I've heard people say that you shouldn't eat more just because you exercise. But I've also heard people say that not maintaining, after all input and output, a caloric intake of 1200 calories per day will slow down your metabolism. So when I start to exercise more, what should I do?

Are you getting weak or lethargic if you eat 1200 and exercise? If so eat more, if not don't... But I certainly wouldn't recommend going under 1200 calories, that's just unhealthy...

I'm not clear ... do you mean 1200 calories before or after you subtract exercise?

I stayed around 1200 calories for the last six months or so of my weight loss and never even attempted to quantify the two hours or so of exercise that I did each day. I don't have any faith in exercise calculators and estimates of calories burned, so I've always ignored them.

I think the recommendation for staying above 1200 calories is because it's very difficult to meet your nutritional needs, such as protein, vitamins, essential fats and fiber, with fewer calories of food. Should you choose to eat less than 1200 calories, medical supervision is a good idea to monitor your overall health.

That makes sense, and it's a relief to find it out. I've been feeling guilty whether I ate the right amount before exercise or after exercise. Thanks for the help, both of you!