Considering upping calories..advice?

agalassie

I have been actively trying to lose weight since about February of this year and have lost 43 pounds, which is awesome. However, I have reached a stall the past 3 months and fluctuate between roughly 5 pounds. I am 5 foot 2 inches and currently weigh about 146 pounds. I am aiming to get down to 125 pounds. MFP is set to have me lose 1 pound a week, which puts me at 1200 calories a day. I tend to net about 1280 per day, so slightly above. I am getting a food scale and a heart rate monitor at Christmas (either gift from my mom or buying it myself), so I know that might be the issue. However, I am greatly concerned that I am eating too few calories, but I don't know how to know that without upping them and I don't want to sabotage myself. I workout ~6 days a week (mixture of cardio and strength) and I do mix it up regularly. I am currently in grad school, so I don't really have access to getting a metabolic test done, which would be ideal. Do any of you have suggestions on if I should up my calories and how to do that?

DigitalDiana

I was at about 1280 calories as well after losing 36 lbs. I stalled for about two months, and then decided to try upping my calories. I set my goal for .5 lb. per week which made my calories jump to 1500 per day...seems counterintuitive, however I have started to lose again...
Try it...if you're stalled out it may work. If you set your goal to losing .5 per week you won't be gaining any...

GardenOfSongs

I'm 5'7 and 168 pounds. Have stopped losing at 1200cals/day but I exercise 6x a week so have upped my calories to 1500/day which according to MFP should put me at a loss of 1.8lbs a week which I'm very happy with. I've only started this today so watch this space on whether it works!

Saramelie

I beleive that when you are set on 1200 cal/day you have to eat back the calories you burn with exercice...