New - Help!!! Please x

jode1983

Hi, I'm new to mfp (tell a lie, I'm new to the site not the app)

I started using it properly last week after deciding I need to push myself somehow. I've previously lost 2 stone using weightwatchers, I got down to 11st 7lbs. Then I had my gorgeous second son and obviously put weight on but afterwards I naturally dropped back down to 11.7 again. Since then (14 months) I've gone either a lb above or below but no matter what I do I cant seem to get any lower. I'm 5ft 4 and the boots machine is always telling me I'm overweight :-(

So last week, as I was off work, I decided to use mfp properly...it said to have 1200 calories and I started using a portion plate and doing 30 day shred. Half way through the week a friend told me I was on way to little calories and need to work out my bmr to find out what I should be on. That said 1676 but I could go lower so I chose 1500. Was a little strange eating a little more, but I kept it healthy.

So a week later, I haven't lost any inches, or lbs and I'm a little peeved!

Should I have stuck to 1200, or should I try a week at 1500?!?! Is it because I spent the week drinking 8 glasses of water so I'm surely going to be a little heavier while I wait for that to flush out? Or is it the muscle weighing heavier than fat?!?!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, I'd love to lose at lease 7lbs by mid march!!!

Helllppppp! :-)

halyjayde

Hey Jode1983!

I'm 5'2 and haven't ever been seriously overweight before, but I have had to shed a few extra kilo's here and there. Stick to 1500 rather than the 1200. It's not fair to your body to be starving it in any way, no matter how little. If you keep to 1500 and exercise regularly you'll do great. I'm on 1800 a day and I work out for 2 hours a day, but i need 1800 for fuel.

If you want to lose weight but tone up at the same time, start doing weights in a safe environment. Most women think that weights will make them bulk up, but we don;t have a lot of testosterone so we just slim down to lean muscle (unless of course you want to be bulked up...).

But try and keep as active as possible and say yes to being outside and moving around, even if it's a small amount. Something is better than nothing. I never stop moving.

But yes find out your BMI and work out a real healthy BMR for yourself. You're doing a great thing though by starting and being healthy about it! Stick to it!

I hope I was some help!

bettbett87

I have to say, I tried judging my calories by my BMR at my goal weight which worked out at 2097. I didn't lose any weight but I wasn't able to exercise so that's understandable... I also didn't put any on which was great!
But what I couldn't understand was that even without exercising, I supposedly wasn't consuming enough calories to keep up my current weight so surely should have lost something!

I'm rambling...

Work out what's best for you personally, even if it takes a bit of trial and error! I found the above method wasn't working for me so I'm sticking with MFP's goal based on losing 1.5lbs per week. I also find it really helpful to track my calories burned and that helps me decide whether I can enjoy a piece of cake or not!

jode1983

Thanks Haylejade! And Bettbett!

I'm sticking to 1500 so we will see what happens! Fingers crossed! Thanks for replying! x x x