Caloric Deficit through not eating vs cardio

[Titanchaser]

I understand that the general rule for weight lost is calories in vs calories out. However I was wondering from a body composition point of view if a caloric deficit of say, 200 kcal a day through simply not eating that amount vs kcal lost by cardio is the same?

thanks.

[nobrah]

Cardio contributes to health and endurance while a deficit through diet doesn't (at least not directly). Either way there's a deficit, but if you're not generally active then cardio can be quite beneficial. So it's more a conditional health thing than a body composition thing. Some might argue that cardio keeps the muscles active and staves off atrophy, but if you're also lifting regularly then it's a non-issue.

[KevJr88]

For most people it's more convenient to eat less than it is to do an hour of cardio.