Help with calories using BMF & MFP

Lozm1980

Hello fellow BMF users:) and anyone else who may be able to help.

Oh and pretty PLEASE be nice. I think this is the 2nd or 3rd time I've posted.

First of all some stats:
Female 32yrs
5,4 (164cm)
BMR 1330
Current weight 121 (55kg) - seem to go between 54-56kg
Goal weight is around 116 (52kg)
My scale tells me my BF% is around 21% would like to get to around 17-18% BF. I want that athletic look!

I've had my BMF since the start of May and it tells me I burn around 2300-2500 per day. I'm a stay at home mum and enjoy Jillian Michaels workouts.
Currently doing 30 Day Shred. I usually get a 20-30 min walk in each day (pushing a 2yr old and an 8mth old in a double pram!)
Most of the online TDEE calculators tell me my TDEE is 2050.

If I set my activity (in MFP) level as 'very active' (to match up best with BMF figures) to lose .5kg per week MFP says my calories from normal daily activity is 1940 and gives me 1390 calories to consume.
Based of my BMF report for the past 28 days I've consumed an average of 1400. I weigh my food on a digital kitchen scale.
I eat chocolate occasionally. I'm vegetarian but still try for 40% carb and 30% for fat and protein.

My concern is that I have not lost anything (inches,cm,lbs,kg) since 01 March this year. I've read post after post about TDEE - 20% etc....
My guess is that I should eat more to lose the last few kgs .... but how much??? 2500 - 20%, 2300 - 20%, 2050 - 20%, 1940 - 20%???? I'm already afraid to up my cals so I just need to make sure I'm not going to up by too much.

Also... Does it look like I have MFP and BMF set up right? I really want to get the best out of it!

Reading back on this I sound really obsessive about it all and maybe I am, but I just want to get it 100% sorted so I can do the right thing to achieve my goals.

Look forward to some positive feedback. Again, please be nice:)

volume77

so it sounds like you have been eating 1400 calories for a while which might be what your body is used to if you are maintaining on it. I was the same way. i was eating 1400 caloires for so long that my body got used to it and i didnt lose anymore.

FitGeekery

You've only got 5lbs left to go (congrats!), so TDEE -10% is much more appropriate than 20%. At this point you're so close to maintenance that you should be eating more, especially if you're active.

You average 2300-2500 calories burned a day, so let's use 2300 for calcuations.

TDEE -10% = 2070
TDEE -20% = 1840

Given you have been eating pretty low calorie given your activity level, I can see how -10% seems intimidating. I suggest starting off by increasing your intake by 100 calories, either every week or every few days. Feel it out. Stick with it, don't panic, let your body accept the fact that you will fuel it like it needs. Once you've worked up to -20% for a while, give -10% a go, there's not -that- much of a difference between them really. And despite being able to calculate numbers, you still have to play around with finding out exactly what'll work for you so be patient with yourself and your body

Also? I'm your height and I can only dream I would ever reach your current weight. I've never been that small in my life so it's not even a number I can wrap my head around XD Good luck though and hopefully that helped!

cingle87

I would slowly increase your calories by about 100 a week till you reach your new calories target. This will give your bod time to adjust to the new amount and not cause you any issues

Lozm1980

Thanks guys:) am going to slowly up my cals.

Can anyone else with a BMF comment on my set up??? Have had to chose 'very active' in MFP set up to try and match BMF calorie burn. Does this sound right?