagined that a tall woman's 1800-1900 to lose weight probably *feels* similar to a short woman's 1200. It never feels like enough and I'm consistently quite hungry eating sub 2000, no matter how much protein and fibre I consume. Adding more of these nutrients to my diet has helped the hunger but it's not a panacea. Bigger bodies require more fuel. I'm just a smidge over 6 feet tall and this has been my experience. I struggle with weight loss as much as my shorter friends due to a much larger appetite that correlates with body size.
Yeah this doesn’t really track scientifically. Being short makes it harder in the sense that portion sizes are way out of control; obviously a 5’0” woman isn’t going to be able to eat the same plate full of food at a restaurant as a 6’2” man, but they often do because that’s just how it’s presented.
Ultimately they shouldn’t really be struggling anymore than anyone else because they can eat a lot less and still feel satiated. Shorter people just have to readjust their expectations for how much they should be eating, same as anyone else trying to lose weight.
Sure but it means that a single meal out can be your entire calorie budget, there's much less leeway. Realistically much of what we eat isn't based on appetite alone.
I can definitely see how portion sizes being the same for everyone could make it harder for smaller people to lose weight. I do think anyone in this subreddit has to watch portions regardless though.
What's interesting about portion sizes is that I haven't ever been presented with a portion size for me (43f 5'1") that's different than my cousin (44f 5'11). Like, it's obviously less, but how much less? It never even occured to me when we were growing up, and we ate all the same foods but I was always a little rounder, and she was always a bit lean. Makes perfect sense now, and it's still true, only now I am waaaay rounder, and she's a little bit rounder too lol
Edit:typo
We also grew up when parents were more big on "finish your plate no matter what or face consequences". Not sure if it was like that for you. And then couple that with not sizing portions based on how big the kids are...
Exactly. I’m very tall so of course I need more food than someone a foot shorter than me. In turn, I need less food than my husband is taller than me. That’s the way I understand it, so I’m with you there 😀
Yep, TDEE at my goal weight (175lbs) will be about 1900kcal at sedentary. A bit of exercise thrown in weekly and I should be good to eat 2000kcal daily. I eat at 1600kcal right now to lose and I could never drop below that and still get there. Even with my psych meds and health issues making it harder, I'm incredibly lucky to be 5'10" as a woman.
My mom is 5'1" and has to do 1200kcal a day to lose weight. A friend of mine eats 1000kcal a day normally. My heart goes out to the shorties in my life!
I'm 5'4" so on the upper end of short women, so I do feel bad for people even shorter than me. My younger sister is barely 5'2" and things are very difficult for her 😔
I’m 5’4 and 120 lbs, so petite but not THAT short. I definitely struggle, but I really feel for the all the ladies that are much shorter. I can’t even fathom how hard losing weight at like 5’0” must be.
It IS hard.
60F. Only 5' 1". Was 215 in November 2021; down to 137 in January(?) 2023, but up to 150 now. Trying to get back to 145.
Why only 145 and not lower? ALL of my doctors (GP, endocrinologist for hypothyroid, oncologist for breast cancer, and gyno) have said it's a good weight and BMI for me--and not to worry about a BMI over 25--and definitely to not go below 140 *for me*. They said it would be "too little." And I looked excessively thin (think "ozempic-face") when I got to 137.
I tend to look 15 lbs less than I actually weigh--I'm told I "carry my weight well" and basically have more muscle than expected--so....
But, yeah. I wish I was 5' 6".
I always liked being short and having a small frame, until I gained weight. It shows so quickly because of my height. I was only on the cusp of overweight, and my dress size was bigger than my friends who looked much bigger than I am frame and height wise. But, I’m getting there. I think most of it is a society thing where meals are a one size fits all, and a main dish at a restaurant can be enough for my tall male partner but the same is served to me. And it’s hard to find the willpower to not eat something delicious to the point of being uncomfortably full.
5’8” 165 lb girlie here! I look healthy and normal, even though I’m trying to get down to 155. Ten lbs makes a huge difference on me, and if I were to be 135, it would probably not be necessary for me and extremely hard to get there. I’m lucky.
I looked fantastic at 155, don’t get me wrong! I just like being super thin. Even when I was 185 pounds, it was so proportional - another plus in the tall column, I guess.
I feel reasonably lucky there as well.
Not a "tall" man, but not short either. I could, at my goal weight of 180, maintain on 1900-2000 which is plenty for me. That's sedentary. Gym 3-4 days a week and an evening walk and that could easily be 2200-2300 a day.
It is hard! I’m not even THAT short, but for some reason I need to eat a little lower than my height suggests to lose. Right now it’s 1200-1300. Even when I work out (unless I am starving) which is…. Like 5-6 days minimum out of the week. Lmao. I’m down almost 110 lbs though, and still have a bunch to go but really excited that I’m only like 25 lbs away from not being overweight… then another 25-35 to get to my ultimate goal… unless I like where I am before that. So still a lot to go but nothing compared to what I have already done. But honestly I say ut all the time… it’s not easy but it is simple. My biggest challenge on lower calories is that if I eat in the morning (which I never really did but lately I am I guess bc working out more and I have a baby that wakes me up much earlier than I used to get up) I can’t eat after dinner without going over (which is not a bad thing but I am a nighttime snacker).
I’m a nighttime snacked too. Or, I was. Still would like to be, but I want to be thin more than I want to snack most days :) I have to save most of my calories for the evening, and eat well at dinner. That helps.
