BMR/TDEE vs. MFP

If you are working out weekly and lifting weights, you should be good around 1,550 calories daily. It depends on what you do throughout the day. I am 5'2" and weigh 144lbs (lost 33lb so far). My goal is around 125lb lean mass. I am lifting heavier weights than I am used to. Going for a loss of inches. I think that 1,200 is too low and I could never stick to that. I like to eat more so I workout more!

If you are accurately judging your exercise then set your goal to TDEE minus 20% for a pound or so of loss per week. Reassess after a month or so. If you aren't losing slowly and steadily, use the TDEE number for the activity level below what you originally chose (if you chose "moderately active" and it's not working, move down to the "lightly active" number). Take your time, give your body a chance to adjust each time you make a change, and don't panic. The biggest risk in my mind is eating too low, hating the lifestyle, and giving up. So don't stress, don't rush, and keep going until you find what works for you.

And eat more than 1200 calories a day.

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I would make your BMR your base minimum to eat at. That is caloric burn at a comatose state. On days you are working out, I'd make your goal closer to 1600 or a bit more on those days because you are burning more. Also, if you are hitting the gym 5-6 days a week, do not set yourself at sedentary, set it at moderately active. If you're going to the gym 2-3 days lightly active. I'd hate to see you under eat- I've noticed that I am more likely to binge eat or fall off the wagon completely if I'm restricting myself too much and not enjoying the little things.

I work out 6 days a week and it's usually pretty hardcore, so I set myself at very active which makes my TDEE 2550 and my BMR 1580. My minimum days are 1800 and I will eat up to 2300 and set one day a week to eat up to my TDEE completely. It's a slower way to lose, but it's better for maintaining your loss as well because it sets you up for success when you've hit goal. I'm a little less than 6lbs from goal and I've been steadily losing eating the way I do. I like food and I don't like starving myself, which is why I'm a huge fan of TDEE. I have one friend that even after she hit goal, she kept eating around her TDEE and still lost inches and eventually lost a little weight too!.

Mfp uses a similar method by suggesting you eat back your exercise calories. If you want to set it at a different calorie intake, go to your goal and use the custom settings. I also set my macros at 40C/30p/ 30f