1200 Calories a day plus workout

If I workout should i still only eat 1200 calories? Or can i increase my calories for the day and still lose weight?

You can increase your calories, but you will lose weight more slowly, and if you inadvertently eliminate your deficit you won't lose weight at all.

Unless you're hungry or feel unwell, I would stick to 1,200, do your workouts, and see how things go for the next few weeks.

What!?

MFP as designed expects you to eat your calories back BECAUSE the calorie deficit is built in already (MFP does not ASSUME that anyone will exercise). When you exercise you increase the calorie deficit.

When your calorie deficit is TOO big your body will use muscle mass for fuel.

I eat every single exercise calories BECAUSE: I want to lose fat NOT muscle. I have my activity level set to sedentary and log actual workouts only (not walking the dog). The calorie counts are not grossly overstated because I use a heart rate monitor.

Some people inadvertantly eat back too many calories because their treadmill (or whatever) overstates calorie burns. MFP numbers are also "generous." Some people inadvertantly eat too much because they set their activity level higher than it should be (activity level is a range).

Eat your calories back BUT be conservative

Why does everyone here say 1200 so low? What are you guys eating?

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy

I was tested and m current BMR is 1450....I eat 1300 calories/day when I want to lose. I eat back exercise calories when I do crossfit because I do not want to lose muscle. The more muscle you have the higher your BMR will be....it is possible that some people's BMR would be really low if they werent very active and had really low muscle mass.... I cant wait until my BMR is more like 1900!

I can only imagine what someone like Michael Phelps BMR is....he eats 10,000 calories a day to maintain when competitive swimming. Thats crazy

If I workout should i still only eat 1200 calories? Or can i increase my calories for the day and still lose weight?

You can increase your calories, but you will lose weight more slowly, and if you inadvertently eliminate your deficit you won't lose weight at all.

Unless you're hungry or feel unwell, I would stick to 1,200, do your workouts, and see how things go for the next few weeks.

What!?

MFP as designed expects you to eat your calories back BECAUSE the calorie deficit is built in already (MFP does not ASSUME that anyone will exercise). When you exercise you increase the calorie deficit.

When your calorie deficit is TOO big your body will use muscle mass for fuel.

I eat every single exercise calories BECAUSE: I want to lose fat NOT muscle. I have my activity level set to sedentary and log actual workouts only (not walking the dog). The calorie counts are not grossly overstated because I use a heart rate monitor.

Some people inadvertantly eat back too many calories because their treadmill (or whatever) overstates calorie burns. MFP numbers are also "generous." Some people inadvertantly eat too much because they set their activity level higher than it should be (activity level is a range).

Eat your calories back BUT be conservative

MFP and gadgets can only estimate what your energy expenditures are and many people overestimate how much they're exercising and underestimate what they eat.

I am on 1200 cals a day even when i workout, it will bring your deficit up and loose more... if you dont get too hungry

You will lose weight quicker HOWEVER, much of the weight you lose will be muscle mass. Rapid weight loss is prone to plateaus also.

I eat all my exercise calories back because my goal is to lose FAT not muscle. Decreasing my body fat% is about losing fat (not muscle).

I myself have been in that situation lately. I don't get the opportunity to work out till in the evening after dinner. I try to stay within the 1200 calories per day but then when I work out I am burning a good 200-300 calories. After my workout entry it puts me back to 200-300 below the 1200 calorie limit. What are some good food choices to fulfill those calories back but yet help my body continue to burn while I sleep?

Wow lots of bad advice here.

Hmm - so why don't you elaborate, then, if you know all the right answers?

my thought exactly. why is it a bad advice ?

The bad advice I see (my opinion) is this

1. Eat back calories if you are hungry......um, there are plenty of anorexics that are "stuffed" on 800 calories a day. Hunger does not indicate whether your body is using muscle mass for fuel. Eating high quality (protein & fat) nourishing foods (as opposed to high volume/high fiber foods)....helps you keep muscle & lose fat. Protein & fat are calorie dense....no problem upping calories with these.

MFP includes ZERO exercise & then gives you a deficit. Exercise adds to that deficit.

2. Accepting 1200 as "gospel"......1200 is merely a lowest default number....it's not based upon height, weight, age, activity level. 1200 comes from "I want to lose XX pounds per week"......you put in a too high number here.....1200 is a too low number there. It is possible that 1200 is an appropriate number....but don't assume

I just have a question on where the vast majority of individuals on here trying to lose weight are getting this 1200 calorie number. I know everyone has different requirements, my BMR alone is in the 1900-2000 range. Not to mention my calories burned during workouts on top of daily activities.

MFP is configured so that 1200 is the lowest goal it will give you. Lots of people end up with 1200 as their goal because they choose a rate of loss that is too aggressive and unrealistic, and MFP won't calcuate a goal under 1200. So if someone has a TDEE of 1500 but still really thinks they want to lose 2 pounds a week, instead of showing them a pop-up that says "You are dumb and need to reconsider your goals," MFP gives them the automatic floor of 1200. (Just pulled the example out of the air, but you know what I mean).