Can you just Do Cardio and still Lose the fat?

Okay, I’m sure the picture in the thumbnail was a sure giveaway for what my answer is going to be. Nonetheless, I’m going to break it down in a little more detail to give you a greater understanding of my reasoning. 

Have you heard this saying before, “you can’t out-train a bad diet”? There is a valid reason for this popular saying…One of the primary keys to losing fat is to create a caloric deficit. 

A simple definition is an energy shortfall due to a lack of food consumed by the body. 

When we spend more energy than we absorb, we go into a state of calorie deficit. Our body reacts differently when we are at this stage. The situation forces the body to meet its energy requirements from the energy stored in the body in the form of stored fat (body fat), protein (muscle tissue), and carbs (glycogen).

The opposite of a calorie deficit is eating in a calorie surplus. This is why you can’t “only” do cardio and expect to lose fat. If you are offsetting your energy expenditure (burning calories through cardio) by eating in a calorie surplus then you aren’t going to lose the fat you are hoping for. Unfortunately, you are going to be working your ass off for nothing. This is why you see a ton of people in the gym who are working hard and never making any physical or visual changes. 

One other helpful nugget I want to leave you with. If your goal is to burn fat quickly and consistently then you need to make sure you are utilizing resistance training as well.

Resistance training alters your body and it’s composition. Resistance training also allows your body to build more muscle, which will help you burn more fat (calories). This happens because the added muscle will significantly influence your body’s metabolism.

When you have more muscle your body will burn more calories at rest, even when you aren’t working out. This is because muscle is more metabolically active than fat.

The take a way point is this…If your goal is to lose fat, then you can’t just do cardio and expect miracles to happen. Get your nutrition in check by focusing on eating in a calorie deficit and choosing quality, nutrient dense whole foods. Begin following a properly structured resistance training program and combine that with high intensity interval training (HIIT) for your choice of cardio. Add these things together and then watch the magic happen!