How long did it take before you noticed losing weight?

Definitely try to NET at least 1200 calories. Open your diary if you want more help (you will seriously get some great advice that way).

If you are set to sedentary and eat 1,200 net; log your exercise and eat most of those back...you will still be at 1,200 net. You want your net caloric intake to be at least BMR which is the bare minimum your body needs to function. Eating below your BMR for extended periods of time wreaks all kinds of havic on your body.

If you don't want to bother with logging the exercise, and you exercise regularly, increase your activity level to active and don't eat back exercise calories. I would think they'd be in the 1,500-1,700 range or so depending on how much exercise you do and how many calories you actually burn. Also remember, diet for weight control and exercise for fitness...they do go hand in hand, but you can't out exercise a bad diet.

It took me a couple weeks of playing around with my setting before I got them right...MFP had me a bit too low so I made some manual adjustments and all is well with the world. Remember that it's all educated estimates and not a perfect science. Once I got things set properly, I started losing right away.

start running, you'll definitely notice changes. takes about 4-6 weeks for that 'wow' factor to set in.

You may not be eating ENOUGH. 1,200 calories is the goal you should set if you aren't working out. It takes into account that you're putting in 500 calories of exercise, so your caloric goal at your height/weight should be around 1,700/daily.

I am similar where you are. I am 5'3" and carrying 161. I just started back on track today - and I hope to see at least a 1lb loss weekly.

Good luck!

Thats not quite correct... it does not take into account you working out. You need to add in your cardio then EAT back the calories.

my two cents is that if you're working out that can stall weightloss..because the muscles hold onto water to repair themselves when you first start working out. I've read some great articles on the topic..some experts say it takes two to six weeks to start seeing a loss. That is why I'm going to try to only weigh once a month..so i don't get discouraged. I don't know about you..but i get down and go off plan after not losing when i've tried so hard. It is easy when you see results.

A week and a half is a bit early. All I can do is tell you what worked for me: I concentrated on one day at a time and did not think about results. If you burn more calories than you eat you will lose weight. Maybe not today or next week but eventually. If at the end of two weeks you lose nothing, then you may not be creating the deficit you think you are.

I'm 42 yrs old and stand at 5'0", started at 163 pounds, currently 151. I didn't SEE results for over a month. You really have to be patient. However, I FELT so much better. Sometimes the inside changes before the outside.

Also I got better results when I started eating 1400 calories a day as opposed to 1200. I was a lot happier and easier to be around too. ha ha I also do weight training and/or 30-day shred in addition to cardio. So the weight comes off slowly but I look like it's melting away quickly.

The problem with a 1200 calorie goal is people treat it like that's a maximum and try to stay UNDER it, which is too few calories for MOST people. Aim to stay BETWEEN 1200-1400, but never under.