Hey guys, I'm new to this forum. I was hoping I could get an answer here as I could not for the life of me find the answer by researching.

I'm a 6"1 male, 203 lbs. I'm trying to determine what my calorie deficit is and if it's safe. I burn about 550 cals daily after 45 mins of cardio.

Using a lot of online tools, it says my daily maintenance level is approximately 3300-3400 cals. However, these tools are using modifiers based on my activity level (which I input as very active). The calculation is something like 2050 BMR x 1.71 which is how they derive my maintenance level.

BUT does this maintenance level already include my daily cardio, or do I have to add that on to the number that I'm burning daily? I make an effort to consume a balanced diet of 2400 calories, which puts me at a 1000 deficit. If the calculation mentioned above does NOT include the calories burned durnig exercise, then I'm worried my actual deficit may be too high.

Anyone mind clarifying this for me? Thanks!

If you're including your daily cardio in your description of "very active" ... then yes, your maintenance level includes your cardio.

Personally I wouldn't include your daily exercise in your maintenance figures. What happens if one day you can't exercise for whatever reason? Or if you hurt yourself and have to take a week off? Then suddenly you're eating 500+ calories over your real maintenance figure and you'll gain weight.

At 203 lbs, I calculate your maintenance calories as being around somewhere between 2600-2800 (assuming someone who has a desk job). Keep in mind, of course, that all calorie calculations are just an estimate and each person has a very individual burn rate for calories.

If you want to lose weight at a healthy rate, I'd say aim for about 2000-2200 calories and then exercise on top of that.

I personally do not calculate the calories I burn when I exercise because it's too hard to get an accurate count without using a heart rate monitor or a BodyBugg or something like that. (I have both but just don't mess with them any more really.)

In my opinion, the best way to go about healthy weight loss is to eat reasonable food in healthy amounts at about 20% less than my maintenance and then to exercise on top of that, but not obsess about the calories I burn. So far that's worked well for me.