1200 Calorie Diet and about to add Exercise

I decided to focus on logging calories and staying within my calorie budget for January to build up the habits. Now I am in the process of adding in exercise. My weight loss slowed towards the end of the month, but that was expected since I knew the last 10 days of the month would include a visit from TOM, a vacation and a 3-day onsite meeting with limited control over the types of foods I was consuming. I ended up down 1-2 pounds by the beginning of this month.

Now I am adding in the workouts, striving for 3-4 a week of intervals and strength training. And continuing on the 200 squats plan.

I've been on an off with exercise over the past couple of years. And I've also found that low intensity exercise is pointless for weigh loss for me. (I wish I was kidding when I said this, but I started a new job a couple of years ago, added 3 miles of walking daily to my routine...and an extra 1-2 lattes per week, and GAINED 15 pounds after a year. My calorie intake maybe changed by 400 calories over the course of a week)

As a result, I know that for me it pays to do intervals and weights for the best progress,

I'd recommend the following 3 plans to start:
100 pushups (you can start with knee pushups and build up to full pushups): http://www.hundredpushups.com/
200 squats: http://www.twohundredsquats.com/
couch to 5k: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
plank a day: http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/joining-the-plank-a-day-challenge-is-a-great-ab-workout-2515599.html

These all start small, build up, and require no real equipment other than some space and some running shoes.

Or if you don't like running (me! me! me!) you can add 20 minutes of walking 3-4 times a week. I mentioned I am all about intervals, so here is a quick sample plan.
week 1: 10 minutes regular, 2 minutes fast, 8 minutes regular
Week 2: 8 minutes regular, 2 minutes fast, 8 minutes regular, 2 minutes fast
Week 3: 6 min reg, 2 fast, 6 regular, 2 fast, 6 regular, 2 fast
Week 4: 4 min reg, 2 fast repeat 4 times
Week 5: 4 min reg, 2 fast repeat 5 times
Week 6: 3 min reg, 2 fast: repeat 6 times
Week 7: 2 reg, 2 fast: repeat 7-8 times

Over time you'll find the "regular" speed walks will become easier and faster. You can continue on 2 and 2 forever. Or make the "fast" running like in couch to 5K. Or you can do the same thing on a treadmill or your favorite cardio machine.

Good luck!

Don't do too much at first or you'll burn out quickly. But don't be afraid of a little soreness either.

P.S.: I really reccomend adding squats ASAP. They help strengthen the muscles around your knees, protecting them, so all of the exercise you will do will be much easier with the added strength. And as a bonus, your legs and butt will look better/higher. You'll see results pretty fast with squats since your legs will firm up and probably slim down a bit. And of course you'll be able to do more quickly. Women generally have pretty strong legs so this works to your advantage.

Im in the 1200 calorie boat too but started out with exercise from the beginning because I struggle with eating just 1200 calories. I end up eating some of the calories back that I loose from exercise but its typically to compensate for 200 or 300 calories. I do a lot of Zumba, which is a ton of fun and an easy way to get some exercise in. I take a class one day a week and then use Zumba for the Wii four days of the week. I also try to get a walk in during my lunch time if it is nice out or do a quick 10 minute exercise video on youtube. I find if I exercise I fit in my clothes better than not exercising, plus I sleep better at night!

I lost about 16 pounds before Thanksgiving and Christmas and gained it all back so now I am really on a strict push to loose that weight plus some. I am getting married in July and want to rock my dress with a healthy body!! Good luck!

If you have access to Curves and can afford it I highly recommend it. When I first started working out I was totally intimidated by the gym and didn't know what to do with weights at home. Curves was a great workout, 30 minutes, women only. I lost weight and toned up a lot. I can't afford it anymore so I work out mostly at home (Jillian Michaels videos or pilates).
I also recommend the elliptical machine. It's low impact, easy to use, and a great cardio burn as long as you push yourself.

This was me last summer. I started exercising (and eating back my calories), and started looking and feeling a lot better.
A good way to start is to just take a brisk walk for at least 30 minutes every day.
Then, I did sit-ups, free weights, etc. four times a week, and yoga 3x a week. That mind sound like a lot for a beginner, but honestly, there's no better way to do it. I boosted my calories to 1350 a day, and would eat back calories burned in yoga and calisthenics. (I always ate plenty after yoga...MFP gives the most modest approximation of calories burned for yoga I've ever seen.)

Anyways, 1350 is a good place to boost your baseline up to. If you're lifting a lot, maybe go higher. You might start losing weight slower at first, but remember that your body is making muscle now, and it needs more calories (expecially protein) to do that, and that throwing a starving body into cardio routines is just going to wreck it.
It will pay off!

I'm on a 1200cal. diet sort of. You need to add calories for your lifestyle burn as well as what you will need to eat back from exercise. I'm a couch potato so I add 200 calories for lifestyle burn and 300cals for my exercise. So, my caloric intake is 1700cals. per day.

I walk an hour a day which translates to 3.0mph for one hour. Enter walking for your exercise and then choose walking 3.0mph for one hour. You will burn off 2lbs. per week.