OK, let me have it! (Critique/advice needed)

emstgm

I am still relatively new at this (2+ months), and not sure if I'm completely on track. I've hit a bit of a plateau in the last few weeks. I hit the 18 pound mark just before Christmas and I've been hovering at 18-19 lbs lost since then. My goal is set for 2 lbs per week. MFP sets my calories at 1200. I try to exercise 5-6 days a week for 400-500 calories and I almost always eat back all of my exercise calories. On days when I don't exercise, I struggle to stay at 1200. I did yesterday but it took A LOT of will power and I was hungry. (HOW ON EARTH DO SOME OF YOU EAT LESS THAN 1200 A DAY AND NOT BE HUNGRY!!??)

Am I eating too much? Should I be eating more? Am I logging my calories burned correctly? (That's in another post on the Exercise board) but basically I'm using what my Life Fitness says, not what MFP says (my number is lower than what MFP says).

I want to continue losing 2 lbs a week. I just hear so much about "make sure you're eating enough!" and "be sure you don't go into starvation mode!" Please give me a reality check! Thank you!

Stats: 5'10", 218 lbs, age 45, female.

kymdarnell

ok, I am new to here to but one thing I have read on here is 1200 cal is way too low - you need to up it more! apparently this is starvation mode.... hopefully an 'oldie' will be able to help a bit more...

kaydensmom12

You are not eating enough, on some days I seen that you are netting about 1000 which is way too low. 1200 is too low for someone 5'10, its usually for shorties like me. I looked up your BMR and it was 1720, mine is 1420 and my goal is 1300 calories at 5'1. If I were you I would up it to 1400-1500 calories.

emstgm

FYI, my diary is open for viewing too. Thanks!

em9371

I'd say up your cals a little so your net is always above 1200.
I weigh the same as you and eat around 1800 most days, I don't log my exercise on here but I net about 1350. I couldn't only eat that on non exercise days so my cals are spread out equally over the week. Having a high cal day every so often seems to help too! I've lost 21lbs in12 weeks.
My diary is open if you want a look x

Gioooo

Find out what your calorie intake should be:

http://www.kriskris.com/how-many-calories-should-i-eat-a-day/

If anything its better to go slightly over then be under. And don't eat back all your calories! Its not an efficient way to lose weight and I don't know why anyone does this.

Goodluck

rockerbabyy

Find out what your calorie intake should be:

http://www.kriskris.com/how-many-calories-should-i-eat-a-day/

If anything its better to go slightly over then be under. And don't eat back all your calories! Its not an efficient way to lose weight and I don't know why anyone does this.

Goodluck

because it works?
though it does depend greatly on how accurate you are with weighing/measuring your food and if you use a HRM or bodybugg type device or just using MFPs numbers

lisasmno

I'm 5ft 9 and got recommend a calorie intake of 1500 i've however set that to 1800 as i'm only aiming for 1lb a week i try and exercise about 3 times a week for about 200 calories and i've done okay for the first couple of weeks i do though also work weekends which means i have to walk to and from work as theres no public transport so i do about 4 hours walking a weekend and normally more than that if i work late (I used to be extremelly lazy and taxi so it's taking a bit of getting used to) it's just a case of finding that balance but i know when i've had days that i've completed my tracker with less than 1200 calories the app tells me i'm not eating enough.