eating back calories

You'll still be at a deficit if you eat back your exercise calories, so you'll still lose weight. Eat 'em back!

If you're using MFP as it was designed to work, then by not eating any of your exercise calories back, you're doing it wrong. You're gong against the recommendation. With 1200 calories + exercise calories, you have a built in deficit. There is no reason you should gain weight unless you're under-estimating your intake, or over-estimating your calorie burn, or have an underlying medical issue. (Having said that, you may gain a couple of pounds as you increase the amount of food you're eating, but it's not fat, it's the extra weight of the food/weight in your system, and additional water retention.)

If you're hungry eat more, if you're not hungry don't. Just make sure you eat less calories than what you burn.

This is generally true, but 700 calories is definitely not enough for anyone. You should be netting at least 1200 calories... So, on days where you burn 500 calories, you should be eating 1700. Good luck!

You should also think about switching up your routine. When you hit a plateau, that means that something needs to give. I always plateau at the 140 mark. Try to add some strength training while increasing your calories by 100 or so, give it two weeks and see if you lose more.

If you've hit a plateau, it's worth making a slight change and maintaining it for a couple of weeks to see if it makes a difference. I found that when my weight loss stalled, that increasing my net calorie intake did help me start losing again. I chose to increase my calorie intake by about 100 - 150 calories per day, and slowly started losing again. I was already eating about half of my exercise calories back. I'd recommend trying one of these methods to see if it makes a difference.

for heaven's sake EAT. youre starving yourself and will eventually pay the price for that. And I can pretty much guarantee you that weight you lose this way will come back and bring friends with it.

Feeling hungry or not is not an indication of whether or not you are getting enough food, and nutrients.

There are hormones in your body that regulate hunger and fullness, they are called leptin and ghrelin. When you eat too little, the hormone that says "I'm hungry, feed me" is suppressed. It is a survival mechanism. In times of famine, people survived on little food for long periods of time. In times of plenty, the "Eat Moar Foodz" hormone is stimulated so that we would store up fat to last through the lean times.

So basically after my exercise for the day I still want to have 1200 calories at the end of the day and this will allow me to continue losing weight while not depriving myself.
My concern is...that since I've eaten 1200 and burned 500 for so long...that eating more will be counter active to my weight loss journey

You may have an initial gain, but after your body adjusts to the new calorie levels you will begin losing again.

You might try adding 100 calories a day this week, then 100 more calories next week, etc. Keep in mind that calorie burn estimates are usually said to be over inflated. You might want to try eating 3/4 or half of what the bike says you burn.

Also suggest HIIT training instead of steady state cardio (if you are not already doing this). 30 minutes of HIIT can be more effective than 60 minutes steady state.

now that I re-read your post, you are only netting 700 calories. You need more food.

I am really confused I started eating back my exercise calories and ended up not losing any weight one week so i am very confused

MFP calculates your calorie needs not including exercise. Just what you need for your normal job/daily life. Make sure you choose the correct activity level (most people are not truly sedentary)

You need to choose the appropriate "I want to lose x amount per week", 2 pounds is not appropriate for everyone, only those who have a lot of weight to lose (75 pounds or more).

Are you logging, weighing/measuring everything you eat?
Are your exercise burns over-estimated? Are you logging things like cleaning, stuff that ordinarily should be included in normal daily life, already accounted for?

There really are too many variables to say what the problem might be, but generally you should give it about 4 weeks to see any changes. Assuming all your settings/logging is correct.

I am currently trying to lose about 40 pounds
I have lost 10 so far but I have a question
I eat about 1200 calories a day
I eat about 150 grams of protein, 50-75 carbs ( depending if im training) and about 20 grams of fat- its a version of the 40/40/20 diet that my trainer changed
So I eat 1200 calories and I work out about 5-6 days a week, 2 with my trainer. When Im with my trainer its an hour of abs legs arms weights and an hour of cardio. When its just me its an hour of cardio, abs, and some weights but not as much as w my trainer.
So I log it all in and lets say I burn 600 calories, which is about average for an hour on the eliptical. I drink whey with water right after a workout but thats only about 100 calories. So I continually have a deficit of 500 calories every single day. I have an office job so I dont move around a ton. MY question is do I need to eat more??? I dont want my body in " starvation mode" but honestly im not that hungry. I work out after work so its always at night time and I take walks w my dog in the afternoon sometimes.
Anyone have any advice?? I really appreciate it!!!

I am currently trying to lose about 40 pounds
I have lost 10 so far but I have a question
I eat about 1200 calories a day
I eat about 150 grams of protein, 50-75 carbs ( depending if im training) and about 20 grams of fat- its a version of the 40/40/20 diet that my trainer changed
So I eat 1200 calories and I work out about 5-6 days a week, 2 with my trainer. When Im with my trainer its an hour of abs legs arms weights and an hour of cardio. When its just me its an hour of cardio, abs, and some weights but not as much as w my trainer.
So I log it all in and lets say I burn 600 calories, which is about average for an hour on the eliptical. I drink whey with water right after a workout but thats only about 100 calories. So I continually have a deficit of 500 calories every single day. I have an office job so I dont move around a ton. MY question is do I need to eat more??? I dont want my body in " starvation mode" but honestly im not that hungry. I work out after work so its always at night time and I take walks w my dog in the afternoon sometimes.
Anyone have any advice?? I really appreciate it!!!

St
If you're doing that, you have way more than a 500 calorie deficit. your 1200 calorie goal has about 800-1000 calorie deficit from maintenance for a SEDENTARY individual. The average female who doe minimal exercise can maintain around 2000 calories. You are supposed to NET to your calorie GOAL...that, again, already has a HUGE deficit built in. Starvation mode is pretty much bull****...but, your hair will start falling out and you'll start having all kinds of other malnourishment issues should you continue down the path of craziness.

Once again...1200 calories isn't maintenance...you don't need a 500 calorie deficit from that number to lose weight...MFP is realy, really, really, really, super, super, super duper easy...i does all of the math for you when you set your profile up. You say I want to lose 1 or 2 lbs per week or whatever...it gives you a calorie GOAL based on you wanting to lose that much weight. It baffles me how many people actually do not comprehend that and think 1200 measly little calories is actually their maintenance level of calories...just insane.