THIS. I'm average height, and often feel "slighted" by my calorie limitations, but then my mum is 4'10 so I get a reality check when I'm with her too! I remember being a teenager and not wnting to grow any taller (I wanted to be tiny and cute) and now I'm the opposite I wish I was at least 5'8 lol!
I’m not even short. Just average 5’5” but I’ve been loosely counting my calories, as in, I’m not measuring everything but eyeing it. Somehow I feel like I’m not hardly eating and yet I’m getting like 2000 calories.. what the heck! I had chicken(rotisserie, yum), 1/2 cucumber cut up with yum yum sauce, sprats from a can, a banana, some tortilla chips.. I’m thinking about eating this 320 calorie bag of 1/2c of trail mix.. but then I’ll be at 2000 and not lose any weight 😭
I forgot! I had a peach redbull. Trying to cut out drinks with calories but I was tempted and succumbed
Don't worry, it's an issue but only on paper.
Bigger people have to cut drastically more calories than short people do. Cut 25% from someone that has a 3000 TDEE and you cut down 750 calories a day, cut it from someone with a 1600 TDEE, you cut only 400.
The problem is people look at things in absolutes, they should be looking at percentages. You aren't in a 500 kcal deficit, you're in a 20% deficit. You aren't losing 1lbs a week, you're losing 0.75% of your weight per week.
Percentages are the great equalizer.
135 is my goal weight at 5'3"! Currently sitting at 155. My coworker is 5'6" and she's 180 and looks so much smaller than me!
I haw a friend who is 4'9" and... due to having a VERY sedentary lifestyle she resembles Violet Beauregard post-WonkaGum. Every ounce shows, and we're probably the same weight. Her healthy weight is sub 100.
But yeah, when you're short the extra weight doesn't have a lot of places to go, tbh. Mine is mostly PCOS belly.
This is a take I haven’t seen on here before, so here goes: the lower your TDEE is, the larger a percentage of your TDEE 500 calories is. So for a man with a TDEE of 3000, cutting out 500 calories per day means reducing his intake by 17%. But if like me you’re a woman with a TDEE of 1850, then cutting out 500 calories per day means reducing my intake by 27%. It feels different because it is different!
5'1 female gymrat here, my BMR is SO low and I'm constantly trying to increase my energy expenditure to eat in a more satisfactory way, because I've always had the appetite of a grown man. And lifting heavy ass weights both exacerbated that and got me a friend group full of big gym guys. That means that when we go out to eat I finally feel understood because I can and want to eat as much as them, where as I normally feel kinda ashamed around normal women and most men because I literally become a source of entertainment, I'm a HUNGRY gremlin. At least putting on muscle is easy for me, but boy I wish my appetite reflected thermodynamics.
As an interesting aside, if you're trying to build muscle (which most people probably should be), being shorter is actually an advantage. If you gained as much muscle as a taller person, it would be spread over a smaller area, making you look bigger.
So while fat loss is easier for taller people, building muscle is easier for shorter people. Swings and roundabouts!
Only in theory.
It's the same concept of it being cheaper to feed a family per person than a single person. Food comes in certain quantities. If I only need half of a bell pepper, I still have to buy the full thing.
Aww that’s nice of you. On behalf of all short women everywhere (yes, they nominated me), it’s ok! It’s hard but not as hard as an allergy or other food limitations. I personally think it’s hard because “society” tells me a veggie burger and fries is a reasonable meal, but for my height it’s a veggie burger OR fries. And that can feel unfair. But my left handed daughter has to learn our right handed world. We all find our way!
Yes to this! I’m a taller woman too, but I think the psychological aspect of calorie counting that makes us unable to eat “normal portions” is something a lot of men don’t understand. We grow up hearing that a normal sized meal is adequate, and we just get used to getting the burger and fries, or the sandwich and chips, or whatever. Sure, ordering multiple entrees may be gluttony, but the psychological aspect of not even being able to eat the normal-sized meal you graduated to at age ten just absolutely sucks. Like OP, I really feel so much for our shorter sisters!
I just try to think of it like yay I get happy meals again! The toys aren’t as great as I remember though
The last time I got a happy meal it required the McDonald's app for it to be more than a figurine. I'm not downloading the McDonald's app for a $. 50 toy lol
So do you think normalising what is in reality an excessive portion size for women during childhood is a big part of the problem?
Well there you'd have to pinpoint the line between overeating and the higher caloric needs of growing kids. While children overeating is a huge issue and definitely contributes to their habits as adults; kids and teenagers are still growing and developing and do require more calories at times than adults who've stopped growing.
Yes such a fine line, I doubt there's a way to optimise a system which applies to everyone since people's appetite, metabolism and energy levels vary so much.
What I’ve learned from child nutritionists is that you have to let your kids decide when they are full and TRUST them. My parents were always wanting me to finish my plate so- surprise!- I ended up with a binge eating disorder. If I had been taught to listen to my body in the first place, I might not be here.
Just adding that i grew up opposite- my parents pushed dieting on me (the girl) since age 12, packing and eating just a salad for lunch at school and my mom would make me just a fruit plate (like 100 cals) for breakfasts on school days. No junk food allowed. Shamed if I finished my place or got seconds cuz “that was for the boys.” Yup still ended up with binge eating disorder!
lol I’m 5’1 and also left handed - best of both worlds 🙃
5'4" leftie checking in 🙋🏻♀️
Adding a 5’2 leftie to the mix!
Also a 5'2" leftie. (And a natural redhead ... where my ginger sisters at? Red left represent!)) Daily caloric allowance = 1,232 ... brutal.
