Increase size when you win and decrease when you loose. That simple. Below there are some articles about position sizing which is Money Management if you want dig in deeper. https://www.adaptrade.com/Articles/article-ffps.htm
Try to adjust your trading lot size with the capital amount you invested because it will keep you on the safe side.
IMO (what i wish i had done), was trade as small as possible in a live account. Literally 1 share or micro contract or spread or whatever it is you want to trade. Then only add size once you are green several weeks or some set time amount. This way your size can grow with your ability to extract money from the market. you have to have a strategy in place that allows you to survive for the long haul. Risking ~2% MAX per trade is not a bad deal IMO but I would consider this number a Max pain/hard line in the sand stop that must never be exceeded, with structural stops being your first line of defense. Then you need to verify that whatever structure breakdown that triggers your exit allows enough adverse excursion to keep you in winning trades. Each trade is unique and has to be managed based on what its giving you...one that goes red instantly cannot be treated the same as one that gaps a point in your favor right out of the gate. I just now saw this was in the Forex forum...oh brother lol.
%% 555]MAKE sure to do some cash+ cash ETFs + or funds since you dont know the future. 777]MAKE sure to do regular work + regular giving; like Paul Tudor Jones + Bill + Melinda Gates Foundations. 1]Sure don't need foundations to give regular but you get my points 888] Also consider the Paul tudor Jones/Ducks Unlimited ad, his shooting standards a re much higher [selective] than the law requires. 999] Consider the foods olympic champs eat, fruit, fruit coffee .......................I dont do forex. 666] I dont do Forex+ I dont do real estate for cash much now ; like I do when going thru a bank finance . 666[ An account auto liquidation or auto repo\that's clue\ to much leverage + ignorance or both!! 666.666] i dont consider one account blow up a big deal\ thats just signal you can do above average sometimes but to big when you bleW it up or groUnd it down to an ignorant zero LOL.
Each trade style has a max size for all trades. (day, swing etc). Each trade has a max size. Keep to your maximum and make the maximum small enough so you don't sweat it if you take a stop loss. The main deal is try to keep in the game. Don't blow up. On the other hand, do not be so risk adverse to miss out on trades your system call for. Use a spreadsheet to create your trade allocations. E.g. I sold some PATH today. I had it at 2 x allocation*, i.e. over allocated, on purpose. When I got over BE++, I sold 1/2. Holding the other half. Made money on the "BE++", but *could have made more, but setting my allocation correct was more important. Meanwhile, I took the over allocated funds, and bought HOOD and TOST. Both are slightly up. Overall, not a great trade since the drawdown was larger than the profit on the BE++. However, the other 1/2 is up 30% and equal to the drawdown now. These are swing trades. * Some might think what is the point of Max if you over allocate. It is just like being over budget. It is OK as long it is justified, but the key is you know you are and are cautious and not "going unlimited crazy".
Risk management is my edge and Stats. Uptrend are different than downtrends.. I have found for myself two ways to trade, risk much to profit little maintaining very high winning percentages, so almost each trade is profitable and average down cause high winning percentages. Downfall is having a loss will usually wipeout 1-8 weeks of profits depending on length of trade. Other method deals with hedging, tighter the hedge risk becomes smaller and aiming for homerun profits. Winning percentages normally under ten percent but hedges bail out the loses to breakeven or small overall profitable results. I don't increase size cause winning streaks, matter of fact, stats will dictate when to lower size after so many profitable months.
Justified is when the risk reward is correct. The overall portfolio calls for it. Macro events. For instance, Powell does a surprise rate drop. The OP is just a beginner. So have rules, but after a couple of decades, it is pretty obvious when to make exceptions. It is just a dial to turn. It does not mean you throw out the entire risk management, or break the dial. Perhaps Maximum is the wrong word. Better is an "allocation". I regularly do 1.5x or 2x allocations and 1/2 allocations. For me it is part of risk management. Risk management is not just about fearing loss. It is about maximizing your PL, risk adjusted. And we have not even mentioned taking directional options once the cash position is running in the correct direction.