Can I lose 1 lb/week on 1700 calories?

Well if you TDEE is accurate then you need to eat 1700cals a day to lose 1 lb. TDEE already accounts for your exercise so don't eat back your burned calories.

If you are not sure about how all the calculations work out you might want to post your weight, height, sex, age, and approximate workout routine so someone can confirm that you are doing things correct. Having the wrong calorie goal can be very frustrating.

~Best wishes

In theory, yes...the math works. But keep in mind that weight loss isn't predictable and linear.

So bottom line...I can net 1684 calories a day, and (in theory), lose 1 lb/week?

So, let's say today I consume 1,884 calories and exercise to burn 200 calories. That will net me the 1,684 I am hoping will allow me to lose a pound a week. Is this correct?

Why does MFP say I should be at 1,380 cal a day? I am assuming this is net. I can't do it....that is not enough calories for me.

The TDEE method includes exercise. So you would need to stick with 1684 calories and NOT eat back your exercise calories since they are included already.

MFP doesn't use the TDEE method. They are giving you 1380 in calories because that does not include your exercise calories. So in this case you can eat your exercise calories.

It isn't necessarily easier with MFP method, but that all depends on the type of person you are. You do seem to be having a tough time understanding TDEE, though. Listen to me: you do NOT eat back exercise cals with TDEE. When you use the various online TDEE calculators, they all ask for your activity level. That activity level, which you put in, is taken into account when it give you the TDEE number. You just basically eat that amount every day, whether or not you work out that particular day.

With MFP method, you must make sure your are entering reasonable goals for your stats. I mention this because you said it gave you cals that were too low. MFP is infamous for this because soooooo many people put in that they are sedentary and want to lose 2lbs/week. Most of us aren't truly sedentary (even with a desk job) and, unless you are losing 75+ lbs, should probably not be trying to lose 2 lbs/week. Anyhow, if your goals are reasonable, then you use the MFP model to eat those cals it tells you and eat back some exercise cals on days you work out. Be careful, though, as MFP exercise database is also infamous for overestimating cals burned.

Good luck.

Edit because when I type fast the typo-s take over!

With MFP's calculation, you would eat back your exercise calories, with TDEE you would NOT eat them. Good luck!!!

Thanks everyone. I'm beginning to think it might be easier to stick with MFP's method. I guess I'll just be hungry, lol (does it get better....will my body adjust to not eating very much)?

Do this: Calculate your TDEE with the "no exercise" option. Take your 15-20% off of that and that's your daily NET caloric goal. So, if that number is 1400 and you burn 250, you should eat 1650 that day. If you don't work out one day, you only eat 1400. That way, you can eat back your exercise calories and there's no guessing.

I don't think it's smart to use the exercise option for TDEE. How the hell would that calculator know how many calories you're burning? I could put that I work out 1-3 days per week and it'll add up the calories burned - there's no way that calculator knows if I'm walking for 20 minutes 1-3 days per week or if I spent two hours in the gym lifting heavy and doing really intense cardio classes. See what I mean? Just calculate it with no exercise and eat your burned calories back. Easy!

It sounds like your trouble is due to what you see. What I mean by that is, if you use the TDEE method, and read what MFP food diary calculations are telling you, then you get confused.

You set your MFP goal to 1700 calories, and you reach that, then you added in your exercise, lets say 400 calorie burn. MFP will automatically adjust your your calorie intake to say "you've earned 400 calories, blah blah blah" If you are using the TDEE method, you need to void out that information in your mind like it's not even there and concentrate only on reaching your 1700 calories.

Or better yet, don't log exercise calories and concentrate only on logging calories.

Yes, good point. I log all of my exercise as 1 calorie to avoid the confusion. This has also been helpful to get me from the mindset that exercise=food. I view my exercise as a means to better health and not a ticket to eat more. They are totally separate in my mind.