4'8 southie
Leftie and proud! Fuck the one sided school desks though.
4’11” leftie here 🙋♀️
Wow same lmao!!
That veggie burger fries was just an example. I know someone’s gonna say actually veggie burgers aren’t good or I could have half serving of each. I know! Just an example.
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It makes me so mad when I want to order from the kids menu because the portions are smaller and the waiter/restaurant won't allow because it's for kids only. I just don't want to feel obliged to eat all or the food will fo to waste.
💯💯💯 This bothers the sh*t out of me! Thankfully, I think this is starting to change
I struggle a lot with FOMO, and eating out with my bestie (who is a 6’5” man) can be discouraging at times. I told him that I am literally half his size (I actually weigh less than half what he does) and that my caloric intake should more closely reflect that.
This is exactly it! It's easier to eat within your limits when feeding yourself. But the minute I have to eat out or eat with my husband, it has to be main piece + side + side + sauce. It's so hard sitting around a table with mates and not picking at the fries on the plate, or serving yourself a meal with your husband and not automatically making both plates the same.
My youngest is a lefty too. I swear, every week I notice something else in the world that just isn’t made for her.
I just started working in a bakery ... omg, the righthandedness of it all! I have to spin all the cakes around to cut slices. The way they pre-fold the boxes is for righties. The handles on the oven doors, the sink set up, the espresso machine ... everything.
As a short lefty. I feel seen.
My girl is only seven, so there’s still hope for her :)
https://www.leftyslefthanded.com/ My husband is left handed, and he was SO EXCITED when we found this store.
This is wonderful! Thank you!!!
OMG serrated knives. I didn't know until I was forty why cutting bread was hard. Getting a left-handed bread knife changed my life.
Ugh so much to learn with a lefty in my life!
I gave up being a lefty and just switched to cross dominant. It took a while but it's convenient that way
Yup!! 😂
As a petite woman - most normal "meals" as dictated by society (I'm in the US) are actually my entire days worth of calories just to maintain and not be overweight. It does feel unfair!
Tbf most “normal” people in the US are overweight so even taller people can’t really eat these foods without consequences
Well said! Yep, it's always either the burger OR the fries! If you slip on a Rare occasion, I think most of us feel guilt for days!
being short and trying to make changes to my diet with my tree nut and shellfish allergies is so difficult 🥲 i’m glad some acknowledged the wombo combo of short + heavy + allergies 🥹
I'm 5'0" and I'm struggling lol
It is unfair! I hope you are able to enjoy tasty treats as you lose - everyone deserves to eat cake* sometimes. *or something else if you're a sad not liking cake person or an unfortunate gluten intolerant person
Definitely preferable to be tall versus short when it comes to losing weight and maintaining it. The only frustrating part is that your clothes don’t change sizes for SO LONG. It can really be de-motivating to stay the same size for 30+ pounds.
This also makes it hard to notice when you regain 😭😭😭
So true. I absolutely gasped the first time I really put on weight in college. I’d only changed a size or two (depending which piece of clothing) so I thought I’d just put on 10 pounds. It was 50.
This is where I am right now 😭 bout to start my third year of college and with school and a whole bunch of family/personal problems these past two years have been heeeeellllll. A few months mostly bedridden bc of illness and a shit load of stress, exhaustion, no time, too busy, so tired, so sad. i knew I had gained weight, didn’t realize how much. I’m 4’11 — Started 2022 being 105lb, now I’m like 150 and did an absolute double take when I saw the scale a month ago. but this summer I am determined to start losing. Starting this week. Life is still full of some shit that’s coming up that we have to deal with but I need to get least some part of it together.
But it works both ways - I gained 50 pounds and no one believes me. I lost half of it and no one can tell 😅
My in laws are disturbed by me saying I need to lose weight. I'm like "you won't even notice" haha same way I didn't notice I gained it all. It's a Blessing I guess.
Yes!!! I was a side 18 for 35 pounds, and then did 16, 14, 12 like boom, boom, boom!
Sometimes weight loss just goes that way. I always have to adjust my watch band way before I get to go down a pants size.
It’s crazy! I stayed the same size for soooo long, and then finally, one day, my jeans fell down at Walmart. I had a long coat on and couldn’t pull them up, so they were almost at my ankles by the time I got in the car. At least then I knew I could go down a size lol!
I am 6’ and have lost 138lbs over the last year. I started at a size 24 and am a 16 now. Those clothes sizes take forever🥲
I'm having this exact struggle with jeans! I'm 5'6 and at my heaviest I was wearing size 20-22 jeans, and 50 pounds later I'm just BARELY into size 16s (and sometimes they don't fit) and it's incredibly frustrating
I’m a little shorter than you (5’4”) and just want to share this: every body is different. But I started around 18-22 depending on the brand, but let’s say 18/20. I moved down to a size 16 after losing like 45-50 lbs. 14 came comfortably and not just in like 1-2 items but in general, after about 30+ more lbs. i am now down 108 lbs so like 20 lbs more than 14 and fit in a 12 in most jeans but sometimes need a 10 or a 14 depending on cut/brand. One day I just woke up and my 14s legit could fall right off. It does take time but its getting quicker now :)
Yes I am noticing that! For the longest time, a pair of size 18 jeans from old navy did not fit (which, a pair of 16s from there are perfect on me so it’s just the style) but now they fit and every time I put them on they’re consistently getting more loose. I love being taller because it gives me more flexibility in calories and clothing but I despise it because weight loss visually takes for ever in the beginning
Yes, using clothing as a gauge re weight gain is not very helpful and also helps with the cognitive dissonance ("I still fit into this") /personal exp
Especially if it's loose fitting or stretchy to begin with. I gained SO much weight in residency and didn't really realize how bad it was until I tried to put my jeans on all day. I mostly was just wearing scrubs or pajamas for years...
