I lost 10 pips per day by using a trend strategy, why?

This has a chance of working when markets are trending and you ride the trend as far as it goes but when they are not, you will get chopped to pieces. The problem is knowing when the price is about to trend and when it is not.

Personally, I dislike technical studies because they lag and smooth out the price. You inevitably get in late which increases the risk. Then you leave a lot of money on the table on the exit because the price has already turned but the indicator has yet to indicate to you to get out.

However, this is an opportunity to learn. Try the opposite on your demo.

Sell when the price closes above the SMA. Buy when the price closes below the SMA.

Profit target at least twice your stop loss and both feasible, SL should reduce the probability of getting stopped out but not too wide. TP should maximize your potential to profit yet, realistically get triggered.

You can also experiment with trailing the stop to minimize losses and letting the profitable trades run. Even adding to them when you catch a trend.

You may also want to experiment with higher time frames as a filter. Check this thread : The 3 Duck's Trading System

Come back and update us on your findings and results after you have made at least 20 trades over a series of days. The more trades the better. The more trading days the better…

Why not just flip a coin? Heads go long, tails go short. Risk to rewards at least 1:2 and / or add to the winners as price makes new highs or lows and adjust your SL along the way. I think this is just as good, maybe better…