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If you’re counting your exercise calories into your daily budget you’re likely not actually in a deficit.
The number of calories will determine your size. What those calories come from will play a role in your composition. Exercise volume and types will also play a role in composition (muscle vs fat)
Technically, yes, you could lose weight that way. But remember that “calories in / calories out” is only a factual math equation: a definition, not necessarily a guidebook.
If you are burning more calories than you are consuming, then, by definition, you are losing weight over time. Trouble is, it’s hard or impossible to track those “calories out.” Additionally, a diet of ice cream would leave you feeling like rubbish and therefore result in fewer workouts and, you guessed it, fewer calories burned.
To iterate: for the simple question of weight gain and weight loss, calories in/out are undisputably true, merely because calories are defined as how your body burns energy. By definition, calories determine weight loss and gain. But if you want to be picky about what kind of weight loss/gain, or how much energy you’ll need to burn those calories, then the exact macros become important.
i’m not talking about walking from my desk to the restroom - i’m talking about going on 15-30 minute walks outside, which i don’t believe would be counted toward TDEE?
ok that’s unfortunate, looking online can always tell you different things I guess. thanks for the pointers