1200 or BMR?

I eat between 1200-1500 cals daily and have had great success. I have lost over 100 pounds.

The MFP recommendation for me was WELL under my BMR, however, I'm significantly overweight.

I think, the important thing, is the calorie counting. Success doesn't come from weather you are eating exactly your BMR, weather you are 500 calories per day over, or 500 calories per a day under. Success doesn't come from always being slighty under some recommended value. Success comes from knowing how much you are eating, and doing your legitimate best effort to stay on your goal.

My problem before, is that I'd be good all day, and then feel hungry late at night, and go for a piece of cake, or a bowl of icecream, or whatever, but not really even know weather my snack was WAY too many calories, or what I was doing in terms of my intake. Now I know, now I know what my goal is, now I have some clear indicator weather that piece of cake is a good idea, or if I'm erasing the progress I've made.

It honestly wouldn't make a big difference if my goal was 500 calories per a day higher than what it is now, I'd still rapidly be losing weight. Slower than I am now, sure, but the weight would still be coming off. What makes the difference is I have a goal, and I know when I'm at risk of exceeding my desired intake.

What number I choose, as long as it's safe, and I'm still getting all the nutrients I need, is more or less irrelevant. So my recommendation is to just stick with what MFP tells you, and don't be discouraged if you have a few days where you feel hungry at the end of the day, or a few periods where the weight isn't coming as quickly as promised. It's worked wonders for me, and it's just been because I now am conscious about how much I'm eating, where I didn't used to be.

[edit] if you set your weight loss goal at 1 pound per week, MFP will basically put you at your BMR (within 50 calories of it anyways)

good question i was wondering the exact same thing this week.. MFP put my at 1200 and my BMR says 1289. ( not a huge difference) SO to me i have tried to say with in that, but not going over the 1289, no less then 1200... do you think i'm good in doing so? this is only till i lose my weight and then i will bump up to maintain what i will be at....

Curious to find this out too....my BMR is 1565 but the calorie goal MFP gave me is 1200...wondering if I'm not eating enough? Just wrote a post about this actually lol...