Change up calories or stay consistent?

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NatashaAlexandra
NatashaAlexandra Posts: 70 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am aiming to get from 138 to 132ish within the next few months, so ideally a loss of 5-6 pounds.

I've been trying to lose weight for the past 2 years but always seem to give up as I see no real results from my efforts but I have finally decided the reason that I'm not losing is that I'm not eating right.

MFP tells me I should eat around 1300-1500 calories a day, and then eat back my exercise calories. But should I stay at this rate all the time? If I eat 1300 every single day will my body not just become used to it?

I have seen some people saying eat 1300 5 days a week and then on the other 2 days eat 1600 to confuse my body to aid weight loss but I have no idea if this is actually a good idea?

Even when I'm not dieting I eat about 1500 calories a day so to be perfectly honest dropping down to 1300 doesn't really do much for me in the sense of losing weight - but then if I go below 1000 it puts me in starvation mode!!

What SHOULD I be doing with my calories? Changing it up or staying the same every day?

Replies

  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
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    Starvation mode is overhyped on this site. Unless you have a very low BMI you will never ever hit starvation mode.

    Your body cannot be confused. Do what is best for you but you won't "shake" anything up by changing your calories. If staying the same works best then do that. I find it does so I am not expecting more food the next day.

    If you are not losing at a deficit try re-figuring your daily expenditure on another site. MFP is not perfect and the numbers you were provided may not be correct. Also, try upping your protein a bit and lowering the other macros and see if that helps. You can also try to incorporate strength training into your workouts.

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