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Losing weight is not a walk in the park like many of the gurus suggest. It is even harder for some people because various factors such as sleeping patterns, eating habits, hormonal health, and height can even come into play. Yes, height plays a critical role in your weight loss journey. In particular, lack of height so why is it harder for short people to lose weight?
By now, you probably understand the BMI concept. BMI is calculated based on your height and weight; therefore, the whole association between the two factors is understandable. If you have been working out diligently, and eating clean, but you still find yourself losing weight at a slower rate than your taller friends do, then your height may be the issue.
Read on to get the answer to, “why is it harder for short people to lose weight?” and to find out how your height affects weight loss.
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Reasons Why It Is Difficult For Short Women To Lose Weight
You may have a taller female friend who eats more than you do but still manages to lose weight at a faster rate than you. This can leave the shorter woman in the dark as to why they are not losing weight even tho they are easting less.
Muscle Mass Plays A Significant Role
While there are many key factors at play here, the primary difference is attributable to your muscle mass. When you’re a shorter person, you have less muscle mass in comparison to someone that is taller than you. Metabolism depends on an individual’s muscle mass; the more muscle mass a person has, the faster their metabolism rates.
Taller people have the advantage of having more muscle mass, which significantly improves their metabolism rates, and enhances the weight loss process. Muscle mass also impacts a person’s basal metabolic rate (BMR), which largely influences the number of calories your body burns when you are not doing any activity.
Shorter People Have To Work More To Burn More
Your physical activity level plays a significant role in losing weight as we all know. However, if your BMR is higher, you will work less to burn the extra calories you consumed. This does seem unfair for shorter people, but what can you do about it?
At times, it takes longer for shorter women to lose weight because of incompatible meal partners. Sharing a calorie-packed meal with your taller best friend may prevent you from upholding the calorie deficit that is necessary for you to lose weight. Shorter women need to maintain a calorie deficit to lose weight.
Reasons Why Shorter Males Find Losing Weight Harder
If you are a man who is losing weight slower than your taller friend is, then the reason could be that you have less weight to lose. If you begin your weight loss journey weighing less, you will note that it may be challenging to lose it, and reach your target weight.
Similar to shorter females, if you are a shorter man, you may have a lower BMR, which reduces the number of calories your body burns when you are resting.
Furthermore, if you are sharing meals with a taller friend, you are most likely to be affected by the extra calories compared to your friend. So in conclusion, a taller person can eat more and while doing nothing, burn more calories than a shorter male. This then leads us to question exactly what can a short person do to lose weight is the odds are stacked against them?
How Many Calories Should a Short Petite Female & Male Eat Per day
Several factors, including a person’s weight, sex, age, and level of physical activity, affects their daily calorie requirements. So it is not easy to specify an exact number of calorie intake a short person should be following. This is going to be based on a number relevant to your particular lifestyle.
But what we have learned so far is that being shorter means you need to work harder to lose the weight, or simply reduce the amount of calorie intake.
Even though it is harder for shorter people to lose weight, having a healthy lifestyle, including eating clean, can hasten the process. Any fitness expert will affirm that the first step towards losing weight is maintaining a daily calorie deficit.
This means that you have to consume fewer calories than you burn every day. Because a short persons’ BMR is lower, it means that you will burn fewer calories when you are not being physically active. So this alone can lead to weight gain, even if you are eating the exact same amount as someone taller than you.
Calorie Guide For Petitie Women
If you are a petite woman, it would be best if you limited your average calorie intake to around 1,100 to 1,200 calories per day. The average BMR for women who are shorter than 5 feet is 1,200. Therefore, you would not want to consume more calories than this amount in a single day.
Men tend to have a higher daily calorie requirement than women. Petite men who are below 5.5 feet tall should consume 1,700 to 2,000 calories per day.
The calorie requirements above can change depending on one’s weight and level of daily activity. For example, someone that plays sport, goes to the gym will burn more calories per day and as a result, can afford to up the calorie intake.
Ways a Short Person Can Lose Weight Effectively
Although your taller friend may lose weight faster than you, there are proven methods that can help you to fast track your weight loss journey.
Lift Weights
If you are shorter, it will help if you build muscle mass. The best way of building your muscle mass is by lifting weights. While tall people naturally have a greater muscle mass, it does not necessarily make them stronger. Having more muscle mass significantly increases the rate at which you burn calories, so as a short person, increasing your muscle mass is a good way to lose weight.
Weights are better because concentrating on cardio may increase your appetite, and you may end up gaining weight because of increased food intake. But in saying that, a well-balanced exercise routine using equipment like an elliptical machine can be highly beneficial, as long as you can control your calorie intake.
Keep Track of Your Calorie Needs
Do not assume that you can lose weight if you eat the same amount of calories as taller people do. You should determine your daily calorie requirement and stick to it. It may not be possible to stick to the exact number of calories every day; therefore, a calorie range would be quite useful.
Several online calculators can help you with your calorie requirements. You may have to provide information such as your height, gender, weight, or level of daily activity for a precise estimate.
Include More Protein In Your Diet
Including more proteins in your meals can keep the hunger pangs at bay. Proteins are satiating, and this helps in preventing cravings, especially those that are sugar-related.
Proteins are also essential because they aid in building your muscles, which help in losing weight.
Swap Your Meals
If you have been having small portions during breakfast and increasing the portions during the day, then it is time to reconsider this practice.
If you want to lose weight, try having more substantial portions during breakfast, and reduce the amounts as the day goes by. Doing this will help balance the day in terms of calorie intake.
Be Careful About High-Fat and High-Calorie Foods
Foods such as olive oil and avocados are high fat and contain many calories. Be mindful when consuming such foods and have them sparingly. When you think of weight loss as a numbers game, it literally becomes a battle between you commitment and the numbers.
Is it worth eating that high-calorie food if it is going to push you over your calorie goal intake for the day? Losing weight is very much a mind game, and once you know how to play the game and understand the rules, winning the battle can be all that much easier.
You are now able to understand why your taller friend has been losing weight faster than you, despite both of you having similar cheat meals. If you are short and take your weight loss journey seriously, then you should consider lifting weights while in the gym, increasing your protein intake, and be mindful of your daily calorie intake. Remember that everyone’s weight loss journey is different; therefore, you should be proud of your little milestones.
