How do you lose on 1500 or more?

Because it's all about fueling your body. Weight loss is scientific. We're not all radically different. Eat between your BMR and TDEE, and you'll have a deficit to lose weight and fat. For many people, that's 1500 and up.

I found out my average TDEE over the last month or two, with my Fitbit, and then took 20-25% off to get my deficit. So....my TDEE average was 2350 cals burned a day <including exercise>, taking the % off gave me just under 1800 daily to eat <so I rounded it up>.

So that gives me an average of -550 a day, OR 3850 calories a week deficit, which comes to 1- 1 1/2 lbs a week loss.

So far its been working great!

go to this group for more info...http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/7965-in-place-of-a-road-map or this one http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/3834-eat-more-to-weigh-less

Simple math, you need to burn more than you eat. I'm in maintenance mode now (have run 12.5 mils today) - before the day is done I will have eaten around 3800 calories.

The more fit, the more fuel is needed Everyone else has given exactly the right answers.

I burn about 260 per day with exercise in addition to my sedentary TDEE. On average, I burn about 2000 calories per day and eat 1500-1600, which still gives me a deficit of 400-500. I lose .5 to 1 pound a week most weeks.

You don't have to starve to lose weight. It's all about burning more than you consume.

I'd also like to add - that QUALITY of your calories matters a bit too.

Your body is more primed to burn fat if you consume more protein and fewer carbohydrates (as a general statement).

You can set your macros however you like, I find that 40% carbs and 30% each of fat and protein works pretty well. The leaner you are, the more you burn - so yes, lift HEAVY weights (it will burn lots of calories too - so you can eat more!)

I eat that amount roughly and lose weight (around 1lb a week) and I'm pretty sure its just cause I have a really quick metabalism

I net 2200 a day and lose consistently about 1/2 pound a week. I eat back my exercise calories, so some days I eat 2500 to 2800 calories.

As others have said, I am on a caloric deficit so I lose. My body knows it is getting a study supply of fuel, so it burns it freely.

Macros at 40% protein, 30 % carbohydrates, 30% fat.

bump

Before people even begin changing their dietary habits, they first must experience at how many calories they can maintain their present weight when factoring daily activities. I'm not talking about just using TDEE equations but applying it in real life by measuring and logging everything you eat for a few weeks. That way you will know exactly what your TDEE actually is and can decide on a sustainable deficit based off of that.

Too many people have no idea what their maintenance range is yet first thing they do is create a massive deficit from eating less in addition to exercising like crazy, furthering the deficit. By the time they educate themselves, their hormones and RMR have declined and, thus are not at an optimal position to burn calories as effectively. Basically, at that point they'll have to return to or near maintenance to balance everything and start over.

I'd also like to add - that QUALITY of your calories matters a bit too.

Your body is more primed to burn fat if you consume more protein and fewer carbohydrates (as a general statement).

You can set your macros however you like, I find that 40% carbs and 30% each of fat and protein works pretty well. The leaner you are, the more you burn - so yes, lift HEAVY weights (it will burn lots of calories too - so you can eat more!)

This isn't really true. A calorie deficit is a calorie deficit. If you have a deficit of 500 calories, then your body is burning 500 calories of stored fat, regardless of what your macro ratios are. Also, lifting is great, but metabolism has nothing to do with how lean you are, and everything to do with how much actual muscle tissue you have, and it honestly takes several years to build up enough muscle to have a substantial effect on your resting metabolism (a pound of muscle only burns about 6 calories a day, and most people will put on maybe 10 pounds of muscle in a year, and that's at a calorie surplus, not deficit.)

Totally sedentary, I would eat 1670 to maintain at 126 Ibs. If I move just a little during day to day activities, that rises to around 1800. If I do a bit of walking, it goes to 2000. If I do my usual walking and more intense cardio, I end up being able to eat up to 2800 to maintain. Exercise is definitely a large part of it. You don't need a massive deficit to lose weight. Most females can maintain on 2000 calories a day unless they are just sitting literally all day. And I agree that food quality helps a great deal. I eat a lot of grilled or boiled fish, veggies, fruits, nuts, greek yoghurt and hard boiled eggs, with a little sprouted bread and a few less healthy snacks in between.

I'm eating at 1500 cal, my exercise goal is 3000 cal burn/week. And I have an active job. And also I think its the type of workout that you do, how much you put into it and of course, healthy eating. watching sodium and sugar.

This isn't really true. A calorie deficit is a calorie deficit. If you have a deficit of 500 calories, then your body is burning 500 calories of stored fat, regardless of what your macro ratios are. Also, lifting is great, but metabolism has nothing to do with how lean you are, and everything to do with how much actual muscle tissue you have, and it honestly takes several years to build up enough muscle to have a substantial effect on your resting metabolism (a pound of muscle only burns about 6 calories a day, and most people will put on maybe 10 pounds of muscle in a year, and that's at a calorie surplus, not deficit.)

Whilst a calorie deficit is a calorie deficit, the big picture is a little more complex, but not too much! To gain muscle (or retain muscle!) you must be on a high protein intake (it takes protein to build/repair protein). And more muscle equals higher energy burn whilst doing movement, it's not just about resting metabolism impact on calories!!

Regardless of broscience saying you can't gain muscle whilst on a calorie deficit, I continue to show this up by losing a kilo per week in weight and gaining muscle mass at the same time. I am lifting three times per week, and running three to four times per week. My MFP goal calories is 1840 and I eat back my ~80% of my exercise calories.
The closest diet plan that looks like my eating regime is Carb Cycling, yet I'm not actually following that, it's just the closest to it.

General guidelines are;

Have ~500cal deficit per day (for ~1lb/week fat loss)
Increase protein intake
Have a cheat day (normal eating not binging!)
Exercise mix of strength training as well as cardio.

Do this and your body will lose fat whilst you get fitter! :-)

This works for me be many many others; your mileage may vary! ;-)