Complete Fitness & Performance

Raise your hand if you've been told that cardio is the best way to lose fat.

If you’re like most people, you’ve either followed that advice or watched someone you know try to burn off unwanted fat by running every day, doing spin classes, or jumping into high-intensity bootcamps.

And sure—cardio can lead to weight loss, especially in the beginning.

But the real question is:
Was it sustainable… or just a quick fix?

The Truth About Cardio and Fat Loss

While some people may maintain fat loss with mostly cardio-based routines, the reality for most is very different. Over time, daily cardio workouts—especially high-intensity ones—can actually backfire.

Here’s why:

They place constant stress on your body
They can lead to chronically elevated cortisol levels (your stress hormone)
They often result in muscle loss, which is the opposite of what you want when trying to improve body composition and metabolism

Eventually, this leads to plateaus in progress—even burnout. The scale might drop quickly at first, but that doesn’t mean you’re losing just fat. More often than not, you’re losing valuable muscle too.

Why This Approach Isn’t Sustainable

The calorie-burning numbers might look great on your watch, but the long-term effects can be frustrating:

Slowed metabolism
Increased fatigue
Higher risk of weight regain

That’s why this “cardio every day” model often leaves people stuck. It’s not just about burning calories—it’s about training smart so your body gets stronger, not weaker.

So What Should You Do Instead?

If your goal is sustainable fat loss, it’s time to rethink your approach.

Here’s what actually works for most people:

1. Strength Train 2–3 Times Per Week

Strength training helps preserve (and build) lean muscle, which supports a faster metabolism and better long-term fat loss.

2. Walk 7,000–10,000 Steps Daily

Walking is a low-stress, low-impact way to increase your calorie burn without overloading your nervous system.

3. Limit High-Intensity Cardio to 1–2x Per Week

If you enjoy it, keep it in—but don’t rely on it. HIIT, group fitness, or intense cardio sessions are best used as a supplement, not the foundation of your routine.

Why This Becomes Even More Important As You Age

As we get older, muscle mass naturally declines—and the importance of preserving it only increases. High-volume cardio without strength training accelerates that loss, which can make fat loss harder and recovery slower.

The good news? You don’t need to work out longer—you just need to work out smarter.