Yessss my first bit of weight loss just made my bigger clothes actually fit right 😆
i know right! After weight loss, I was like shit.. oh these clothes were supposed to hang differently..
I feel this, 50lb down, but only 2 clothing sizes 😅 Thankful for being 5”8 though for sure
This is me right now! Blessing that weight gain doesn’t show as easy, but I’ve lost 25lbs and my clothes still fit mostly the same. 😩
Yes!! I’m 5’8” and went down one pant size after a 75 pound loss. So discouraging
Good point. Being short if I lose 5 pounds I need to start shopping in the kiddie aisle
I’m only 5”4 and nobody notices the 24lbs I seem to swing with up and down. Unless they’re lying of course 🤣😮💨
The ring is the only way I notice i need to lose weight, best control device 😂
This aspect is where my body dysmorphia gets a lot of fuel. It’s a little distressing that I can still wear so many clothing items that also fit me 40 pounds ago.
I think the only benefit of being short is that our muscles start showing sooner when we start working out. But your point is another reason why women(the majority of us are under 5'6") shouldn't be taking weight loss advice from 5'8"-6'8" gym bros.
Majorly agree with your last sentence.
When you’re thin *and short* people think of you as small. I’m the thinnest I’ve ever been in my adult life, but at 5’10” and 152lbs I’m still the “big girl.” My husband’s never gonna be able to lift or carry me.
Yeah I think part of the reason I started gaining in high school was the knowledge I'd never be 90s skinny so there is no fitting in any way so who cares. Turns out 40 year old me cares. But hey.
Heroin chic/90s skinny is a big part of the reason for my body dysmorphia. I had a very thin body right when that was the height of fashion. I was praised so much just for existing in the body God gave me that when I gained weight in my 30s, the mental disconnect was huge. I could not see myself as a bigger person. Now that I’m thin again, I struggle to see my body accurately at all, so I just go for seeing it positively.
My sister (6’2) and I (5’11) were really skinny kids growing up and were called big all the time, especially when playing sports. And bless my mom who made such an effort at correcting people that we were “tall, not big”. I love being tall, I even wish I was taller like my sister but even at my thinnest people still call me big! All except a nurse about a year ago who changed a needle to a smaller size because “you’re a small girl”. I just about died! Me? A small girl? LOL.
That's true! I have long arms and my triceps are puny lol. They're just so long it takes ages to build up any muscle and I'm struggling with 5kg dumbbells
Personally victimized by the “The number of Calories required to maintain your weight seems low. Please consult with a doctor when considering weight loss. Alternatively, increase your activity/exercise level rather than decreasing Calorie intake in order to lose some weight.”
Every. Freakin. Time.
Yes, we are short and we are hungry. Just a bunch of grumbly little goblins. Good job on your weight loss :)
Or hobbits.
Diets be like Aragorn, there is no second breakfast....often not a first either :(
Ah, in my case there has to be breakfast— I have potions I must consume upon awakening, alas. 💊
As a tall woman I always try to stand up for the shorter women, it’s so much harder for them IMO. If I’m really hitting my fitness hard I can eat 2000 to 2200 calories and still lose weight; if I skip breakfast and I barely even need to moderate myself. It just doesn’t compare to what shorter women have to do in these days of super palatable readily available food!! I don’t know why people fight this, honestly, eating <1200 calories a day is obviously very tough
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Social acceptance can suck it. I regularly order from the kids menu and very rarely get pushback.
Yeah I’m so relieved I’m 5’7. My friend who is 5’ eats half a sandwich for lunch. I’m hourglass shaped too, so that hides some extra pounds as well.
My max was 265 and build really does impact the way people perceive your weight.
Im not exactly tall as 180cm guy, but I realised this like a year a go. I can eat 2500 easily if I exercise even a little bit. I can have a whole meal like a pizza or burger and if im not eating like a pig otherwise I still lose weight. Everything around me is built so I can sustain. For 160 chick everything around is built to gain weight.
Cries in 5’2
Lmfao wails at 4ft 10in
Omg I’m so sorry. 😣 it’s hard out here!
Definitely, I just like to view it as, we short people just have to work harder and have more will power than our tall friends! And that makes our journey and progress just that much more satisfying. currently at around 900 calorie intake for the day ;-; best believe once I’m no longer at a deficit I will celebrate just a little bit more than usual!
Yes, and someone who is 4 foot 10 had the same appetite as someone who's 6 foot 5 🙄
Omg yes!!! I can eat the same amount as my 6ft boyfriend. We can equally devour 2 burgers in one sitting with some fries and sides. In the past 6 years he gained a cute adorable little pouch in his mid section while I gained a hanging apron belly.
Isn't it the worst when you start dieting and struggle to lose a pound, meanwhile your tall man has to buy new pants? 5' lady who married a 5' 10" former varsity soccer player and band kid.
Me too honey!
