To my 5’3 girls, what’s your maintenance calories?

[childofgod222]

I’m a pretty active person so mine is around 2,150 but I know some who are even lower!

I’m 26
125 lbs currently on a cut eating at 1400

 

[simsodep8388]

@childofgod222 115-120 lbs, about 1600-1750 calories a day, and that's inclusive of a 45-60 min strength workout and about 4-8k steps every day.

 

[suedorsett1]

@childofgod222 5'3", about 113 lbs, try to go on a 3 mile walk every couple of days. Maintaining at about 1600 calories a day

 

[neochristian]

@suedorsett1 Same! 5’3 and eating 1650 calories and it works well for me

 

[quietmorning]

@childofgod222 I'm 61 with a desk job. I do lift 3 days a week and ride my bike a couple of times a week for an hour at a time. My maintenance is only 1400-1500 calories. Hoping the lifting will build some muscle so I can increase my calories.

 

[anonymoussingleguy]

@quietmorning My maintenance is 1400 too - it’s so hard!

 

[childofgod222]

@quietmorning That’s rough! 1400-1500 is my cut! I hope your lifting journey goes good

 

[quietmorning]

@childofgod222 It is. I’m cutting right now and am eating between 1050 and 1200.

 

[intermediary]

@childofgod222 I’m 5’3. I weight lift 3 x week and Pilates 2 x week. I’m pretty sedentary otherwise (desk job). According to MacroFactor app, my TDEE is around 1600. So my cut is around 1300 calories. I’ve been tracking for 85 days and it adjusts each week so I was eating around 1400 but now back to 1300 or just shy, as I’ve plateaued for the past few weeks around 125. Love this app! It’s been a game changer and takes out all the guess work!

 

[armisto]

@intermediary This is almost my exact split, height and weight. I’m finding it so hard to keep it at 1300 cals. What are some of your fav meals and snacks to keep you full eating such few cals?

 

[anonymoussingleguy]

@armisto Not OP but I find OMAD to be the easiest way to eat low cal.

 

[intermediary]

@anonymoussingleguy I actually am the opposite. I usually eat two big meals plus a snack when I’m at maintenance but during the cut I find I have to eat three squares, plus a snack and I need lots of fibrous veggies and fat. I don’t think I could eat 130g of protein in one sitting! LOL

 

[anonymoussingleguy]

@intermediary I don’t have high protein goals I wish to be lean with a not high muscle mass - so it’s a bit easier for me in that regard!

 

[booknpen]

@childofgod222 145 lbs, moderately active job and 10-12k steps, gym 3 days a week with a bit of weight training but mostly stairmaster, my maintenance is about 2100-2200

 

[camfree]

@childofgod222 I’m pretty sedentary but lift 4 days a week and I’m at 2100 cal around 132 lb

 

[jeannemacl]

@camfree what's your lift routine like? you're p much my goal, right now i'm a beginner at lifting 2 times a week and doing water exercise class 2 times a week, but i'm cutting at 1400 (160 lb)

 

[camfree]

@jeannemacl I’m a powerlifter so I mainly focus on squat, bench press, and deadlift. I use the Sheiko Gold app for programming: each session is squat or deadlift + bench + 2-3 accessory exercises in about 1.5-2 hours. I’ve been slowly bulking for the past 3 years from 114 lbs and powerlifting has definitely increased my TDEE a TON

Water exercise class sounds so fun, I’ll have to look into that! If you keep up lifting with a good beginner program and make “newbie gains” your new muscle mass will definitely make it easier to cut. My cutting cals to lose .5 lb/week are about 1800 which is so much easier to hit than the 1200 I tried years ago.

 

[jeannemacl]

@camfree Thank you so much!! Appreciate the detailed answer

 

[rosestockwell1991]

@childofgod222 150 lbs. 10,000-15,000 steps a day. Lift heavy 3-5 days a week. Run 2-3 times a week. TDEE calculator gives maintenance calories at 2300

 

[musco1981]

@rosestockwell1991 Omg we’re the same height, weight, activity level and TDEE twins. Also 150, lifting 4-5 times a week, 2-3 peloton bike rides per week and minimum 10k steps daily. Maintenance 2300 also