BMR and TDEE

In general, it would be anything between those two numbers with the understanding of your current personal factors.
How much weight do you need to lose to be at a healthy BMI?
Some other variables:

Exercise calories (are you going to add those separately the way Myfitnesspal suggests, or use a flat TDEE number minus some set amount?)

Your logging accuracy.

TDEE is a maintenance level of calories...so you lose weight when you eat less than maintenance calories. If you're using the TDEE method, exercise should be accounted for in your activity level...otherwise you're using the NEAT method and not really TDEE and you would account for exercise by logging it afterwards and getting additional calories. A 500 calorie deficit from maintenance calories is on average a 1 Lb per week rate of loss...on average over time, as a trend.

mybicknell wrote: »

Thanks for the info. I only need to lose 10 pounds to be at normal BMI but want to lose at least 20. I usually walk for about 45 minutes 4 or 5 days a week but was not going to add that in and chose lightly active on the TDEE calculator because I sit most all day at work.

With so little to lose, set your calorie deficit to 250 calories per day. That would equal 1/2 pound loss per week, so eat about 1600.

A bigger cut is going to be difficult since you are close to a healthy weight.

Since you used the TDEE to calculate and you told it "lightly active" then make sure to get those walks in and don't add in any extra for the exercise unless you're really hungry. Just remember that you can eat between 1336 and 1878 and still be at or below your Maintenance calories. It's hard to lose that last 10-15 pounds, so if you cut much lower than 1600 you will likely find it very difficult to stick to it and you'll end up needing high-calorie days. Slow and steady.