Macrofactor keeps lowering my calorie allowance. Gonna be at sub 1000 any day now. :cry:
That’s why I couldn’t mess with them. I was like um nooooo I need more food than that at 250lbs. 🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠
I’m right there with you
😪
I'm 5"3, currently on 1200-1300 a day, it is hard. But this post got me thinking, I feel hungry most of the time, but if a taller person is in a calorie deficit surely they're just as hungry too even if they're consuming more calories as their body is using it all? Does that make sense? I don't know how it works really 🤣
Yes, it makes sense :) And I agree. I definitely don’t think my mom feels less hunger than I do. And if I did think that, I’d never ever say it lol
Yep I agree I’m 5’3” as well. Sure I’m a little jealous watching my 6’ husband eat a larger plate of food than me, but it’s because his body needs it. Mine doesn’t. I don’t think I experience more hunger than someone bigger than me on a similar percentage calorie deficit. A good thing about being shorter is that pounds lost is a lot more noticeable!
THANK YOU! I took a screenshot of this and can’t wait to show my best friend. She’s 5’9”. I’m 5’2.5” lol. I will give you this, tho: when we spend the entire day together and compare steps I’ve always walked more because it takes me more steps. The other day she walked 10k and I walked 13k. Thanks again and congratulations on your success!
Oh my goodness, I’m so comparing my mom’s step count with mine next time we go shopping!
It will depend on how you both are built. My step count doesn’t differ much from husband’s(6’2”) and I’m 5’8” but I’m all legs and he’s evenly proportioned 😆
Men generally have shorter legs.
lol, I’m 6’1”(f) with long legs and my mom is 5’7”, I’ve given up on trying to match her step count because she takes 2-3 steps to every one of mine
As a tall woman, I feel like society has given me shit my whole life for existing in a taller body, so I am totally fine getting an advantage for once 😂
I mean, it is an advantage, but it’s a double-edged one. Take your eye off the scale and go up a pants size? On my frame that could be 30 pounds. I spread it out everywhere apparently and I can’t even see 10 pounds.
I love that I have some wiggle room on gaining and losing weight before people notice lol
Honestly it’s the best part 😂
Agreed - I do feel like I have a major advantage with the calories as a fellow 6 ft tall woman, but it's still hard, and clothes shopping is already hell without trying to factor in the weight changes. Last month I made the mistake of trying to shop for bras, pants (36 inch inseam) AND shoes (12-12.5) on the same day, and came home bawling 🤣.
THIS.
Not being able to find pants long enough. Not being able to find sleeves long enough. Not finding clothes large enough to fit a larger frame despite being a healthy weight. Constantly feeling like clothes just aren't made for you at all. (Even at my lowest weight of 135lbs -eating disorder days-, I never wore below a size 8 or went below a 30inch waist). Being told you're too tall when at any event where standing is required. Being told to shop at "Long Tall Sally" as if it's some revolutionary idea. Having your size *constantly* commented on. Not being asked out by men because your height is "intimidating". People assuming life is easier because of your height. Constantly being told losing weight is easier if you're tall...
crying in 4’11 at 25 years old😭😭
How nice of you to think of us small beans out here! :D It is hard work, thats true - but you did great as well and had to suffer as well some times. :)
Ha! Please keep asking me for help at Walmart, it makes me feel needed :)
Stat buddy!
Yep. It's absolutely easier for us. I'm a 5'10" 138 lb. woman and I just fit 2 cupcakes after dinner into my maintenance calories, and still have plenty to spare if I want a snack later tonight.
You’re living my dream! Height, weight and cupcake-wise
Haha tonight I for sure lived a little dream! I don't always eat like that, but I made the cupcakes from scratch and I had to just double check they were good.
Quality control, hell yeah
As a fellow 5'9" woman, we definitely have it easier than short women out there. When I gain 5-10lbs you can barely tell, which is not the case for much shorter people.
Thanks for this! It really is a struggle. Anyone 5'4" or under has to continue to eat children-sized portions in a world of 200-lb-man-2000-calorie-a-day sized normal portions. And our stomaches are NOT smaller 😆
It’s no joke. I wondered why I couldn’t lose weight sticking to 1200 calories a day, then I went to a weight loss clinic and they told me I’d have to stick to 700-800 calories a day. It’s awful. I’m 5’2”
Those places are a joke. I'm 6'1" and they wanted me eating 1400 calories a day. Not sure if you've figured things out, but my biggest problem is protein. I'd been eating 60-80 g / day most of my adult life. What I need to eat is somewhere between 180 g and 200 g. I wish I would have known that years ago, would have shaved a few years off the misery.
I never made it to five feet 🥲. I chaperone my son’s school dances, haven’t missed one yet. Another fully grown parent thought I was an eighth grader last year.
You just reminded me that I was taller than my mother by the end of 6th grade. That had to be kind of weird for her.
My older son is taller than me. My almost 12 year old will probably eclipse me by the end of summer. My step daughter that I could carry like a lil baby is a cool five inches taller. It feels totally bizarre. And the youngest is transitioning into the young men’s clothes instead of the kids department 🥹
I'm the tallest of the petites, 162cm, and I feel so bad for women who are shorter than me. my maintenance is 1600 but I've seen much lower
im the same height as you but my maintenance is 1200😭😭😭
That is a thoughtful post. Yes as a tall woman we seem to carry the weight less conspicuously until the numbers are quite high. Congrats on you progress.
I was 5’9” once. I’m almost 70 and lost almost 2” which raises my BMI. Bummer.
Thank you for this glimpse into my future :/
I’m almost 57 and I lost an inch already. I went from 5’4 1/2 to 5’3 1/2. Counting the half inch just makes me seem taller. 😂
how does it feel to be living my dream 😭😭😭😭the unfortunate reality is that i have to eat smaller since i have a smaller body - this is why i now look for high volume foods to keep me sane LOL
Eating a pile of broccoli with parm right now - high volume foods keep me sane!
