Help! 14 pounds by Year End

vim_n_vigor

All,

Looking for some help getting down 14 pounds by the end of the year. I am struggling with finding my correct calorie zone for losing weight, so hoping to get some input here.

These are my stats:

35 year old female
5'4'' tall
214 pounds

Desk job, but I walk as much as possible during the day - make sure to go to peoples offices instead of calling or im. At home I have a 3 and 5 year old, so I don't get to sit too much after work.

For a female, I have more muscle structure than most other women, that is just how the women in my family are built.

I don't believe that the 1200 calories that MFP gives me is enough. No matter what combinations of food I use to get to 1200 (clean, high protein, etc.) I get headaches, am dizzy and tired.

I beleive my TDEE when I calculated it was around 1400, but I don't really know what to do with that number.

Edited to add: I will not use diet pills, HCG, starvation, or anything along those lines to reach my goal.

wgrape

I am thinking that you are burning more during a normal day that you thought you were! I had this issue after returning to work from the summer months (I am a teacher). The first week back was awful until I realized I needed to eat more. Try aiming for the 1400 calorie mark and see if that makes a difference...I am willing to bet that the weight starts dropping off again too!

Good luck!

IndigoVA

I'm also 5'4 but currently about 155 lbs. My daily calorie goal is 1370, so yes, 1200 seems very low for you. I would think you'd be closer to 1500.

McKayMachina

I've been at 1200 since starting at 235 in January and it was enough (I'm 5'2"/5'3"). That said, every body is different! If you need more, eat more! Up your cals by 50 or so/day til you feel like you've found a sweet spot.

Worst-case scenario, you lose a teeeeny bit slower. Worth it to feel good!

vim_n_vigor

I'm also 5'4 but currently about 155 lbs. My daily calorie goal is 1370, so yes, 1200 seems very low for you. I would think you'd be closer to 1500.

How did you get to the 1370 calories? I have played with the settings here and keep getting 1200, or slightly over.

IndigoVA

My goals are set to lose 1 lb. per week, and my lifestyle is set to lightly active since I have 2 small kids. You'd probably be lightly active also. I don't think anyone with small children can be sedentary, even if you do have a desk job.

FoamyRiver

I think you need to go back and re-evaluate your lifestyle in the settings. Sounds like you entered that you were a lot more active than you really are. Yes, you may be moving around quite a bit but you may not be burning as many calories as necessary for what you chose. When I started out I was 5'4" and 218lbs and I had 1540 calories every day. Now I'm down 63lbs and I still have more than 1200 calories per day.

If you aren't already, track your sodium. I think that was a big factor in my weight loss this time around. I've never been a salter but I never realized how much was in canned and frozen products. Also, try decreasing your carbs and increasing your lean proteins for a few days and see how you do. Whenever I hit a plateau, that seems to jump start me again. Other than those suggestions, you're just going to have to play around and see what works for you.

Best of luck to you!!!

vim_n_vigor

I readjusted. We will see how this works! I guess if I feel better with the extra calories, an added bonus will be extra energy for exercise too!

vim_n_vigor

I think you need to go back and re-evaluate your lifestyle in the settings. Sounds like you entered that you were a lot more active than you really are. Yes, you may be moving around quite a bit but you may not be burning as many calories as necessary for what you chose. When I started out I was 5'4" and 218lbs and I had 1540 calories every day. Now I'm down 63lbs and I still have more than 1200 calories per day.

If you aren't already, track your sodium. I think that was a big factor in my weight loss this time around. I've never been a salter but I never realized how much was in canned and frozen products. Also, try decreasing your carbs and increasing your lean proteins for a few days and see how you do. Whenever I hit a plateau, that seems to jump start me again. Other than those suggestions, you're just going to have to play around and see what works for you.

Best of luck to you!!!

I had put in sedentary. My problem isn't necessarily a plateau, but that I struggle to find a combination of foods at 1200 calories where I feel good. I don't think that is enough for me, but I don't want to add to a point that I go in the other direction either. My sodium is pretty low with the exceptional day.