Eating exercise calories

OK- so I feel compelled to chime in here. The best answer is 'IT DEPENDS'

MFP calculates the energy (calories) you require based upon your current weight and activity level you enter. You tell it your weight loss goals (probably best to target 1-2 pounds/week, not more) and it deducts them from the amount required to keep you weight-stable. That is the amount of calories you are meant to eat to achieve your goals. It also (wisely, in my opinion) suggest you do not drop below 1200 calories/day.

So- if you entered a weight loss goal of 1 pound/week and it calculates you need 1500 calories to achieve this goal, and you perform about 250 calories of exercise, you DO NOT NEED to 'eat your exercise calories. You will still meet your caloric requirement, and lose an additional 1/2 pound of fat/week for your exercise effort.

On the other hand, if you set it to lose 2 pounds/week, most would recommend you not lose weight faster than that, so eating your exercise calories (or at least a reasonable percentage of them) might be appropriate. If your weight loss goal results in an estimated intake of 1200 calories before exercise, it would also be reasonable to eat at least a percentage of your exercise calories, so that you are taking in sufficient calories.

As for consuming less that 1200 calories in a day- it CAN be a very effective way to lose weight quickly, but really should be done under medical supervision (i.e. a Medifast program). Dropping below 1000-1200 calories tends to shift your metabolism towards starvation. Since getting energy from muscle is easier than getting it from fat, short-term starvation isn't usually the way you want to go, and can be dangerous. Very low calorie diets done under medical supervision usually involve laboratory monitoring and last for weeks so that your body adapts to burning fat (and preserving at least some muscle stores). In addition, it really doesn't teach you how to eat healthy and live life better, which means a high risk for rapid weight regain when you stop...

My advice- don't worry too much about it, and certainly don't force feed calories you don't need or want. I you are keeping to your calories and exercising to boot, you should be very proud of yourself!