Have you ever been told that you need to do cardio workouts in order to lose weight? Fortunately, that is not true. There is no need to engage in aerobic exercise to lose weight, and here's why.
The main thing you need for weight loss is a calorie deficit.
Now, let's go into more detail. There are two main ways to achieve a deficit.
2 ways to burn calories
- Consume fewer calories with food.
- Burn more calories. For example, through cardio.
Common advice
Probably the most common advice given to those wanting to lose weight is a combination of two actions: consuming fewer calories (below the calorie level necessary to maintain your weight) and adding some cardio workouts to help increase energy expenditure and create a greater caloric deficit in which you find yourself.
What really works?
All of this sounds nice as free advice, but in real life, in terms of practicality, it is much simpler to eat less to achieve a deficit than to do exhausting cardio workouts to end up in a deficit.
Of all the calories our bodies burn in a day, only about 10–20% come from planned physical exercise. The majority of the calories you burn are expended when you are simply sitting and going through your day. This is called non-exercise or household activity.
How many calories are burned on the treadmill?
Typically, 1 hour of low-intensity cardio burns only about 300–400 calories at best. Imagine having to do this 7 days a week, when instead you could simply cut out snacks here and there, swap out some foods, manage your nutrition, and eat 500–600 calories less per day!
Of course, aerobic exercise can help you maintain and prolong a calorie deficit, but do not view it as an absolute necessity for weight loss. Especially if you don't love cardio with all your heart!
Make sure you achieve a calorie deficit
If you still want to add aerobic activity, it's best to introduce it gradually into your weight loss regimen. You might want to start with 30 minutes of low-intensity cardio after a strength training session. Better yet, do it on alternate days, and increase the frequency of such activities as needed.