seriously scared to eat all those extra calories?

Not trying to be rude, but is there a question in there? Are you asking us to validate/double check your numbers, or just reassure you that it's ok to eat the extra cals?

BTW, 1200 is low for virtually everyone. I'm betting you'll be fine.

I'd go with moderately active, up your calories, and skip the scale for a month while your body stabilizes...take measurements before and after, and photos, and on 2 March see what's up...

"Activity level" refers to your workplace activity level (I dont know why they dont call it that). Everyone can agree that if you work behind a desk 8 hrs day (like myself), all things equal, you will burn fewer calories during your workday than if you worked construction (or something as intensive). For those that are stay at home parents, they need to choose an activity level that they feel their day to day activities (not counting exercise) closely mirrors.

Even though I work out 6 days/week, I have it set on "Sedentary". That way, for the 1 day a week I dont work out (or miss due to illness, travel, etc), I would rather my caloric needs be set low and eat a portion of my excercise calories than to set my activity level higher, not eat back my exercise calories, and worry about overstating my calories burned and therefore over eating. That way, if my "rest day" needs to move to a different day (It's usually a sunday) due to reasons mentioned earlier, I dont have to worry about my caloric intake as my total is without exercising. Also, since I burn double the calories on days that I'm on the treadmill vs weight training, I would prefer to show a more accurate measurement of my caloric burn (as an actuary, I prefer to be as precise as possible). That way, if I plateau or gain weight, I can more easily figure out the reason why.

You can do either. Set it to be whatever your workplace activity level is and eat back some or all of your exercise calories or set your activity level higher, and not log nor eat back those calories burned due to exercising. Just dont set your activity level high (unless your workplace activity level is high) and eat back your exercise calories. This will likely cause your weight to remain the same or gain weight.

from experience...i was eating 1200calories a day, working out 4-5 times a week for an hour at a time, and for 7 weeks not loosing anything, weight, measurements, even my pictures of myself didn't look different.

I upped my calories from 1200 to 1600 a day. Im currently taking a week off from extreme working out, doing little things like yoga and stretching. But since giving my body a break and increasing calories, I have lost 3.3lbs!! I'm attributing it to increasing calories because that's the only thing i've changed.

I was scared, still am scared when i keep thinking to myself "OMG, i need to find 500 more calories to eat today!!" But so far its successful. My belly bloat also went down from eating more. down 1 inch in 3 weeks!

I've been eating around 1200 net and no weight loss or % BF for several months.

So what are you afraid of? What you're doing isn't working, and the formula you've worked out with your numbers has worked for a lot of us, myself included. I say up the numbers for a month at least and see how it goes.

Good for you!! Did you make any changes in the types of foods you eat? I eat pretty healthy, cheats include sweet potato fries, dark chocolate or wine.

I wouldn't call those things cheats - I eat all three fairly often, the chocolate and wine several times a week, with no problems. They fit in my goals. :drinker: My dairy is open - feel free to look!

I'm 5"5 and 145 and I am lightly active and eat 1500 a day and I am losing weight without any problems and dont work out nearly as much as you. It will work just give it a try

It doesn't really sound like you will be eating all THAT much more, if you allowed yourself to eat back all your exercise calories previously. If you were eating 1200 two days a week, 1500 three days a week, and 2100 two days a week... that averages around 1600 calories a day. If you shoot for around 1800-1900, it's not really a scary calorie increase.

I am similar size, 5'3" and 125 lbs and I also run (20-30 miles per week depending on what races I am training for). I can tell you that 1200 calories per day would not cut it for me at all!!! You need to have the extra calories to have the energy to keep up with the running and working out. I eat back just a little of my exercise calories (maybe eating up to 1600 calories on workout days based on my 1500 calorie per day setting) but if I run 10 miles on the weekend, I will eat back more but not go too crazy. You are already at a very healthy and ideal weight and you don't want to starve yourself and deprive your body from the calories it needs to keep up with all that exercising!

I am 50 have already lost 75 lbs - added back 15 and now on track again for the last 60, hopefully - I too just want a rule about the exercise calories - I tend to lose weight slower than most of my friends I tmostly eat whole/real foods - but find I am finished and full around 1050 - 1100 calories and am craming stuff in my mouth to get to 1200 so I can go to bed during the week - so eating more just frustrates me - I know once in a while when I say "f" it and eat pizza I will lose a couple the next day - I need boundries or rules - anyone??? as I feel extra everyday will go the opposite effect?

ok I need to get some clarification on this as I am just starting out thinking about trying this, I am currently 5ft2 140 lbs and a website estimates me to be 26%BF, when i calculate everything my BMR is 1372 then my numbers for what I should eat to maintain my weight is 1646 sedentary, 1887 lightly active, 2127 moderately active, 2367 very active.

Assuming I will pick lightly active at 1887 now what do I do???
Do I exercise and eat 1887 calls? or do I set my calories lower around say 1600 and still exercise and eat back or not eat back those calories?

I had figured I should set my goal somewhere between my BMR 1372 and 1887 so say 1600? then do I eat the calories I burn exercising on the days I exercise?

You would subtract 15% from 1887 and eat that every day - on workout days AND rest days - and no adding back exercise calories. The 1887 is your average TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) including your exercise.