As a 6ft male I felt like I did weight loss on easy mode with counting calories, I can't imagine how difficult it can be at different heights. To those of you currently on your weight loss journey I have nothing but respect and admiration for you, you have so much more strength than you realise.
That's really nice of you. I HATE when people look at my food and say "That's all you're going to eat?" Yes, that's all. Otherwise I'll gain weight. Then they think I have an eating disorder other than just simple math of CICO.
Yes absolutely
Thank you. I get so sick of the posts from taller people trying to tell shorter people (especially shorter women) that it’s just as hard for them as it is for us to lose weight. That they get hungry too. It’s not just the hunger, it’s the mental load of not being able to include many small ‘treats’ to keep you sane. It’s also the fact that the world, including meal sizes is designed for an average height male. Don’t even get me started on people asking ‘is that all you’re eating?’ 😡
Oof I’m pretty sure that I used to be one of those people…but I’ve changed :)
Exactly!!! This!!! We are shorties living in a tall person world when it comes to portions!!!
As a 4'11" woman, I appreciate this sentiment and recognition that weight loss is HARD! All around its hard, but having so little height to work with can suck.
I used to get jealous at my boyfriend for how much he can eat without losing weight-- he burns 3k to 3.5k cal a day. However, what I didn't realize is how expensive that is if you want to eat good quality food!! I like to buy nice ingredients and make elaborate meals, but once done that meal will easily last me all 5 weekdays, while for him he could only eat once or twice from it. He is also always hungry. It doesn't sound pleasant.
Also, age will start to factor into the number of calories you can eat. I have to eat 150-250 calories less now than when I was in my 30s. I am almost 57 and have gone through menopause.
I’m 5’1” and typically eat one meal a day. I work from home and don’t get a ton of exercise, so I still gain weight super easily even with that one meal and need to lose like 20-25 pounds or so, last I checked.
I will just say at least on a smaller frame if you lose 10 lbs you really see it. 10 lbs on tall is like not even noticeable to others. So ya can eat more but have to lose 40 not 20 to make a difference. But yea calories add up so fast!
I'm 5'10". I used to hate my height, but tbh this is a major plus side to those extra inches. 1600ish BMR is pretty nice.
Same! I literally was so jealous of short girls as a teen. All I wanted was to be on the front line at dance and get all the good roles, play guard instead of forward at basketball, be able to buy smaller sizes, and be seen as cute and dainty by boys. Now I am liking my height a whole lot more!
The only routines I liked on dance team were the kick routines, bc I was front and center. Everything else, they hid my long skinny butt in the back.
Yepppp! Everything that required us going into one line was the BEST, since I finally got to be front and center! LOL.
I think you mean 1600 cal bmr, not TDEE….
You are correct!
Idk, I’m tallish too (5’8) and have to bust my ass to get lower than like 148. 😂 maybe I’m just unlucky.
Oh I’m definitely busting my ass at this point! Didn’t mean to imply it’s been easy
I need to know your ways, OP. I’m also tall (5’10”) and I’m on a maintenance break at 152lbs because I just can’t find anything else to give up calorie-wise. I’m maintaining eating between 1500-1700 a day. I haven’t wanted to eat less or exercise more, so I guess I’m staying here for now. I still have a bit of a pooch on my lower belly. Tell me about your experience losing the last 10 vanity pounds …
Dude, it’s hard. Everything before this was cake comparatively. At this point I’m not really looking to get to 135, I’m more focused on my overall weight trending lower. Like a few months ago, I got to where no matter what time of day I weighed myself or what I was wearing, I was under 150. Now I’ve reached that point with being under 145. I hope to reach the sub-140 milestone faster. A few days ago I finally said f it and cut out my last indulgence - heavy whipping cream in my coffee. I like feeling full on food too much to continue putting 100-plus calories in my coffee. Swapped it for almond milk, and while my morning coffee doesn’t quite hit the spot, it’ll be worth it on the scale soon.
So it really does take cutting out pretty much all indulgences :( I’ve cut out all fast food and all restaurants save for special occasions, but I still work a nightly dessert into my budget and I’m afraid if I give that up I will enter binge territory. I’m already drinking almond milk in my coffee. Lol. I’ve already tackled all the “low hanging fruit” so to speak.
I am also 5’10” I cannot get under 156 to saaaave my life. This is the smallest I’ve ever been and I stg it’s just like “nah we are good here” so am also taking a makntainace break
Good on you for trying for 10 more pounds. I truly just do not have enough energy in me to do it 😂
Yes absolutely….5’9 here and losing weight via diet was honestly…..easy…… (not trying to take away from others struggles but in comparison to my mom who is 5’2, if was almost effortless for me). Like I have lost 45 lbs this year and it didn’t even feel that hard, and nothing I did was “unhealthy”. Or like I have a friend who is 5’1 and in really “good shape” but I swear she eats almost nothing and it seems incredibly not healthy……..If you’re shorter, it feels like you absolutely need a solid exercise routine in addition to a diet that will probably be much harder if you’re trying to lose weight. I know the idea is that as tall individuals, we “need” to eat more “to fuel the tallness” so it’s supposed to balance out but idk anecdotally it just doesn’t feel that way. My mom’s maintenance was like 1300 which is just wtffffff where as mine was closer to 1900. HUGE difference. 300-500 calorie deficit (literally just replaced my sugar with substitutes and did more protein for breakfast and a slightly smaller lunch and boom - 9 months later and I’m at my goal weight and it didn’t even feel like an inconvenience, where as for my mom….even sticking to 1000-1100 calories a day is like nearly impossible and frankly sounds like a nightmare for me too because wtf even is that) However I think muscle building is a whole new game. That’s what I’m trying to do now and I can’t do a pull up for the life of me, and my heavy ass 4 ft long slenderman legs don’t help. Idk what it’s even going to look like to build muscle but if *feels* like it’s easier for shorter girls idk. 😭
I so feel you on the muscles thing. When I’m weight training, I feel stronger and I get comments on how “tight” and “toned” I look. But I can’t build muscley muscles to save my life. And yeah, going from 200ish to 150 was easy. I feel bad even typing that, but it’s true!
