Um, wait a minute.

If 1) calorie deficit = weight loss and 2) cardio = calorie deficit, then it stands to reason that cardio = weight loss — so, what’s the complication here?

Well. While statement #1 is a fact, like how:

• The Earth is not flat (it’s not perfectly round, either, but more like a slightly squashed sphere called an ellipsoid; the more you know ...)
• Australia is wider than the moon
• An ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain

… statement #2 doesn’t always hold up its end of the bargain. How do we know? By looking at:

The relationship between cardio and weight loss in research

Here are 3 different studies:

Given *waves hands in air* all that, when faced with the question, “What’s the relationship between cardio and weight loss?” it seems like our answer is the same as this dude's — tough question:

Doing cardio for weight loss doesn’t always work. Why?

Researchers have floated 3 theories:

1. Compensatory reductions in energy expenditure: After cardio, you tend to move less throughout the day (e.g., take fewer steps or fidget less), decreasing your NEAT levels and, in turn, total daily energy expenditure.
2. Compensatory increases in appetite: You feel hungrier after cardio, so you (often subconsciously) “eat back” your calories. Sometimes, you may even “overdo” it — explaining why 10.1% of individuals gained weight on cardio interventions in the 2023 RCT mentioned earlier.
3. Waning motivation to exercise over time: Research shows that exercise dampens motivation for physical activity.

So, is there a point in doing cardio for weight loss?

We mean … the evidence is pretty damning: cardio just isn’t very effective for weight loss.

And in case you’re wondering whether doing cardio fasted changes things …

But before you swear off cardio, know this.

All 3 mechanisms preventing weight loss (or considerable weight loss) on cardio appear subject to considerable inter-individual variation.

This means you may not feel the need to:

• Laze around on the sofa or
• Stuff your face or
• Skip out on your gym sessions

… as much as the next person. So, to find out if you’re one of the lucky ones, you’ll have to track your response to cardio.

Ideally, you’d log your average steps, food intake (note: you don’t have to track your calories; you could simply write down what you ate, e.g., stir-fried chicken and rice, if you wish), and training frequency for 2 weeks.

Then, add cardio to the mix and see how those things change.

Slowly adjust your cardio levels until you find one that has minimal adverse impact on your energy expenditure, appetite, and motivation to work out.

(Please don’t be a smart *ahem* 🍑 and say that your sweet spot is zero cardio; you still need to do some cardio for health reasons.)

Don’t just do cardio for weight loss

Ultimately, cardio is just a tool in your fat loss toolbox. There are many others you could use.

A 2023 systematic review published in Advances in Nutrition suggests that you’d see the best weight loss results by using a few tools together at the same time.

More specifically, here’s how the researchers ranked the fat loss protocols in order of most to least effective compared to no intervention:

This means, for best results, you should pair cardio with:

Cardio + energy restriction + enough protein + strength training: 😵‍💫

How are you ever going to stay on top of all that?

An all-in-one fat loss system

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Everything you need to seriously boost your chances of successful weight loss.

Don’t just take our word for it; see how GymStreak could help you here: