This is a post originally written by Javi Garcia from Escuela de Culturismo Natural.
“Cardio is the best for fat burning; weights are only good for gaining muscle and strength.”
Have you ever heard or read that? Well, it’s not correct! Both types of exercise can be our allies when it comes to a fat loss period.
Cardio for Slimming Down, Losing Weight or Losing Fat
The first thing we need to clarify is that we don’t want to lose weight or slim down. Let me clarify, that will be a consequence—the number on the scale will surely go down, and you’ll look slimmer, but what we care about is losing fat.
It’s no good losing 5kg if we lose 4kg of muscle mass. So, now that you follow me, we’ll talk about these three terms as synonyms and see how we can use cardio to slim down.
Which is Better for Losing Fat Faster?
Each option has its pros and cons.
Cardio (low or moderate intensity) can be maintained for a longer period, thus burning more calories. But you need weight training to maintain muscle mass and insulin sensitivity.
Therefore, choose both cardio AND weights.
The Key to Slimming Down
You already know that to lose fat, we need a negative energy balance, known as a calorie deficit. This simply means consuming less than you burn. We have three options to achieve this:
- Eat less
- Eat the same and move more
- Eat less and move more
Surely, as you already know the benefits of physical activity, you know that options 2 and 3 are always more desirable. I hope you’ll stop saying you’ll do cardio to slim down and follow these tips 😉
What Should I Do to Lose Fat?
As we’ve mentioned, you need to achieve a negative energy balance. It should be a process that’s as manageable as possible.
Our goal is to create a light but prolonged deficit, making it easy to stick to. Therefore, the most intelligent option is usually to start by increasing our daily activity as explained here (some cardio to burn extra calories). When this strategy stops working, we’ll cut back on food a bit, so we always eat as much as possible!
Of course, without neglecting our strength training sessions!
What Cardiovascular Activity to Do?
When choosing a cardio activity to help us slim down, we need to consider each person’s individual preferences. If you prefer light activities and have the time, you can go for a walk or a light jog. If your time is more limited, you can opt for more intense exercises (intervals, HIIT, metabolic training…).
Try to do them on days separate from your gym sessions. If that’s not possible: 1st weight training, 2nd cardio.
As always, individualisation is the key to the process. Some people will prefer certain activities over others, and this will be the key to a sustainable process.
For example, running burns more calories than cycling (at similar intensities), but if you personally prefer cycling, go ahead! The important thing is adherence to the training programme and diet.
If you stick to these two pillars, stick to your strength training sessions and use cardio to “slim down,” the results are guaranteed.
And you, if you want to lose fat, achieve a critical improvement in your health and optimise your physical appearance, contact us and start now!