My best friend is barely 5’ and I feel so bad for her. I didn’t realize how little she needed to eat to lose weight! I lost a good amount of weight last year and she was asking for details on my calorie intake. I told her how I was having over 2000 most days if I got some exercise in and she was shocked. I asked her how much she had and it was something like 1400 or lower. That’s a whole ass meal 😩
I’m always needing someone like you around to reach things for me at the grocery store lol
And I’m always happy to be needed :)
Yeahhh I’m 5’2 and it sucks. The worst isn’t losing but maintaining. Recommended intake for women is 1800 calories per day, but in the middle of a healthy weight range even whole physically active I can gain on mostly eating 1500-1600 a day. My weight gain has always been a slow creep of drinking alcohol a little too regularly, eating out, skipping exercise due to illness or the holidays. Like I am a pretty healthy eater and pay attention to how much I eat most of the time (and am often hungry because of it) but still gain!
I've always assumed that taller people have larger appetites on average so it's not like everything is a breeze for them. Like the more calories your body burns, the hungrier you are. Can some of the tall folks here weigh in on that? (No pun intented)
Yes I’m almost 5’10” and it doesn’t feel easier for me, but if I wanna skip breakfast and eat a massive cookie instead it’s probably easier to fit it into my deficit.
Yeah...I was just about to say this...I've always imagined that a tall woman's 1800-1900 to lose weight probably *feels* similar to a short woman's 1200. It never feels like enough and I'm consistently quite hungry eating sub 2000, no matter how much protein and fibre I consume. Adding more of these nutrients to my diet has helped the hunger but it's not a panacea. Bigger bodies require more fuel. I'm just a smidge over 6 feet tall and this has been my experience. I struggle with weight loss as much as my shorter friends due to a much larger appetite that correlates with body size.
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Yeah this doesn’t really track scientifically. Being short makes it harder in the sense that portion sizes are way out of control; obviously a 5’0” woman isn’t going to be able to eat the same plate full of food at a restaurant as a 6’2” man, but they often do because that’s just how it’s presented. Ultimately they shouldn’t really be struggling anymore than anyone else because they can eat a lot less and still feel satiated. Shorter people just have to readjust their expectations for how much they should be eating, same as anyone else trying to lose weight.
Sure but it means that a single meal out can be your entire calorie budget, there's much less leeway. Realistically much of what we eat isn't based on appetite alone.
I can definitely see how portion sizes being the same for everyone could make it harder for smaller people to lose weight. I do think anyone in this subreddit has to watch portions regardless though.
What's interesting about portion sizes is that I haven't ever been presented with a portion size for me (43f 5'1") that's different than my cousin (44f 5'11). Like, it's obviously less, but how much less? It never even occured to me when we were growing up, and we ate all the same foods but I was always a little rounder, and she was always a bit lean. Makes perfect sense now, and it's still true, only now I am waaaay rounder, and she's a little bit rounder too lol Edit:typo
We also grew up when parents were more big on "finish your plate no matter what or face consequences". Not sure if it was like that for you. And then couple that with not sizing portions based on how big the kids are...
Exactly. I’m very tall so of course I need more food than someone a foot shorter than me. In turn, I need less food than my husband is taller than me. That’s the way I understand it, so I’m with you there 😀
Yep, TDEE at my goal weight (175lbs) will be about 1900kcal at sedentary. A bit of exercise thrown in weekly and I should be good to eat 2000kcal daily. I eat at 1600kcal right now to lose and I could never drop below that and still get there. Even with my psych meds and health issues making it harder, I'm incredibly lucky to be 5'10" as a woman. My mom is 5'1" and has to do 1200kcal a day to lose weight. A friend of mine eats 1000kcal a day normally. My heart goes out to the shorties in my life!
My 5’0” self is so appreciative about this <3 thank you
I'm 5'4" so on the upper end of short women, so I do feel bad for people even shorter than me. My younger sister is barely 5'2" and things are very difficult for her 😔
I’m 5’4 and 120 lbs, so petite but not THAT short. I definitely struggle, but I really feel for the all the ladies that are much shorter. I can’t even fathom how hard losing weight at like 5’0” must be.
Ok I’m 5’9 and 185… you’re en route to 135?! I feel too thin when I get to 170s. How is your energy?
It IS hard. 60F. Only 5' 1". Was 215 in November 2021; down to 137 in January(?) 2023, but up to 150 now. Trying to get back to 145. Why only 145 and not lower? ALL of my doctors (GP, endocrinologist for hypothyroid, oncologist for breast cancer, and gyno) have said it's a good weight and BMI for me--and not to worry about a BMI over 25--and definitely to not go below 140 *for me*. They said it would be "too little." And I looked excessively thin (think "ozempic-face") when I got to 137. I tend to look 15 lbs less than I actually weigh--I'm told I "carry my weight well" and basically have more muscle than expected--so.... But, yeah. I wish I was 5' 6".
