Cardio Can Help—But It’s Not Your Main Fat Loss Tool

Every January, the treadmills fill up. Everyone’s running, sweating, and convinced that more cardio means more fat loss. And while it can help, relying on it as your main strategy usually backfires

So let’s break it down:
Is cardio good for fat loss? It can be
Is it the most effective tool for sustainable fat loss? Far from it

Cardio Has Its Place—But It’s Not a Magic Bullet

There are two main types of cardio:

Steady-State: Like incline walking, cycling, or jogging. It’s low to moderate intensity and burns calories using fat as the main fuel source

HIIT: Short bursts of effort with rest in between—think sprints, circuits, etc. It uses more carbs for fuel and can spike your heart rate and metabolism short-term

Both have benefits. But both also come with downsides if they’re overused

Your Body Adapts—Fast

Here’s the thing: your body is smart. If you hit the treadmill every day for an hour, at first you’ll burn fat. But do it long enough, and your body gets more efficient at it—which means fewer calories burned over time.This is called metabolic adaptation. And once your body’s adapted, you’ve got two options…

1. Eat less (even harder when you're already dieting)

2. Do even more cardio (until you're spending half your life on a machine)

Neither of those is sustainable

The Muscle Loss Problem

Excessive cardio—especially without proper strength training—can lead to muscle loss. Muscle is metabolically active, meaning it helps you burn more calories at rest. Lose muscle, and fat loss gets even harder

You also increase your recovery needs, risk performance drops, and may feel constantly tired or sore. That’s not progress—it’s a red flag

Cardio Can Increase Hunger and Cravings

Long bouts of cardio often spike cortisol (your stress hormone) and drop blood sugar—both of which drive up hunger. You finish a 400-calorie run, feel starving, and eat it all back (plus more) without realising

Over time, this can mess with appetite regulation, lead to more cravings, and even push people toward emotional eating or overcompensation. The calorie burn starts to cancel itself out

So, What’s the Smarter Approach?

Cardio isn’t the enemy. But it’s best used as a tool, not a foundation. Here’s what I recommend:

• Prioritise strength training to build or preserve muscle

• Create a calorie deficit through food—it’s easier to control and more sustainable

• Add cardio later, when fat loss stalls or you're working through the last few stubborn kilos

• Pick cardio you actually enjoy—so you’ll stick with it long-term (e.g., hiking, cycling, boxing, etc.)

If you’re doing hours of cardio every week and still not seeing changes, it’s probably time to shift focus

The Bottom Line

Cardio can help with fat loss—but only when it’s used strategically. If it’s your only tool, you’ll likely hit a wall. Or burn out. Or both

Start with the basics: strength training, protein, food awareness, and patience. Then, if needed, bring cardio in to help break through plateaus—not to punish yourself after every meal