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As others have mentioned, a net calorie surplus accounts for weight gain, not protein. http://www.foodpolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/ProteinWeight.pdf In theory, excess protein is converted to glucose and stored as body fat, but another study found that in practice, excess protein does not contribute to body fat (if you…

You are correct that cardio on a deficit will catabolize muscle more quickly than resistance training. This is because anerobic energy systems (Phosphagen and Glycolytic) produce energy (ATP) by breaking down carbs. The aerobic system (Oxidative) breaks down proteins and fats to produce energy (ATP). I should mention that…

Maintaining protein targets and minimizing every other macro is the logic behind every PSMF (protein-sparing modified fast), and in my (anecdotal) experience, it works. You will always be in a catabolic state when eating at a deficit, but this can be minimized with strength training and protein consumption (and if you're…

I think we're actually on the same page here. Where my advice differs is that, if you decide to eat back calories to maintain your constant deficit, you might as well not exercise at all because you would achieve the same constant result. 500kcal deficit through no exercise = 500 kcal deficit with exercise - exercise +…

You're always going to lose muscle mass on a cut (unless you're running controlled substances), but maintaining 1g/#LBM will reduce muscle loss. The larger the deficit, the more muscle that will be lost, so I suppose it's technically correct that you will lose more muscle mass if you don't eat back calories, but the effect…

You're assuming that the dieter is working on a protein deficit, which isn't necessarily the case. If you eat back calories, you are only gaining the metabolic advantage of exercise and not the initial expenditure. You're also assuming MFP's estimate of calories burned (based on a broad description of what you do in a…

Sorry, I forgot that calories in do not equal calories out in your reality.

You should only eat back exercise calories if you aren't trying to lose weight.