eating back exercise calories

Yes, because my deficit is based on math and I want to minimise any lean mass losses (since December I have lost more fat than I have lost weight - ~106% of my weight loss between December and July was from fat mass, gained 3.66 pounds of lean mass and rarely lifted).

Abs by Christmas and ripped by March was what the math said when I was 276 pounds, and in July I was still on track. My next Bod Pod assessment is in 2 weeks, and I'm hoping I added some lean mass during those 4 weeks I deliberately slowed down my weight loss, because if I didn't my projection says I may miss that abs by Christmas goal by several weeks depending on what BF% my abs are visible at.

No (or perhaps yes based on the next paragraph), because MFP doesn't have the functionality I need for more granular goal setting and because I use calorie burns from my HRM (after deducting sedentary calories) and those are topped up with Bodymedia syncing. That is, my goal calories are less than my MFP goal calories (technically my goal deficit is greater than my MFP goal deficit), my HRM calories are less than MFP exercise calories, and with Bodymedia syncing it tends to work out that I end up getting more total exercise calories than had I just used MFP exercise calories.

For example, yesterday my goal deficit was 140 calories more than MFP's goal deficit. My HRM (minus sedentary) calories was about 20 calories less MFP's exercise calorie count. Bodymedia gave me an extra 248 exercise calories. I went over by 31 calories (my deficit goal is an "I must not have a greater deficit than this" goal). I don't know if yesterday was a typical day, but if it was then mathematically I eat back more than 100% of the exercise calories MFP would give me.

Also, I believe that ignoring exercise calories if using the MFP method means you won't subconsciously be associating consumption with activity level. If you move less you should eat less and if you move more you should eat more - I think maintenance would be easier if this was ingrained before getting there.

Appetite, consumption, and exercise. If I lose my appetite I cut back on exercise until my consumption has caught up. When my appetite comes back I up the exercise. If I am ravenous I also cut my deficit. It sounded logical when I created that rule back in November.

I eat them back if I'm still hungry, but I don't force myself to eat just to make up the numbers if I'm not hungry