Am I eating too few calories a day?

sskilton

My BMR is 1,405 so I have been aiming to eat 1,200 a day in the hope I lose weight. I have over the last month - 6 weeks dramatically increased my exercise, to stationery bike/treadmill 30 - 60 mins a day. Plus 1-2 hr dog walking 1-2 times a week. As I haven't been losing just based on 1,200 calories.

However I am STILL not losing weight and My Fitness Pal says I am eating too few calories a day, is this really possible. I thought the less calories I ate the better???

I really don't know how to get the balance right so that I actually lose weight. Can anyone advise please.

busyPK

Yes, that is too few calories. If you want to follow MFP's plan set your weight loss to 1lb/wk and enter your calories burned each day and eat back your exercise calories. MFP already creates a defecit for you to dorp 1lb/wk if that is what you set it at so extra exercise is making that defecit even bigger and over time your body will start to hold onto fat because it's not getting the fuel it needs. At the very least, you should NET 1200 calories daily (thus eating more than 1200 calories since you are burning calories daily).

AmyRhubarb

Have you considered adding some strength training to your workouts? I was an avid walker and the scale never budged until I started adding different workouts with some weights to the mix. Since changing to that plan (and logging all my foods) I've dropped 20lbs and had to go buy all new pants. :happy:

sskilton

That's great, thanks for the replies, feedback is much appreciated. I quite like the idea of eating more to lose weight , but dont worry it will be the right foods I wont start to binge on bread, and crisps.

I think one of the other problems I have had is that I have been weighing myself every day, which I now know it not good either as I have been stressing too much on tiny weight changes, so I am going to force myself to only weigh once a week. I will let you know how I get on next Friday morning.

Thanks.