Thread: cardio - burning fat

I just finished reading chapter 2 of tom venuto's ebook "BFFM" Burn the fat, feed the muscle..(for those who have read it).

I just have a quick question to clear up. In his ebook, he states that it's best to cut your calorie deficit 15-20%. I usually eat about 3200 calories a day so i am going to cut it down 15%. So now my calorie deficit will be 480 and i will eat approximately 2720 calories per day. (if i did this correctly). Now here comes my question. He says that exercising more to burn off fat is better and safer than cutting down calories. When i do cardio (say i do HIIT for 15 minutes and burn off 200 calories)...does this mean i subtract 200 from 2720 which will be 2520? Or am i getting this all wrong? Am i supposed to keep eating 3200 calories a day as usual, but exercise and eat a little less to burn off 480 calories so that it will be 2720 calories total for the day? I'm not really understanding this whole calorie deficit method of losing 1lb of BF per week and not losing any MUSCLE at all (which i am afraid of doing). I don't know how this whole system works burning off fat exercising wise. Like, how am i supposed to know how many calories i have to burn off to prevent losing any muscle and meet the standard goal of what i'm trying to do.

I lift 4 times a week and cardio 2 times a week. What im basically trying to do is cut down my BF% 4-5 pounds without losing muscle and then maintain once i reach my goal.

Thanks

thanks LAM