Tips for Newbies

I must have the thickest skull in American cause I still dont get the eat back the exercise calories but at same time have a deficet for calorie intake. I know MFP has me set at 1200 cal a day. I have a hard time meeting this and always under. I am getting much better and actually yesterday met my 1200 cal. Sooo.....with the cal. deficet theroy should I not eat the 1200 calories?? What about the eat back your exercised cal? I thought you wanted to burn more than you take in to lose? How can that happen if you eat back your cal and if I eat 1200 cal which is what I am set at how in the world do I burn off 1200 cal in a day?
I know I must sound so stupid....and honestly I just dont get it.
Thank you for ANY help.

MFP calculates a small deficit for you based on your goals. If you are supposed to eat 1200 calories per day and you do a 500 calorie workout, eating back those 500 calories STILL puts you at a calorie deficit.

Example:

Your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure = basal metabolic rate (BMR) + daily normal activities like walking around, driving, being on your feet, moving, etc.) = 1850 calories

If you are trying lose 1 lb per week, that equates to a required deficit of 3500/7 = 500 calories per day. (3500 calories in 1 lb (roughly) divided by 7 days)

This means that if you eat 1850-500 = 1350 calories per day, you will lose 1 lb per week without exercise

Now, if you exercise and burn 300 calories per day, your NET caloric intake is 1350 - 300 = 1050 calories per day, which is below the recommended 1200 calorie per day minimum. This essentially means your body may not be getting adequate nutrition to keep you healthy. If you eat back half of those calories, you get exactly to 1200 calories per day, which is still 1850 - 1200 = 650 calories below your TDEE for the day. You will still lose weight and you have met the minimum nutritional requirements.

Essentially, your body needs nutrition and a certain amount of intake per day to keep it from being malnourished. Don't starve yourself. This does you no good at all, but be patient and eat enough to keep yourself going.

It's also really important to remember that this is not a linear process. Water weight, fluctuations in your activity level, and hormonal changes can cause you to fluctuate quite a bit. Don't worry about this. Just stick to your plan, and it will come off.

Thank you very much for your help

No problem! Does it make a little more sense to you now?

I've only been at this for a month and I feel the opposite now: I see the pounds going down one a week, more or less, and no loss in my measurements! I feel really bad because people put more value in the measurements and it's probably true. I admit I haven't been working out as much (2 times a week), but I've been watching what I eat.

Every body is different. Just be patient! It'll come!

Also be sure you are doing your measurements carefully and in the same way each time. A little slack on the measuring tape can mess up your measurement. Be sure to measure at the same place around your waist, arms, etc. each time.

Congrats on your loss!