Short people on low carb

[rotay60]

I would love to see some of your menus. Are you watching fats AND calories?

I am basically just not eating bread, potatoes, rice, starchy veggies, pasta, high glycemic fruits. I probably eat leaner meat than most low carbers. I do eat chicken wings occasionally.

[svenskamae]

I am 5' 3'', which is kind of short. If you can lose okay with just giving up the things you list, great! I do think that people with a smaller frame (i.e., shorter) not infrequently have to be careful of calories as well as carbs (though for short insulin-resistent people, I think that limiting carbs is the most important).

I'm not going to post my menus, because I do JUDDD (alternate day calorie cycling, under 300 calories one day and 1700 calories the next day) as well as low carb, and I don't think they'd be a good model for you if you aren't doing JUDDD. I have a high proportion of my calories coming from fat, but that's not required to lose successfully, and it makes counting calories as well as carbs absolutely necessary for me.

[anglgrl]

I'm 5'2. Yeah, I watch calories as well as carbs and protein. I try to keep it under 1500, currently.
I aim for 6g carbs at breakfast
10-12 at lunch
15 at dinner
54 g protein.
Every thing else is fat. So I get about 74% fat/16% pro/10% carb.

I eat sorta the same thing every day. (For now)

Breakfast

Tuna 2 oz
EVOO - 1T
Bubbie's Kosher Dill Pickles 1 3/4
Bird's Eye Broccoli Florets 1 c
Ghee 1 T

Lunch

Libby's Pure Pumpkin 1/2 c (I put Liquid stevia, salt and pumpkin pie spice on it)
Chedder Cheese 1/2 oz.
Organic Valley Cream Cheese 1 serving
Lamb Loin Chop 1.62 oz.

Dinner

Wild atlantic salmon 1 3/4 oz
Lemon Vinigrette 1 T (I make it my self)
Chedder Cheese 1/2 oz
Ghee 1 T
Cauliflower 80g
Stoneyfield Farm Whole Milk Plain Yogurt (I put liquid stevia and vanilla in it) 1/2 c
Vanilla Extract 1/2 t
Theo toasted coconut dark chocolate 1/6 of a serving
Ghee 1 T

Before sleeping:
Back to Nature Cashew, almond, pistachio mix 14 g (1/2 serving)

[emel]

I"m 5'3 and a half, small framed.
I reached and maintained goal on low carb for quite a while in the past.

I find it counter-productive to cut calories too much at first, for me.
I do have to watch calories/portion sizes as I get closer to goal, but I do not do it by limiting fats. I do it by taking slightly smaller portions of each food at each meal. Happily, when I'm in the low carb groove, my appetite is naturally supressed, so it isn't that hard.

[jeaniem]

Basically I have lean(er) meats, eggs, small amounts of cheese. chicken thighs w/o skin. The only significant carbs I eat are strawberries, spinach and full fat cottage cheese in protein shakes. I lose better and feel better eating higher protein, I think due to the fact that I can have more food overall. I try not to count anything unless I find I am not losing,but tend to only lose when I eat 1000-1300 cal range and about 30-40 grams carbs.

[Moonlights]

I'm 5'2" - if I go too lean or too low calorie I don't lose. Really low and I actually seem to gain. I lose best eating about 70% or my calories from fat and at least 1500 cals per day.

Going leaner on atkins is kind of counter intuitive. If you need to cut calories, better keep your fat percentage the same but eat a little less, in my opinion. Fat is very satiating so you should stay as full.

[synger]

I'm 5'3". Since I buy "petite" length pants, I assume I might fit the criteria for "shorter people."

I find I absolutely have to watch calories to lose. I'm severely insulin resistant and have pre-Diabetes, so carbs will definitely spike my blood glucose. So it's carbs and calories for me.

To lose slowly but regularly, I need to aim for 1200-1400 calories, and fewer than 30-40 carbs. I also allow higher calorie days once or twice a week, when I get what I call "hungry days" when the 1400 just isn't enough. So long as I keep it low-carb, it doesn't seem to stop my loss.

[adiasmc1]

I am 5'1" on a good day.

I have to count calories and carbs. If I want to lose consistently, I have to stay between 1000-1200 cals. My carbs need to be below 60 (I count all carbs, not net), usually they are around 30-40. I also try to keep protein below 130g and fat around 60-80g.

It stinks to have to count so much, but for some of us, and I think being short counts here, we just can't eat as much

I still think I get to eat a little more than I would if it wasn't low carb and I do feel so much better. Also, these are my ratios without any or only light exercise. It might go up if I wasn't so lazy

[Kisha1976]

I'm 5'4" and I just restarted LC'ing on Monday. I keep my calories at 1700 (I usually end up only eating about 1500), and 20-25 carbs per day. I've been doing okay with fats, but it's a bit of a struggle. Sometimes the fat is just too 'rich' for me.

