drtbear1967
Musclechemistry Board Certified Member
When fat loss is the goal, many people jump to doing more cardio and reduce the amount of strength training in their routine. This post is a reminder that shows why replacing strength training with tons of cardio is not always a good idea.
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Aerobic training has several benefits. But these benefits are primarily related to your general health and endurance performance [1]. When it comes to losing fat, just doing more cardio typically isn't enough. Multiple studies show that cardio by itself doesn't burn enough calories to put you in a significant calorie deficit for fat loss [2, 3].
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Even if you try to do a ton of cardio, there's research indicating that spontaneous activity throughout the day (NEAT) decreases as a compensatory response to the high-calorie burn [4]. So, dialing in your nutrition and somewhat restricting calorie intake is necessary and the foundation of your fat loss phase [5]. Additional cardio can help, but it should be seen as a tool you use to increase energy expenditure, which helps you greater a larger calorie deficit.
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For those seeking to look leaner and more muscular after a fat loss phase, it's important to keep strength training as your main form of exercise. Lifting weights helps you maintain muscle while losing body fat [6]. Check the last slide of this post for a hierarchy of importance to keep in mind during your fat loss phase.
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References:
1. Effects of Exercise Training on Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
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3. Why do individuals not lose more weight from an exercise intervention at a defined dose? An energy balance analysis
4. Central neural and endocrine mechanisms of non-exercise activity thermogenesis and their potential impact on obesity - PubMed
5. Fat loss depends on energy deficit only, independently of the method for weight loss - PubMed
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28507015
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Aerobic training has several benefits. But these benefits are primarily related to your general health and endurance performance [1]. When it comes to losing fat, just doing more cardio typically isn't enough. Multiple studies show that cardio by itself doesn't burn enough calories to put you in a significant calorie deficit for fat loss [2, 3].
-
Even if you try to do a ton of cardio, there's research indicating that spontaneous activity throughout the day (NEAT) decreases as a compensatory response to the high-calorie burn [4]. So, dialing in your nutrition and somewhat restricting calorie intake is necessary and the foundation of your fat loss phase [5]. Additional cardio can help, but it should be seen as a tool you use to increase energy expenditure, which helps you greater a larger calorie deficit.
-
For those seeking to look leaner and more muscular after a fat loss phase, it's important to keep strength training as your main form of exercise. Lifting weights helps you maintain muscle while losing body fat [6]. Check the last slide of this post for a hierarchy of importance to keep in mind during your fat loss phase.
-
References:
1. Effects of Exercise Training on Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
2. Error - Cookies Turned Off
3. Why do individuals not lose more weight from an exercise intervention at a defined dose? An energy balance analysis
4. Central neural and endocrine mechanisms of non-exercise activity thermogenesis and their potential impact on obesity - PubMed
5. Fat loss depends on energy deficit only, independently of the method for weight loss - PubMed
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28507015