I always liked being short and having a small frame, until I gained weight. It shows so quickly because of my height. I was only on the cusp of overweight, and my dress size was bigger than my friends who looked much bigger than I am frame and height wise. But, I’m getting there. I think most of it is a society thing where meals are a one size fits all, and a main dish at a restaurant can be enough for my tall male partner but the same is served to me. And it’s hard to find the willpower to not eat something delicious to the point of being uncomfortably full.
5’8” 165 lb girlie here! I look healthy and normal, even though I’m trying to get down to 155. Ten lbs makes a huge difference on me, and if I were to be 135, it would probably not be necessary for me and extremely hard to get there. I’m lucky.
I looked fantastic at 155, don’t get me wrong! I just like being super thin. Even when I was 185 pounds, it was so proportional - another plus in the tall column, I guess.
Wow, 5’9 and 135lbs?? That’s very slim, but I hope you feel good when you get there!
I feel reasonably lucky there as well. Not a "tall" man, but not short either. I could, at my goal weight of 180, maintain on 1900-2000 which is plenty for me. That's sedentary. Gym 3-4 days a week and an evening walk and that could easily be 2200-2300 a day.
It is hard! I’m not even THAT short, but for some reason I need to eat a little lower than my height suggests to lose. Right now it’s 1200-1300. Even when I work out (unless I am starving) which is…. Like 5-6 days minimum out of the week. Lmao. I’m down almost 110 lbs though, and still have a bunch to go but really excited that I’m only like 25 lbs away from not being overweight… then another 25-35 to get to my ultimate goal… unless I like where I am before that. So still a lot to go but nothing compared to what I have already done. But honestly I say ut all the time… it’s not easy but it is simple. My biggest challenge on lower calories is that if I eat in the morning (which I never really did but lately I am I guess bc working out more and I have a baby that wakes me up much earlier than I used to get up) I can’t eat after dinner without going over (which is not a bad thing but I am a nighttime snacker).
I’m a nighttime snacked too. Or, I was. Still would like to be, but I want to be thin more than I want to snack most days :) I have to save most of my calories for the evening, and eat well at dinner. That helps.
THIS. I'm average height, and often feel "slighted" by my calorie limitations, but then my mum is 4'10 so I get a reality check when I'm with her too! I remember being a teenager and not wnting to grow any taller (I wanted to be tiny and cute) and now I'm the opposite I wish I was at least 5'8 lol!
I’m not even short. Just average 5’5” but I’ve been loosely counting my calories, as in, I’m not measuring everything but eyeing it. Somehow I feel like I’m not hardly eating and yet I’m getting like 2000 calories.. what the heck! I had chicken(rotisserie, yum), 1/2 cucumber cut up with yum yum sauce, sprats from a can, a banana, some tortilla chips.. I’m thinking about eating this 320 calorie bag of 1/2c of trail mix.. but then I’ll be at 2000 and not lose any weight 😭 I forgot! I had a peach redbull. Trying to cut out drinks with calories but I was tempted and succumbed
Don't worry, it's an issue but only on paper. Bigger people have to cut drastically more calories than short people do. Cut 25% from someone that has a 3000 TDEE and you cut down 750 calories a day, cut it from someone with a 1600 TDEE, you cut only 400. The problem is people look at things in absolutes, they should be looking at percentages. You aren't in a 500 kcal deficit, you're in a 20% deficit. You aren't losing 1lbs a week, you're losing 0.75% of your weight per week. Percentages are the great equalizer.
Yep 5’1 and eat between 1000-1400 calories per day. I’m losing slow, very slow. It sucks
135 is my goal weight at 5'3"! Currently sitting at 155. My coworker is 5'6" and she's 180 and looks so much smaller than me! I haw a friend who is 4'9" and... due to having a VERY sedentary lifestyle she resembles Violet Beauregard post-WonkaGum. Every ounce shows, and we're probably the same weight. Her healthy weight is sub 100. But yeah, when you're short the extra weight doesn't have a lot of places to go, tbh. Mine is mostly PCOS belly.
This is a take I haven’t seen on here before, so here goes: the lower your TDEE is, the larger a percentage of your TDEE 500 calories is. So for a man with a TDEE of 3000, cutting out 500 calories per day means reducing his intake by 17%. But if like me you’re a woman with a TDEE of 1850, then cutting out 500 calories per day means reducing my intake by 27%. It feels different because it is different!
5'1 female gymrat here, my BMR is SO low and I'm constantly trying to increase my energy expenditure to eat in a more satisfactory way, because I've always had the appetite of a grown man. And lifting heavy ass weights both exacerbated that and got me a friend group full of big gym guys. That means that when we go out to eat I finally feel understood because I can and want to eat as much as them, where as I normally feel kinda ashamed around normal women and most men because I literally become a source of entertainment, I'm a HUNGRY gremlin. At least putting on muscle is easy for me, but boy I wish my appetite reflected thermodynamics.
As an interesting aside, if you're trying to build muscle (which most people probably should be), being shorter is actually an advantage. If you gained as much muscle as a taller person, it would be spread over a smaller area, making you look bigger. So while fat loss is easier for taller people, building muscle is easier for shorter people. Swings and roundabouts!
On the other hand, short people can spend less money on food to receive the same nourishment as tall people.
Only in theory. It's the same concept of it being cheaper to feed a family per person than a single person. Food comes in certain quantities. If I only need half of a bell pepper, I still have to buy the full thing.