[snowmop]

4' 10" here. I don't have to count calories, I just keep my carbs at 20-30 and maintain pretty well. Very occasionally I will have a glass of wine, or 1/2 of a baked potato, or even a Snickers bar. I don't seem to be insulin resistant at all.

[A'smommy]

I'm 5'4 and try to keep calories close or right at 1200. I usually keep my carbs near 20 net grams as I lost about 20 # last year doing that and felt good... This time around I am just trying to focus more on eating whole foods and healthy fats as opposed to franken foods and loads of bad fats... I usually see my fat grams around 60-70 each day

[rubidoux]

I'm 5'0" and I'm still figuring out what on earth I need to be doing. BUT about two years ago I did lose 40 pounds without paying any attention at all to calories. Are you having a hard time losing now? If you do, I think adding fat or going lower in calories could help, but if you add fat you mind find its easier to go lower in calories.

[Macc0021]

I am 5'2" and I definitely have to watch how much I eat if I want to lose weight... but I don't actually count calories or carbs. So yes... I do have to watch my calories and carbs! I just eat smaller amounts with a focus on high fat, lower protein if I want to lose.

[creseis]

It is important to get enough calories, too, because if you are not in ketosis (ie, just cutting out most of the carbs, but still getting over 50g per day), your body will prefer to eat its own muscle to fat, because it is not programmed to burn fat when you are not in ketosis and will prefer protein from muscle. You still will burn some fat from limiting calories and carbs, but you will burn a lot more muscle, too, which can cause heart damage and a lot of other bad things. This will not probably lead to any short term problems, but could lead to more problems down the road. Which is why it is better to eat more fat and really count your carbohydrates to stay in ketosis while you are losing weight. Having said that, I do not like to eat fatty meats, but I do eat cheese. I allow myself "limitless" calories (about 2500) on days when I have a long, tough workout, and on rest days I limit my calories and do not eat cheese. However, it is really hard to eat too many calories when you are eating primarily fat (>65%) because it is so satiating and does not cause an insulin surge (which will be caused by carbohydrates eaten when you are not in ketosis).

A more in depth discussion of this is in Phinney and Volek.

[mysades]

I'm almost 5'2" and have never counted calories. But I naturally eat smaller portions.

[Arctic_Mama]

I'm barely 5'3", I actually got taller when I dropped some weight (it was making my hips and feet spread!). Short answer is yes, I am cogent of calories as well as carbs, but that is more because I have lost enough weight that my body is in the range of being somewhat resistant to dropping it, so just relying on satiety and ketosis isn't enough of an energy deficit consistently for me to see good losses.

I would not recommend calorie counting unless your losses stall or slow over a several-month period. Don't make it complicated if you don't absolutely have to!

[mamajennleigh]

I am 5'2" on my best day and I have been low-carbing for over 2 years now. I used to drop my calories and fat in favor of a little higher carbs and it slowed my weight loss every time. I'm doing it strictly by the book this time, and paying attention only to my carbs and to making sure I get plenty of fat. Its working like a charm. I work out pretty intensely 4-5 days a week and I just couldn't sustain my workouts on the lower calories.

[dianda]

I'm 5'4''-5'5'' and I watch both. I try to keep my daily average around 1200.

[mainemom]

Hi, there, Rotay. Another shortie here at 5'1". I've been primarily low carb for 2 years now. Lost slowly but steadily with low carb, about 20-30 gms day, but had a hard time w/those last 15 pounds to goal. I switched to JUDDD, which is calorie cycling and in effect does lower overall calories. I loved adding in higher carb foods I'd been missing (my choice, not a requirement) and I reached my goal. However, I found that once I got to goal, I let myself get complacent and the higher carb foods were really causing me cravings, plus I just didn't feel as well as I did with low-moderate carbs. I gained 12 pounds, and went back on strict LC, and am down 5 of that gain. So, after all this rambling, I'm finding now that LC, combined with watching my portions (starting smaller and really asking myself if I'm content or really need more) is probably the key to getting my weight down. I really do love JUDDD and its way of making you truly appreciate what hunger feels like and the "empty" feeling that is satisfying in a weird way. So I'm planning on starting JUDDD again - low carb version - when I know my carb cravings are truly under control. I also want to add that I'm 52 yrs old, and also attempting to balance my hormones, so I'm trying to stay realistic and not expect quick results, but steady is OK by me.

[janetsbreeze]

I'm a shortie checking in
I am a super slow loser, due to some medication I am on.
My daily caloric intake stays between 1400 and 1500 cals, carbs are under 20, and fat is as high as I can get it - averaging about 70% of my food intake.

