Extremely frustrated // need to vent

rockerbabyy

Ok so I eat exactly what my BMR is?

BMR is 1658.

So do I eat that exactly? OR do I subtract 500 calories from that so I can lose 1 lb a week?

(pardon my ignorance)

eat 1658. plus exercise calories..
BMR is what you would need to stay alive if you were in a coma, so its not good to take a deficit off of there.
if you want to do more math, you can figure out your TDEE (BMR+daily activity) and take a deficit from THAT, but eating at BMR is easier and still works great

0EmmeNicole0

I'm sorry girl! That is the worst when you are trying so hard and seeing no improvement. The only two cents i have is to make sure you are drinking lots of water. I gained 5 lbs in the first month i did MFP, and once i started to drink at least 64oz of water a day, i lost 5 of the lbs i gained and an additional 3 lbs in like 2 weeks. So make sure you are getting water only because you could be retaining. And i know this may be TMI but are you going #2 regularly?? I got very constipated at the start of MFP and had to detox (with tea) to make myself go, now i usually go everyday but i've never been one to go that often. That also has helped me lose weight in addition to the water. I also upped my calories when i started to see stalls in my weight loss and that seemed to work, so upping calories should work as long as you are eating somewhat close to your BMR. I also eat SOME of my exercise calories. I'm not really for or against eating exercise calories so my only rule about that is eat if you are hungry, don't eat if you aren't.

KeriA

I am glad you are getting good advice so soon. I lost 30-35 pounds on here with MFP settings very slowly stalling every time I really upped my exercise. Yes I ate exercise calories or most and especially when hungry. I then stopped losing. I now set my calories goals to just a bit above my BMR and I eat most of my exercise calories since I have been eating below it for more than a year. I want to get my metabolism going again. So don't listen to lowering to 1200. Exercise is good too. Inches lost is important so track them as well. Estimate your bodyfat percentage too. Once you get cardio going add some strength training in. Once you do that try som HIIT. I did lose body fat because I exercised alot. Go slow and healthy. Keep at it. Eat quality, healthy foods. Avoid sugars and simple carbos. Best wishes.