How to Lose Weight When You’re Short

I haven't sprouted upwards ever since high school and I stand tall at about 5 feet 1.6 inch (157 cm) but here’s where things get REALLY frustrating:

Losing weight is way harder when you’re short, and if you're on the shorter side, maybe you've experienced this personally. So why is life treating us unfairly? 

The short answer: "Pun intended" the smaller your figure, the less energy it needs—and the less it burns. Most short individuals have slower metabolic rates and naturally have less lean mass which includes muscles, organs, bones, connective tissues—basically everything that isn’t fat or water. Lean mass is the major influence in how many calories you burn at rest and during exercise. 

So yes—shorter people have to eat less than taller people to lose weight in general. But height isn't the solitary aspect that defines how many calories you burn per day. Other contributing factors such as genetics, physical activity, diet, sleeping patterns and hormones also take part here.

Weight-Loss Tips for Short People

1. Identify your healthy goal weight. Start with these numbers for an idea of a healthy range of weight to focus on. Subtract 10 % from this number if you have a small frame, or add 10 % if you have a large frame.

Women  45.5 Kg for 152 cm + 0.9 Kg for each cm > 152
               45.5 Kg for 152 cm - 0.9 Kg for each cm < 152

Men      48.1 Kg for 152 cm + 1.1 Kg for each cm > 152
              48.1 Kg for 152 cm - 1.1 Kg for each cm < 152


2. Eat according to your needs. Accord your meals to your subjective hunger levels and energy needs, rather than assuming you can lose weight eating the same amount of calories that your super-tall bestie can. Pay attention to hunger cues, and you might habitually start eating less. 

3. Chat with an expert. Speak to a registered dietitian before comparing yourself to your tall friend who seems to be able to shed off weight fast. We help put things in perspective and offer suggestions on how you can get the most of your basal metabolic rate. (Feel Free to send a contact form on our page.)

4. Strength training. The key is building lean active muscle. It’s important to incorporate lifting weights in to your moderately-intense cardio or aerobic workout routines at least twice per week.

5. Add up more protein. If you're trying to lose weight, build muscle and gain more energy, get ready to pack in the protein. Protein promotes satiety and triggers the release of feel-full hormones. To get the most protein rich sources out of your diet, option for lean animal protein sources like chicken or fish and add yogurt, beans, legumes and nuts.

Go shorty, you got this.