Is Cardio the Best Way to Lose Weight?

Heart-pumping aerobic activity is one piece of the weight loss puzzle — but is cardio the best way to lose weight? Not necessarily!

The treadmill is basically the popular girl of exercise equipment because of a common misconception that cardio is the fastest ticket to weight loss.

So, perhaps the better questions are: Can cardio help you lose weight? (Yes.) And what even is cardio?

Also called aerobic exercise or cardiovascular exercise (“cardio” means “heart” in Greek), cardio is pretty much any form of physical activity that gets your heart pumping harder. It can be anything from a jog to a brisk walk, hike, swim, or whatever else makes you break a sweat.

Ahead, we’ll discuss how cardio can help you lose weight, why it’s not necessarily the be-all and end-all, and what else you can do to see results (like muscle-building exercises).

Why does cardio help you lose weight? Your body burns calories by expending energy, which happens throughout the day and even while you’re resting.

Your body still uses up energy when you’re sedentary (sitting or otherwise inactive) to maintain normal functions — this is referred to as resting metabolism.

Your resting metabolism is basically the rate you use energy and burn calories while just standing, sitting, and milling around at home or work as you go about your day.

Some people have a faster metabolic rate, meaning they burn more calories and store less fat, while others have slower ones. If you have a slower metabolism, it might make it harder to lose weight. But doing regular cardio can help.

How Does Cardio Burn Fat?

Where does cardio enter the picture? During physical activity, your metabolism works harder than when it’s resting, and you burn more calories and fat.

Cardio exercises, in particular, burn energy and fat by raising your heart rate. In other words, quickly moving your body to get your heart pumping uses up more energy, i.e., burns extra calories.

Some forms of exercise burn more calories than others. Running burns the most calories (hence its rep as the best cardio option).

But if running isn’t your thing, you’re definitely not alone. Here are a few other calorie-burning cardio workouts to try:

• Brisk walking

• Doing the elliptical machine

• Jumping rope

• Biking (indoor cycling or riding a bike outside)

• Climbing stairs

• Swimming

• Rowing or using an ERG (ergometer) machine

• Rock climbing

• Hiking

Generally, the harder your heart pumps during a workout, the more calories you burn. So sprinting or walking briskly uphill are both great calorie-burners.

That said, if you can keep up a moderate-intensity jog for a longer period, you may burn more energy and, thus, fat.

It’ll take some trial and error to figure out what form of cardio works best for your body (and what you enjoy the most — which will increase the likelihood of sticking to a routine).

Some people see significant weight loss as soon as they start making healthier changes. For others, it may take longer.

How much cardio you’ll need to do to support your weight loss efforts will depend on a few things.

For example, everyone has a different metabolic rate. How many calories you burn at rest is partly dependent on your age, gender, and current body weight.

That said, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) generally recommends getting:

• Two and a half to five hours of moderate-intensity activity spread over the course of a week

• Or 75 minutes to 2.5 hours of vigorous-intensity activity each week

• Plus some muscle-strengthening activity a couple of days a week

As the current guidelines touch on, building muscle through exercise is important too.

One study found that 12 weeks of combined resistance and cardio exercises led to more weight loss and fat loss than cardio or resistance training alone.

You might wonder why solely doing cardio usually doesn’t sufficiently sustain weight loss. Basically, as you do more cardio, and as your stamina and cardiovascular endurance improve, your body adapts. As a result, you could wind up burning fewer calories doing the same amount of cardio as when you first started.

Translation? A cardio routine that once burned more calories may no longer be as effective. Kind of annoying.

That’s why most fitness instructors suggest a solid blend of cardio and strength training for weight loss. Research supports this recommendation too.

Here’s how resistance training and weight loss work:

• Strength training burns fat and builds muscle. Resistance workouts can help burn fat mass, including belly fat, and maintain or build more muscle mass.

• This can improve your body composition. That’s the percentages of muscle, bone, and body fat. Put simply, changing your body composition to have more muscle tissue than body fat will, in theory, lead to greater calorie burn and weight loss.

• Research shows muscle burns more calories than fat. Increasing muscle mass through strength training helps support weight loss because increased muscle keeps your metabolism running efficiently. In other words, resistance training can elevate your resting metabolic rate.

Now, how does one build muscle? Weight training (like lifting weights and other resistance exercises) is great because it targets different muscle groups. 

But you could also do things like:

• Squats

• Planks

• Lunges

• Push-ups

• Crunches

Try free weights, bodyweight exercises, and weight-training machines to see what you like best.

Cardio and Strength-Training Routines for Weight Loss

The good news is that there are plenty of workouts that combine cardio and strength training.

This can be really helpful for anyone with a busy schedule who needs an efficient workout routine that won’t double the time they spend at the gym (or workout venue of choice).

