I have some bad news for you: You can’t just ‘do cardio’ to lose weight.
Yes, cardio may burn a couple calories…
…but ultimately, it’s not going to help you lose weight.
It may actually make you “skinny” fat, or even gain weight if it pushes your hormonal balance to cortisol rich.
Skinny fat means that you lose more lean muscle mass—and less body fat—leaving you with a higher body fat percentage, but a lower number on the scale.
And this isn’t good—especially if you’re looking to get lean and toned up.
Don’t get me wrong…cardio does have a place in your exercise program, since it does strengthen your cardiovascular system.
But when it comes to losing weight—it’s not the only thing you should be doing.
The truth is:
A well-rounded approach to losing weight includes movement training, cardio AND strength training.
Most people move like shit, and should probably not do cardio or strength training until they can move well … and that would actually help most people lose more weight than ‘just cardio’.
Plus the cardio doesn’t have to be in the traditional forms of running, treadmill, bike, etc… either.
Have you ever lifted 2 times your bodyweight off the floor in a deadlift, for multiple reps?
I GUARANTEE most people would actually get MORE cardio, which is when you’re huffing, puffing and using your lungs deeply (oxidation) than any of those things I just mentioned above.
Seriously, try lifting heavy weights.
You’ll get cardio 😉
Strength training leads to more lean muscle mass, which requires more energy at rest to maintain.
The more muscles you build, the more weight and body fat you’re going to lose during that rest.
And this will help when you hop on the treadmill or stationary bike to get your ‘cardio in’.
In fact, I just had an endurance athlete who does triathlons reach out to me because he ‘doesn’t have the power and speed he wants’, while doing his biking, swimming and running.
He knows his endurance is good, but after years of ‘trying on his own’ he’s finally understanding the importance of strength training and willing to listen more, at 64… imagine that …
Interval training may also be a key to losing weight.
One benefit of interval training:
It helps you expend more calories 24 to 48 hours POST workout, than during, if you do it right.
This means you have a full day where your calorie expenditure may be higher, which could result in more weight loss.
And…
Interval training also spares your muscle mass, so the calories that are burned usually come from your body fat.
So…
A well-rounded exercise program, one that includes movement training, cardio and strength training, is the best form of exercise to boost your weight loss.
Move Well. Move Often. Get Strong. Then Cardio.
Keep this in mind the next time you’re at the gym and you’re planning out your workout.
Be Well – John
Changing the way Life is done.
Mindset. Fitness. Nutrition.
P.S. Here are 4 more ways you can become happier and healthier:
1. At-Home Workout Program
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So, we started a FREE group on Facebook called BADASS, which is our own private community where we go deeper into what we do at Bair Knuckle Strength.
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