Is Cardio the Best Way to Lose Fat?

Is Cardio the Best Way to Lose Fat?

Aug 18, 2020 mindpump

Fat loss is a common goal for adults in the US. The CDC estimates that in the United States, over 70 percent of adults over the age of twenty are overweight or obese. With the majority of US adults falling into the overweight category, it is no surprise that fat loss is a popular fitness goal. Unfortunately, misinformation about how to effectively lose fat is rampant. In order to reach your fat loss goals it is essential that you learn how to effectively lose unwanted fat.

The basic equation for losing fat

The basic equation for losing fat involves creating an energy imbalance. You need to burn more calories (energy) than you consume or take in less calories than you burn. In order to lose fat, you need to create a calorie deficit through diet and exercise. This advice likely does not come as a surprise. Most adults have heard the recommendation to ‘eat less and exercise more.’ However, a quick online search on ‘the best food and exercise choices for losing fat’ will reveal that there are a lot of different opinions about how to approach creating an energy imbalance. The first step in finding a fat loss plan that will work for you is to understand the concept of energy imbalance. The next step is to learn how your body responds to different types of movement.

How cardio impacts your body

Cardio if often touted as the best way to lose fat because of its calorie burning potential. For women, the idea that cardio is the best option for fat loss seems to be a widespread and deeply held belief. If you have never followed a workout program – or are starting fresh after a long break – it is true that cardio (aerobic) exercises will burn more calories than anaerobic exercises at the beginning. If you wear a fitness tracker to the gym that first day, your 30 minutes on the treadmill will show a higher calorie burn than your 30 minutes with free weights. As you consistently follow a workout plan, however, your body will start to adapt to the cardio you do. This means that it will become easier to do the same amount of cardio you started with. Your body will respond to this improvement by expending less energy when you do the same amount of cardio. The number of calories you burn on the same 30 minutes of cardio will be less on day 60 of working out than it was on day one. This adaptation is your body’s way of conserving energy. Excessive cardio can even slow down your metabolism which decreases the number of calories you burn at rest throughout the day. Consistently doing cardio, only to see your weight loss stall, is very frustrating. The way that your body adapts to cardio makes it a poor choice for your long-term weight loss efforts. It still has its place in your workout when it comes to cardiovascular health but cardio should not be the cornerstone to your weight loss efforts.

Best option for losing fat

The best way to lose fat is to follow a program that includes improving your nutrition and incorporates strength training. Strength training is not as frequently associated with fat loss as cardio but it is actually the superior option if your goal is long term fat loss. Strength training also sends signals to your body to adapt. However, the type of adaptation that occurs in a quality strength training program is growth. Over time, strength training can increase your metabolism. The number of calories (energy) you burn throughout the day, even at rest, will increase if you consistently include strength training in your program.

Cardio is not the best way to lose fat. If you focus on cardio for fat loss you will end up frustrated and dissatisfied with your results. Focus instead on your nutrition and strength training. A quality strength training program will help you lose fat and keep it off. Each of the MAPS programs are designed to keep your body guessing and your progress continual. Check out the MAPS product page to learn about each program and choose the one that is the best fit for your goals.