Small person trying to lose a small amount of weight

[Anonymous]

I've been tracking my calories for a long time and agree that keeping to 1200 calories is actually pretty difficult. Yes you can eat a ton of veggies and not really cut into it, but even fruit is tough.

If you eat 3 meals a day, your budget is 400 calories a meal. That's really not that much.

I can keep to 1500-1600 calories a day and maintain 123 lbs. at 5'3.5''. However, I know I'm not keeping to that if I go out for dinner, even if I don't order dessert. Look at the calorie counts at any of the restaurants that provide them. Even the healthy entrees have 700-800 calories.

[Anonymous]

1200 calories is actually plenty of food to work with if you cook at home. Take something simple like salads. Restaurant salad easily has upwards of 1000 calories because of heavy toppings and sauces. Make your own, pack it FULL of produce, maybe some nuts and cheese for umami, plenty of herbs and spices for flavor, and dress it lightly with salt and lemon juice. You'd be hard pressed to top 400 calories with that salad, and it will keep you full most of the day. Same principle applies with everything else -- use fresh ingredients, learn how to season properly, and you don't need the heavy doses of sugar and butter that restaurants use to make food taste good.

Alternatively, you can decide that you're being neurotic over eight pounds, and enjoy actually living your life without obsessing over every morsel.

[Anonymous]

Calories in, calories out is outdated science. Read Dr. Jason Fung’s book. Intermittent fasting will allow you to eat in an enjoyable way. Listen to the intermittent fasting stories podcast with gin Stephens - very motivating & inspiring.

[Anonymous]

OP, I’m in the same boat. 46 and 5’1” and 130 lbs. Normally I don’t look at the scale but my clothes are feeling tight. I usually give up wine for Lent and then if I get the stomach flu in Jan or Feb that usually jump starts my weight loss plan! Absent the stomach flu, I usually just suck it up for a month and go hardcore on the 1200 calorie diet. As PPs have said, vegetables are your friend. Fiber and protein will keep you full, so a huge salad with chicken breast and a little avocado and dressing should fill you up during the day. Those 70 calorie tuna packets, string cheese or boiled eggs are good for lunch with tons of carrots, celery, raw broccoli or cauliflower and 2 clementines. Dinner can be what the rest of the family is eating but double up on the veggies and eat only one small serving of the entree. Rush your teeth right after dinner so you don’t snack.

[Anonymous]

Carnivore for 1-2 months. You will lose it. Don't keep up carnivore for a longer time though, or you will ruin your arteries.

[Anonymous]

You will not lose weight without dietary restrictions and, sadly, when you are not big to begin with that means very low calorie. When trying to lose weight everyone first thinks they can add in all sorts of exercise, but in reality diet is the most important factor.

For a goal weight of 122 lbs you should aim to eat 1220-1460 calories. 1460 is pretty much maintenance calories for a weight of 122 lbs. Obviously if you eat on the lower end you will lose faster than eating on the upper end. Whether or not you lose will also depend on how well you are tracking because even going over a little will put you in maintenance calorie range because your goal weight isn't that much less than your current weight.

Weigh yourself daily, track the trend and after a month see if your weight is trending down. If not, play with the calories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Calories in, calories out is outdated science. Read Dr. Jason Fung’s book. Intermittent fasting will allow you to eat in an enjoyable way. Listen to the intermittent fasting stories podcast with gin Stephens - very motivating & inspiring.

This. I’m 5’ and about 117lbs (would like to be closer to 112). I do IF and eat 1400-1500 cals/day. I do work out.

[Anonymous]

^^ double ditto. I am 50, 5'2 and have maintained 124 pounds with IF for over 3 years. I do work out quite a bit but eat what I want without counting calories during my window. And there's no agonizing or stewing over "can I eat"/"need a snack"/what can I put in my mouth" since the answer is nothing (during my fasting window). I can focus on work or whatever else I'm doing because I'm not at all focusing on eating. Prior to IF I used to wake up thinking "what am I going to eat today" and grazed all day from 8am to 9pm. I bought into the eat-every-3-hours-to-stay-slim way of thinking, and it meant I was never satisfied and my insulin resistance shot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ double ditto. I am 50, 5'2 and have maintained 124 pounds with IF for over 3 years. I do work out quite a bit but eat what I want without counting calories during my window. And there's no agonizing or stewing over "can I eat"/"need a snack"/what can I put in my mouth" since the answer is nothing (during my fasting window). I can focus on work or whatever else I'm doing because I'm not at all focusing on eating. Prior to IF I used to wake up thinking "what am I going to eat today" and grazed all day from 8am to 9pm. I bought into the eat-every-3-hours-to-stay-slim way of thinking, and it meant I was never satisfied and my insulin resistance shot.

