[lin43]

I don't connect the two. I try to think of my exercise as getting fit rather than tying it too closely to my weight loss. This way, even if I overeat, I don't feel as if I MUST work out an extra hour (which might discourage me from working out altogether).

[Steph7409]

I do factor in my exercise calories. I shoot for a daily net of under 1,000 so I usually eat between 1300-1500 calories and do an hour of cardio to get there. I've been doing this pretty consistently since July and have been really successful with it. I find I'm too hungry at 1200 calories a day and feel that I can't lose quickly enough at 1500 calories a day with no exercise. I also believe that you need to take in a certain amount of fuel to burn calories, but that's where it gets tricky. You really do have to experiment and find what works for you.

[CocoTruffles]

I usually try to eat just under 1700 calories, just in case I under calculate something so there is a bit of a buffer there before I hit 2000. I have no idea how accurate the calorie burn calculator is on my gazelle, but I do note the reading in my food journal. However, I don't add that too my calorie count so I can eat more.

Some days I might not be able to do my exercises. So even if I don't exercise I still stay under 2000 calories, and if I do exercise its just a bonus.

As far as the starvation mode goes. I find that if I eat under 1200 my body feels it, hunger pains and everything but that's just me. My mother on the other hand who is only around 4ft 5in tall at like 101lb and eats WAY less then I do because her body doesn't need that much "fule" as Katy calls it.