Set me on the straight and narrow

shanni30

Please help, oh wise forumites!

I am constantly confused about how many calories to eat! I'm 5'2, hovering between 200-204lbs the last 2 weeks. I saw an initial 5lb loss in my first week and a half of tracking on MFP, but since I did some baking for a weekend party and ate some (and tracked it) I have been gaining. MFP says 1200 cals per day, the BMR in tools says 1580.

I'd like to lose 30lbs by the end of January.

I know I need to exercise daily, but don't. I need some major inspiration in that department (currently I'm a stay at home mom, watching the cold Canadian winter set in).

I happily eat breakfast, eat 6 times throughout the day, and LOVE fruit and veggies. I follow a vegan diet about 5-6 days a week, with meat usually at just 2 meals per week (I prefer not to eat meat and find it quite expensive). I have dairy, soy and egg allergies, amongst other things.

LoraF83

Read this to help you figure out your calorie goal:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

Also, you don't have to exercise EVERY day. You actually need rest days. Maybe aim for 3-4 days a week to start? You can lose weight without exercising if you want. Exercise just helps you look better when you get to your goal.

palmerig88

First of all, please try to avoid 1200 calories. Are you willing to try losing on 1700 or 1800 calories? The first big loss you experienced is water. It happened to me too. I lost almost 15 pounds the first month.
Keeping your goal of losing 30 pounds by the end of January is great but focus more on completing your goal of the 30 pounds than on a timeline.
If 30 pounds is the total amount you have to lose, you should only aim to lose 1 pound per week. The last 10 pounds or so would be better coming off at 1/2 pound per week.
You can lose with diet alone but if you are like me, calorie restriction is hard because I love to eat. I lost the majority of my weight eating around 2000 calories per day. The reason this is possible is because if you ARE willing to try exercise, you can 'eat those calories back'. This site is designed to give you a net calorie goal. Let's say you strive to net above your BMR so you set your goal at 1600. If you are able to get out for a 20 minute walk or do any type of calorie burning exercise outside your normal routine the site adds the calories to what you can eat that day, but in the end you still 'net' your 1600 and you are 100% on track.
Good luck with everything and I hope you choose to exercise! You will like your clothed body with diet alone but with exercise you will look good naked too!

prokomds

I second that you should read up on the "in place of a road map" link! If you're eating below your BMR, you're not eating enough. It sounds like you should probably ease your way up to around 1600 or 1700 calories, which you can do by adding more healthy fats and protein to your diet. It looks like you eat really well! Just up it a bit to keep your body running smoothly, and exercise a couple of days a week, and you'll be fine

Accepting that you actually need to eat more can be tricky, but understand - if you're not eating enough, you're probably not feeling your best. I was grumpy at tired at 1500 calories, and I'm much happier at 1650. Also know that some artificially low calorie limit also tends lead to binging/breaking the diet later, whereas something more reasonable is more sustainable in the long run. Good luck!