What do you think?

You'll be able to lose weight. Your ticker shows that you only have 25 pounds to lose...two pounds a week is not realistic for you. 1 pound at max. It took me months to lose 5 pounds (that's all I had to lose). The less you have to go the longer it takes and the slower it will be for it to come off.

When I first started on this site I set my goals to 2 pounds a week and did fantastic. It started to slow a bit so then I changed it to 1 pound a week. I have been losing weight ever since. For the most part I'm losing 1.2 pounds per week but about twice a month I will only lose a few ounces. I now only have 12 pounds to go so it will definitely be slow and steady from here on.

I'm no expert but from what I've learned over the past few weeks...

1200 calories is just a guideline, based on averages. It's quite possible that your body NEEDS more than 1200 calories per day. It's also quite possible you could go up to 1400 per day and still lose 2 pounds per week. So yes, up your calories to 1400 and see how that works for you. You may lose a pound a week, you may lose more, you may lose less. Sometimes weight loss isn't as simple as doing what MFP tells you- sometimes, unfortunately, you have to do a little tweaking and find out what works for your body.

Also - keep in mind your comment "I can eat more now" - not necessarily true! You can eat more Calories - but if you plan out your cals correctly you can often eat MORE FOOD on fewer calories. Work in a salad. You can eat a giant huge bowl and even with a few crutons and some shredded cheese you can still have a 100-150 calorie snack or meal. I use lemon juice for dressing and it is WONDERFUL!

You can also eat an entire can of green beans for less than 100 calories, a can of carrots for similar, while if you ate a can of pineapple or even corn you would be several times that! And of course, if you ate one package of pop tarts that is what - 500 calories and you are going to be starving! Skip the butter on your toast or use skim milk not butter in some potatoes (skip white and do sweet, or if you don't like sweet do a sweet / white blend) and you can save yourself between 40 and 100 calories! That's a whole can of beans that will fill you up pretty good!

My sweet tooth food is mini marshmallows. 2/3 cup = 100 calories! (keep in mind that mentally, if you are more comfortable getting in 100 - 200 calories of snacking / junk food a day because it helps keep you on track - that is just as important! And would be worth upping your calories and slowing your weight loss - as long as you stick to it!)

Take a look at what those extra 200 calories are - are they butter or oil? Are they extra carbs? Are they sugar treats or soda or junk food? If there is nothing you feel that you can cut out or down, you are still on a healthy track either way so don't worry about it!

Also - pay real close attention to your body - are you hungry? (and if so, is it really hunger or is is boredom or thirst?) If you are hungry, what are you eating? If you are eating healthy low calorie foods and are still hungry you may want to up you calories. Keep in mind that being hungry does not automatically mean you are not getting enough calories. If you are weak, fatigued, tired - those are more clear signs that you are not getting ENOUGH calories. Hunger might just mean you are not getting the RIGHT calories!

1200 calories is actually a lot of food...and can be very filling IF you eat the right foods. Whole grains, high protein and high fiber. If you rely on a lot of processed food and what not...you will never feel like 1200 calories is enough...OR you have to push past the "I'm starving" phase...until your stomach shrinks enough so that 1200 feels filling. If you start out eating the RIGHT foods from the begining...1200 calories might even seem HARD to eat...I know when I load up with fruits and veggies, and whole grains and lean protein...I find 1200 calories HARD to eat...I have a hard time getting in those calories. But when I'm eating a lot of processed foods, starch sugars, and 100 calorie packs...then I feel like I'm always hungry...and "have no calories left". Don't know if this helps at all...but I hope it does :flowerforyou: