Will increasing my exercise a LOT help

Meraid

So it's been a month of MFP and I've lost a whole lot of nothing. 2.5 pounds. I did take pictures half way through and it seemed like I lose a bit and I measured but pictures now it looks like I didn't do anything. Even though I've been doing poorly lately, going over the 1200, I still had a deficit of at least 500 and I'm beginning to think it's because my TDEE is actually 1900 now, meaning the largest deficit I can go is 700, not even 1.5 pounds. I weigh 168.5 at 5'2. I'm trying to incorporate running into my nights now, but I've always suffered from shin splints every time I try to run and even when I do jumps in dance. But I want results! I can't pay for a gym membership since I'm broke, but I do have DVDs. So in my case, what would you recommend? I've cast BMR out the window because no way am I going to eat 1600 calories a day with a 300 calorie deficit and lose a pound a week. Not at my weight.
Should I fit DVDs into 5 days of the week? If I'm eating 1200-1300 calories a day and exercising should I still eat back 3/4 my exercise calories or not at all? I was willing to settle down for 1.5 a week for now, but since I started a month ago I figured I could do 2 a week for a bit.
This is so discouraging I want to increase my TDEE but I don't know if I can do that by exercise since I thought TDEE doesn't include exercise (I keep it separate because I don't do a lot everyday so I just eat my calories back usually)

Meraid

This has been bothering me for awhile so I really do hope someone takes the time and reads through it

Fozzi43

Hi, maybe incorporate some heavy lifting? Although it may seem you are not burning millions of cals it will help tone you and from what I read on here you continue to burn loads cals after you have done it.
I do 3-4 lots of HIIT and three lots of heavy lifting and I have felt and seen the difference :flowerforyou:

Edited to add that I sometimes eat back half my exercise cals if I'm particularly hungry..otherwise I don't and MFP is pretty accurate in how many cals you need to lose weight etc

Anastasia0511

You should exercise everyday, eat what you're suppose to eat or whatever your program or MFP tells you and stop getting so discouraged. Lift some weights if you have access to them and relax a little. Don't always assume that what works for others will work for you. Peoples bodies are different. Their metabolisms are different, their Ph levels are different. Sure it may be frustrating not losing weight right away but just stay focused and positive. Your mood can affect many things in life, stress and shi* is the devil, get rid of it and work harder if you have too. Doing something is better than nothing, so give yourself a pat on the back for at least trying. That's a lot more than some people do. What DVD's do you have? Maybe you need something a bit more intense? Just don't give up. Keeping a sharp focused mind is your number one goal to successfully losing weight. If you can't get your mind right you will repeat the same thing over and over again with little or no results. So start by telling yourself you're doing something about it and that if it takes you a month, two months, a year, so what? A year from now you'll probably be smiling.