Cardio workouts are generally the first thing that springs to mind when people think about reducing weight. People have long praised cardio for its capacity to burn calories and lose undesirable fat. This includes jogging, cycling, swimming, and utilizing the elliptical at the gym. Is exercising really the greatest way to lose weight, or are there other ways that might work better?
We’ll talk about the science behind cardio, its pros and cons, and how it compares to other types of exercise, including strength training and HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), when it comes to losing weight.
What does cardio mean?
Cardio, which stands for cardiovascular exercise, is any kind of exercise that makes your heart rate go up and maintains it up for a long time. Some such examples are:
- Running or jogging
- Biking
- Swimming
- Walking quickly
- Jump rope
- Rowing
Cardio is good for your heart, makes you more fit overall, and helps you last longer. But for many people, the most significant thing is that it helps them burn calories, which is necessary for losing weight.
How does losing weight work?
Before we get into more detail, it’s important to know the core idea of losing weight:
Calories in and calories out
When you burn more calories than you eat, you lose weight. This is called a caloric deficit. Cardio helps by burning more calories, which adds to this shortfall.
But the question still stands: Is cardio the best way to make that shortfall, or are there better options?
The Good Things About Cardio for Losing Weight
- Burn a lot of calories
You may burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time with cardio exercises. For instance:- A 155-pound person consumes roughly 600 calories per hour when they run at 6 mph.
- You can burn 400 to 500 calories per hour by riding a bike at a moderate pace.
- Depending on how hard you swim, you can burn 500 to 700 calories an hour.
- Better Heart Health
Cardio isn’t simply for shedding weight. It makes the heart stronger, improves blood flow, and lowers the risk of long-term disorders including diabetes and high blood pressure. - Good for your mental health
Running and biking are two activities that release endorphins, which are chemicals that make you feel better. This can help with sadness, anxiety, and stress. - Activity Flexibility
There are a lot of different types of cardio you can do. You can choose what you like best, whether it’s dancing, hiking, or swimming. This helps you stay on track.
The Drawbacks of Cardio for Losing Weight
Cardio has a lot of benefits, but it also has some drawbacks, especially if your main objective is to lose weight.
- Risk of losing muscle
Too much cardio without strength training can make you lose muscle. Losing muscle mass is bad because muscles assist speed up your metabolism. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns while you’re not doing out. - Change over time
Your body becomes used to doing cardio. As your body gets better at doing the same thing, you’ll burn less calories, which will cause weight loss plateaus. - Takes a lot of time
Cardio might take a lot of time. For folks who are very busy, doing exercise for 45 to 60 minutes every day might not be possible. - Not able to last on its own
If you only do cardio and don’t change your diet or include strength training, you may lose weight at first but have a hard time keeping it off in the long run.
Cardio or strength training for losing weight?
People often forget about strength training when they want to lose weight. This includes lifting weights or doing bodyweight exercises. But it has a lot of good things about it:
- Increases the amount of muscle, which speeds up the metabolism.
- It makes your body keep burning calories even after the activity, which is called the after-burn effect (EPOC).
- Helps you keep the weight off by making sure you don’t lose muscle.
✅ Best Approach: Most of the time, the best method to lose fat and keep muscle is to do both cardio and strength training.
What is HIIT?
Another great choice is HIIT, or high-intensity interval training. It features quick, intense bursts of activity followed by short breaks.
For instance:
- 30 seconds of running
- Rest for 30 seconds
- Do it again for 15 to 20 minutes.
HIIT works because it:
- Burns a lot of calories in a short amount of time.
- Makes the afterburn effect happen, which means you burn more calories for hours after your activity.
- Better than steady-state cardio for keeping muscle mass.
HIIT can help you lose fat just as well as regular cardio, but in less time.
Diet: The Most Important Thing for Losing Weight
If your nutrition doesn’t match your goals, even the best workout regimen won’t work.
- Calorie deficit: Eat less calories than you burn.
- Eating a lot of protein helps keep muscle while losing weight.
- A balanced diet should include fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, entire grains, and healthy fats.
Exercise helps you lose weight faster, but diet is what really matters.
So, is cardio the best way to lose weight?
The truth is that cardio works, but it’s not the only or best approach on its own. The best way to lose weight that lasts and works is to combine:
- Moderate cardio is good for your heart and helps you burn more calories.
- Strength training to build and keep muscle.
- HIIT workouts help you burn fat quickly and effectively.
- A diet that is nutritious and low in calories.
Last Thoughts
Keep doing cardio if you love it! It’s good for your health, mind, and heart. Don’t forget about strength training and HIIT if your only goal is to lose weight. These approaches help you lose the most weight, keep your muscles, and become in better shape overall.
Keep this in mind:
Losing weight isn’t just about burning calories; it’s also about making your body stronger and healthier.
The answer to losing weight and keeping it off is to find a balance between cardio, strength training, and eating well.
Key Points
- Cardio burns calories, but too much of it can cause you to lose muscle.
- Strength exercise speeds up your metabolism and keeps your muscles.
- HIIT is a really effective way to lose weight that doesn’t take up a lot of time.
- Diet is very important; no amount of exercise can make up for a lousy diet.
- The finest long-term results come from a balanced approach.