The key is to do workouts that burn a ton of calories while also helping build muscle. A few examples include:

• Kettlebell exercises

• TRX (which stands for total resistance exercises)

• Barre, Bikram yoga, or hot Pilates workouts

• High-intensity interval training (HIIT) that balances periods of intense activity with short rest periods to burn more calories

Keep in mind, there’s also a higher risk of injury when doing high-intensity training. Switching things up from this type of exercise while leaving room for rest days can help prevent injuries — and burnout!

Here’s a sample week-long cardio and strength-training routine:

• Day 1: Do 30 minutes of cardio, plus at 30 least 30 minutes of walking.

• Day 2: Try to get in a half-hour walking or movement while you go about your day. Then, dedicate an hour to weight training or resistance work. Whether you opt for free weights, machines at the gym, or something like Pilates is totally up to you.

• Day 3: Play a sport for about an hour, like basketball, tennis, soccer, or swimming. In any case, interactive physical activity is a great way to mix it up mentally and work out other muscle groups.

• Day 4: Incorporate balance and stretching exercises, like yoga, for around 30 minutes (or a full hour if you’re doing a class). Then do a half-hour of floor workouts, like push-ups, lunges, and crunches.

• Day 5: Go for a jog or a bike ride, and make sure to get 30 minutes of walking in.

• Day 6: Do 30 to 60 minutes of strength training (whether you do a HIIT workout or some floor movements is up to you). Then do some sort of cardio for 30 minutes.

• Day 7: Try to get some steps in, but also take it easy.

This may seem like a lot — and we agree, it is. But this is just an example of what to work up to. Start where you’re at and go at your own pace.

You might consider working with a personal trainer to figure out the right workout routine for your weight loss goals.

On top of getting plenty of sleep, staying hydrated, and mixing cardio and strength-training movements into your routine, you’ll also want to eat a nutritious diet.

Most experts agree eating healthier is the most effective weight loss strategy.

So, what exactly makes up a healthy diet? First of all — and this may go without saying — diet just means what you eat, not necessarily a restrictive eating plan for weight loss.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans explains that the best healthy diets for weight loss and preventing cardiovascular disease limit red and processed meats, sugary drinks and foods, and refined grains.

Instead, focus on eating:

• Vegetables

• Fruits

• Legumes and beans

• Whole grains

• Low- or nonfat dairy

• Lean meats and poultry

• Seafood

• Nuts

• Unsaturated vegetable oils

These foods are rich in essential nutrients, which help your body run efficiently. 

Healthy foods also tend to make you feel fuller more quickly and for longer than processed alternatives. This can help you avoid overeating (i.e., portion control) because you won’t need to eat as much to feel satisfied.

On top of what you eat, how much you eat is a critical factor in weight loss. Keep these nutritional tips in mind as you get started on your weight loss journey:

• Minimize refined carbs and low-fiber foods (think potato chips and white bread).

• Keep high-protein foods and snacks around to energize your workouts.

• Drink plenty of water.

• Try to sleep seven to nine hours a night.

Rethink your eating habits and take small steps by making a few healthier swaps.

Combining Exercise With Weight Loss Medication

Bear in mind weight loss is usually a slow process. According to the CDC, losing about one to two pounds a week is a good pace that can lead to long-term weight loss — and might be more sustainable than rapid weight loss.

If you have healthy habits but still notice weight gain or think you might need extra weight loss support beyond diet and exercise, talk to your healthcare provider about whether you might be a good fit for weight loss medications.

Prescription weight loss pills include:

• Metformin

• Topamax® (topiramate)

• Contrave® (naltrexone-bupropion)

• Rybelsus® (semaglutide)

• Xenical® (orlistat)

• Qsymia® (phentermine-topiramate)

Weight loss injections include:

• Mounjaro® and Zepbound® (tirzepatide)

• Ozempic® and Wegovy® (semaglutide)

• Saxenda® and Victoza® (liraglutide)

We offer access to a variety of these weight loss medications following a virtual consultation with a licensed healthcare provider.

Is cardio the best way to lose weight, and if so, how does cardio burn fat? Here’s the main takeaway on cardio for weight loss:

• Cardio workouts can improve lung and heart health, help manage mental health, and boost weight loss efforts by elevating your metabolism so you burn more fat. Put simply, cardio has many health benefits, making it a crucial element of maintaining overall health and wellness.

• A healthy weight loss plan almost always mixes cardio with strength training exercises while also emphasizing mindful eating mindfully, staying hydrated, and getting enough sleep.

• Combining strength-training exercises with cardio might be more effective for weight loss than cardio alone.

• Tailoring things to meet your unique needs is the best approach to weight loss. See what workouts you like, consider what works for your schedule and lifestyle, and think about working with a trainer or nutritionist.

Weight loss depends on individual factors. Everything from body composition to metabolism, fitness level, and personal preferences can influence your weight loss journey.

For personalized advice and treatment tailored to your needs, start a virtual weight loss consultation with Hers.