Why Traditional Cardio Is NOT Necessary To Losing Weight
Most people I know and associate with (mostly other fitness pros) do too.
The truth is cardio is 3 different things…
Low intensity/Long duration (what you probably think of)
This is a very inefficient way of burning calories, it’s usually tough on the knees and hips, but is a foundational building block of our heart and lung health.
Moderate Intensity/Moderate Duration
This is the easiest way to “kill 2 birds with one stone” while exercising. It can often be done while you are weight training (use a 1:1 work to rest ratio.. IE 30s ON to 30s OFF)
This starts kicking up your metabolic rate (to burn more cals faster)
All of this makes it arguable it’s even more efficient than the following.
Short Duration/High Intensity
This is physically the most taxing in a short period of time which makes it highly efficient.
But it takes the longest to build up to.
It’s a 2:1 work to rest ratio (Ex: 20s ON : 10s OFF)

And it requires a long rest period (days) afterward, so it’s not great for consistency.

But when built up to properly,  this kind of cardio can leave you burning calories AT REST for up to 48 hours after your workout ⚡⚡⚡

That’s a pretty nice tool in the toolbox.

So while most people know they should be doing some form of cardio, they are only doing 1/3rd of what is needed to get their ideal results

If you played sports growing up, you were used to running hard & pushing yourself to be your best 👟👟

But this is not how getting fit after you turn 40 works.

That’s why I always remind my clients if they played sports growing up to avoid these 3 Fitness Fails of Former Athletes.

Going 100% every workout

An aging body can’t take that kind of intensity day in and day out.

Going at 80-85% of your best is plenty to keep your body feeling good and making long term progress.

Don’t end up on the injured list.

Skipping warmups

If you have any recurring pain or weakness, this is where they need to be worked on.

So skipping these puppies are going to have a lasting negative effect on your body.

Not Resting Long Enough

In between workout sets you should allow yourself plenty of time to recover

How much is plenty?

Give yourself ample time to recover before your next set.

Not taking enough rest leads to bad form… and bad form leads to injury.

And because the fat loss game is all about consistency….ain’t nobody got time for injury.

Rest Fully to Stay Healthy.