Is Cardio Necessary For Fat Loss?

As you can tell from the title of the blog, it has to do with what type of cardio should you be doing for fat loss in order to get lean and lose weight along with the truth behind cardio.

Cardio should be looked at and used as a tool in addition to proper training and nutrition. The reason is because people do far too much cardio. Have you ever noticed the same people at the gym doing cardio 6 days a week sweating their butts off on the treadmill, elliptical or even the bike? However, they all look sorta the same after 3-6 months? This is probably because they are not tracking macronutrients or their nutrition may not be in check. (Sign up for my e-mail list to find out how to track your macronutrients). This 5-step process will help you find your maintenance calories (figure out how much you can eat and not gain or lose weight). But from there, you create a calorie deficit by eating less. You're taking in less calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight. So, through nutrition alone you can lose weight, get ripped, and of course, bring the shreds.

Cardio is a tool to help increase the expenditure to burn more calories on top of the deficit you created through nutrition. You can also eat at maintenance and create a deficit through cardio if you want to eat a little bit more but again, cardio is not necessary to get ripped to get a six pack or anything like that. However, it does have its cardiovascular health benefits such as a decreased resting heart rate. It also helps your blood pressure and endurance. But if you’re looking to simply to lose weight, nutrition is going to be KEY. I know that may sound crazy and you see a ton of people all the time who swear by doing cardio and tell you it's the only way to lose weight. You may be one of those people who tell me “I do cardio 5 times a week but I'm not losing any weight.” Well here’s my question for you: Are you tracking your macros? I know it sounds tedious having to weigh out your food, input your calories on MyFitnessPal, etc. Yes, it does takes a couple of minutes a day but I promise you that it will make your life so much easier because 99% of the people that are on those treadmills just don't understand nutrition properly and actually hate doing the cardio and eventually give up because they don’t see the results they wanted. Focus more on your nutrition part and make it your number one priority and the results will come.

Benefits of Cardio

While cardio is not mandatory for fat loss, it does provide some key benefits:

• Improves cardiovascular health - stronger heart, improved blood flow and oxygen circulation
• Lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels
• Burns additional calories to create a greater calorie deficit
• Keeps metabolism revved up for greater fat burning
• Reduces stress and promotes mental health

Types of Cardio

There are many types of cardio you can incorporate for variety:

• Low intensity steady state (LISS): lower impact like walking, elliptical, easier cycling
• High intensity interval training (HIIT): short bursts of high intensity like sprints
• Stair climbing and hill training
• Rowing, swimming, martial arts, dance
• Sports and recreational activities like basketball, tennis, hiking

Cardio Recommendations

Aim for 2-4 cardio sessions per week for 20-45 minutes. Mix up low, moderate and high intensity activities.

On lifting days, do cardio after your workout or on your off days. Start slowly if you are new to cardio and increase duration weekly.

Always include a proper warm up and cool down. Listen to your body and take rest days when needed. Stay hydrated and fuel up after.

Prioritize Nutrition

To optimize fat loss, proper nutrition must come first before cardio. Ensure you are in a calorie deficit through meal planning and tracking intake.

Focus on getting enough protein, fiber and healthy fats to stay satisfied on fewer calories. Manage hunger and cravings through meal timing, macros and meal prep.

Cardio can create an additional deficit, but nutrition is the primary driver for weight and fat loss over time. Don't rely on cardio alone.

Cardio is a Tool

At the end of the day, cardio is a tool to enhance your fat loss results in conjunction with resistance training and nutrition. It is not mandatory, but offers many benefits.

Be strategic about the type, frequency, duration and intensity of cardio. Monitor your progress, recovery and results. Tweak your cardio plan as needed to complement your goals.

Louis Ha

Bring The Shreds was founded by Louis Ha.

Louis is an online fitness coach and entrepreneur based in the Bay Area.