I do better with higher fat.

[rotay60]

Thanks for all these responses and to you especially anglgrl for posting a sample menu. I am still trying to see what works best for me. I seem to flip flop between lc and ww, so I am really trying to stay with lc (I think that I have convinced myself that it is healthier) for a while. There is definitely an assortment of answers here, so I think it pretty much boils down to ....you gotta figure out what works for your body. I do not have blood sugar issues, so for me..it is pretty much about weight loss.

Thanks again guys.

[locarblady]

Hi Rotay60,

I am also a shortie - 5'2" - and weigh considerably more than you do. I have been "floating" between low carb and WW for some time and feel good but the pounds are just not coming off....to compound it more, I don't eat meat, but do have fish several times a week. I have a low carb Slimfast shake every morning at work (I am at my desk very early in a very busy doctors office) along with a tiny handful of almonds. That gives me 25 gms of protein and about 6 carbs. I feel fine till lunch. If I am hungary midmorning, I will have half a banana or a small cheese stick. Lunch is usually a salad with tuna and a hard boiled egg and maybe a Plain Greek yogurt mid afternoon. Dinner is usually half a baked sweet potato with butter, and a salad with olive oil dressing...sometimes I make an omlette with cheese and fresh spinach. I feel good, am rarely hungary but can't seem to get these pounds moving down! I am older and I do sit alot of the day.....I work long, busy days. Know I should be walking, but time and a bad knee make that hard to keep up. I seem to be leaning more toward the SFT way of eating - lowcarb and vegetarian - and I figure the butter and salad dressing and bit of cheese would be covered under points each day. Does that sound right or am I totally off with this thinking? Any suggestions are most welcome!

[SugarFreeSheila]

I'm 5'2" & watch nothing but carbs - not portions, fat, or calories. This morning for breakfast, I had 4% cottage cheese with raspberries & cashews.

P.S: My daily carbs range anywhere from 40-90 grams. Just depends on the day!

[lisamt]

Originally Posted by locarblady

Hi Rotay60,

I am also a shortie - 5'2" - and weigh considerably more than you do. I have been "floating" between low carb and WW for some time and feel good but the pounds are just not coming off....to compound it more, I don't eat meat, but do have fish several times a week. I have a low carb Slimfast shake every morning at work (I am at my desk very early in a very busy doctors office) along with a tiny handful of almonds. That gives me 25 gms of protein and about 6 carbs. I feel fine till lunch. If I am hungary midmorning, I will have half a banana or a small cheese stick. Lunch is usually a salad with tuna and a hard boiled egg and maybe a Plain Greek yogurt mid afternoon. Dinner is usually half a baked sweet potato with butter, and a salad with olive oil dressing...sometimes I make an omlette with cheese and fresh spinach. I feel good, am rarely hungary but can't seem to get these pounds moving down! I am older and I do sit alot of the day.....I work long, busy days. Know I should be walking, but time and a bad knee make that hard to keep up. I seem to be leaning more toward the SFT way of eating - lowcarb and vegetarian - and I figure the butter and salad dressing and bit of cheese would be covered under points each day. Does that sound right or am I totally off with this thinking? Any suggestions are most welcome!

If you are mixing carbs with high fat foods, this could be the reason you are not losing. Are you trying to do low carb or WW? Bananas and sweet potatoes aren't really part of LC until much later, when you're close to goal weight.

Maybe it would help to pick one plan and stick with it for at least one month. I didn't have much luck with WW but it does work for some people.

[rotay60]

Lisamt, I am not mixing the 2 programs, I just keep going back and forth. Your suggestion is exactly what I have decided to do...stay with LC for a month, then evaluate. I did lose 40# pounds in the past with WW, I just don't want to do low fat again, if possible. Kwim?

[lola001]

Hi I am 5.1" (1.53m) so I find that the orginal Atkins 72 works for me. I need to keep my portions smaller and keep my carb count very low (less than 20) to see losses. My foods are very simple as well so that I don't accidently add up carbs like I would in casseroles.
I keep it strictly meat and veg with fat.
It gets a bit boring which is probably why I fall offplan so often.

[cheri]

I am 4' 11" and have had to start counting calories also because I am close to goal. Some people have to do that. I have started to eat meats that are leaner.. more chicken and fish etc.. I went to my doctor on Thursday and he says I need more exercise because I have been on a plateau for such a long time.. Although he said I will have to exercise a lot to get lower because my metabolism is much slower then it was years ago..

This comes from Colette Heimowitz on the Atkins site. I really like how she explains why it is important to also pay attention to calories as well...