I am 5'4" and less than 120lbs, trying to lose 5lbs with IF, and while I am maintaining I have not actually lost it for 4 years. With limiting carbs and even fasting for 36 hours. So, doesn't work for all.

[Anonymous]

First, don't be so obsessed with numbers. Second, look at your various lifestyle factors. Third, make changes in the departments that you are lacking. Only then think about doing these diets. Also, there is no black and white when it comes to weight loss and nutrition. Just from looking at your post, walking 4 miles is great but since you are not exerting yourself during those four miles, it may not be enough. It's good to start weight lifting, but they key is to really push yourself out of your comfort zone. Is there any reason you can't run? If it's because that your body can't structurally handle the stress, try swimming or biking. Lastly, and again, numbers don't mean a thing if you don't feel comfortable in front of the mirror. Give yourself a medium term (half way mark of your 5-6 month) goal, and look at the scale only then while also comparing your before and after picture. Reevaluate at that point whether you need to adjust anything.

[Anonymous]

I have found my people! I have the same problem. Will be following closely for solutions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ double ditto. I am 50, 5'2 and have maintained 124 pounds with IF for over 3 years. I do work out quite a bit but eat what I want without counting calories during my window. And there's no agonizing or stewing over "can I eat"/"need a snack"/what can I put in my mouth" since the answer is nothing (during my fasting window). I can focus on work or whatever else I'm doing because I'm not at all focusing on eating. Prior to IF I used to wake up thinking "what am I going to eat today" and grazed all day from 8am to 9pm. I bought into the eat-every-3-hours-to-stay-slim way of thinking, and it meant I was never satisfied and my insulin resistance shot.

I am 5'4" and less than 120lbs, trying to lose 5lbs with IF, and while I am maintaining I have not actually lost it for 4 years. With limiting carbs and even fasting for 36 hours. So, doesn't work for all.

+1. Same here! People act like I'm "so lucky" for being on the smaller side, but I really do need to a lose a little and it's so hard to get it off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gosh, OP, I think you might have an unrealistic idea of how many calories we need. I am 47, 5’9” and 180lbs. I maintain at 1500 calories and have to cut to 1100 to lose at any measurable pace. I know it’s no fun.

Agree with this poster. Im 48, 5'4, 122 lbs. I have to be at 1000 to maintain and 800 to lose. Those numbers were at least 200 cals higher before i hit peri menopause.

I also have to work out every day.

Im not sure its worth it anymore. SIgh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First, don't be so obsessed with numbers. Second, look at your various lifestyle factors. Third, make changes in the departments that you are lacking. Only then think about doing these diets. Also, there is no black and white when it comes to weight loss and nutrition. Just from looking at your post, walking 4 miles is great but since you are not exerting yourself during those four miles, it may not be enough. It's good to start weight lifting, but they key is to really push yourself out of your comfort zone. Is there any reason you can't run? If it's because that your body can't structurally handle the stress, try swimming or biking. Lastly, and again, numbers don't mean a thing if you don't feel comfortable in front of the mirror. Give yourself a medium term (half way mark of your 5-6 month) goal, and look at the scale only then while also comparing your before and after picture. Reevaluate at that point whether you need to adjust anything.

Also, keep a diary to track your daily activities and meal intake. A psychological motivational factor that may keep you on track is to give yourself a sticker or a star when you've completed/met your daily goals. Sounds childish but it is psychologically gratifying to see all those stars you collected.

[Anonymous]

I'm a similar height and weight. I lost about 10-15 lbs just by using My Fitness Pal app to record everything I ate, trying to stay under 1200 calories and basically limiting as much fat, carbs, alcohol and sugar as possible without killing myself. It was tough at first but I got more used to it. At our height I was only losing about 1/2 lb a week for most of it. I was also trying to take walks several times a week but am not a big exerciser.