The reason for the original advice about not counting calories had to do with the fact that the low-carb approach concentrates on managing blood sugar and insulin. It concentrates on choosing foods natural to the human diet -- i.e. protein, fat and fiber from vegetables—that naturally satiate the appetite and send hormonal signals to the brain that you're full. That's why it's easier to stay on a natural foods lower-carb diet than a processed foods high-carb one, which stimulates hunger and cravings.

And that's why we tell you, in the beginning, don't worry about calories. Just worry about eating the right kinds of foods and your appetite will, hopefully, take care of itself.

But because calories are not the whole picture—the way they have been in "conventional" weight-loss programs—does not mean they're out of the show. They've just been moved from a starring role to that of a supporting—but important—player.

The point is: Calories aren't the whole story—but they do matter. If you're stuck at a plateau and have stopped losing weight on your low-carb plan, maybe it's time to do a little digging and see just how much food you're actually consuming.

It might surprise you. If you over-consume any food you are likely to slow or stall weight loss.

Your best shot is to follow the advice in the The New Atkins for a New You:

•Make fat your friend but don’t make it a calorie bomb by using 4 tablespoons of dressings on one salad.

•Eat enough protein to keep you satisfied, but don’t assume protein is unlimited. Four to 6 ounces should be enough at each meal to satisfy you unless you are a large man, who can tolerate more

•Consume adequate fiber from vegetables for the sensation of fullness and be sure to consume all the recommended Foundation Vegetables

•Try not to eat lightly during the day; only to feel ravenous by dinner or before bedtime.

•Try not to skip meals, and then overdo it at your next meal simply because you’re so hungry

•Try not to consume all your carbs for the day in one meal, and then a couple of hours later lose control of what you’re putting in your mouth.

•If you have hit a plateau, do a reality check, keep a food diary and make sure carbs are where they are supposed to be and calories are around the 1,500- to 1,800-calorie mark. (The optimal number is highly individual. This is just a sample range for the minimum intake because too few calories can be an issue as well.)

If you can identify with any of these points, you’re no stranger to overeating. If it makes you feel any better, you’re in good company—overeating is incredibly common; not surprisingly, it’s especially problematic among people who are trying to lose weight. It’s not an inherent sign of weakness, nor simply a matter of poor self-control. Usually it has to do with not being aware of what or how much you’re eating or snacking just because food is there. Many of us have lost touch with our hunger cues because we’ve been over consuming for many years.

The good news is that you can begin to tune in to the fullness factor and put an end to overeating by being mindful about what and when you eat. If you consume regular meals (not going more than four to six hours without solid food), you’ll begin to stabilize your blood sugar, which will help you control your appetite.

[rotay60]

Thanks Cheri for that reminder.

[Jigsaw]

I'm 5'2 3/4th. I only count carbs for now, I imagine as I get closer to goal, or if my wt. loss slows I may have to count calories, but for now I only worry about keeping my carbs low. I do eat plenty of fat, and the chicken with skin if it is there...

[rotay60]

Originally Posted by locarblady

Hi Rotay60,

I am also a shortie - 5'2" - and weigh considerably more than you do. I have been "floating" between low carb and WW for some time and feel good but the pounds are just not coming off....to compound it more, I don't eat meat, but do have fish several times a week. I have a low carb Slimfast shake every morning at work (I am at my desk very early in a very busy doctors office) along with a tiny handful of almonds. That gives me 25 gms of protein and about 6 carbs. I feel fine till lunch. If I am hungary midmorning, I will have half a banana or a small cheese stick. Lunch is usually a salad with tuna and a hard boiled egg and maybe a Plain Greek yogurt mid afternoon. Dinner is usually half a baked sweet potato with butter, and a salad with olive oil dressing...sometimes I make an omlette with cheese and fresh spinach. I feel good, am rarely hungary but can't seem to get these pounds moving down! I am older and I do sit alot of the day.....I work long, busy days. Know I should be walking, but time and a bad knee make that hard to keep up. I seem to be leaning more toward the SFT way of eating - lowcarb and vegetarian - and I figure the butter and salad dressing and bit of cheese would be covered under points each day. Does that sound right or am I totally off with this thinking? Any suggestions are most welcome!

Looking at your food, I would definitely say that you are doing more of a SFT plan. I think that was what I was doing as well. I wanted to have my carbs (sweet potatoes, fruit, some grains), plus high fat (butter, salad dressing, mayo). Unfortunately, it wasn't working for me. I am pretty much sticking w/low carb now. My veggies are usually at lunch and dinner. For lunch, it is salad veggies, and for dinner more like...broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, etc. My snacks are either almonds, nuts, pork rinds, or blackberries. (if needed) For breakfast it is either eggs or quest bar. I will put mayo on burgers, ranch or oil/vinegar on salads, butter on veggies. I am not measuring at this time, but definitely don't think that I am eating too much. We'll see how it goes. Good luck to you.