still trying to understand how fat loss works

[dashing5]

I've been doing low intensity cardio and it sucks. I think I'm gonna do high intensity from now on on an empty stomach. I got caught up in the difference of burning fat calories than other calories. Just so I understand, once u great the deficit your body uses fat to make up the rest? I hope u can understand what I'm trying to say

[dmacdonal9]

Yes, an energy deficit is made up for by burning stored fat.

High intensity fasted cardio is not the best idea for improved body composition.

Nutrition is 90% of fat loss, you can't realistically out-exercise excess calories.

[Serpentarius]

you dont have to do cardio, cardio doesnt burn fat, especially high intensity cardio.

[Zephex]

Pretty simple but a lot of people try to sugar coat it. Ill give it to you straight.


To lose weight you have to burn more calories than you take in. Simple right?


High intensity cardio is good for your health and heart. The problem with it is that once the cardio is over, you quickly return to "normal". Normal means your body goes back to burning the calories at your Rested Metabolic Rate. I mean you are still awake and active so you will burn a little more than that but the point I am trying to make is doing cardio is only good WHILE you are doing it.

Lets talk about weight training now. If you lift weights, or do any kind of bodyweight exercises that stimulate your muscles (pushups, pullups, crunches, bench dips, anything that you can feel the "burn") not only will you burn calories while doing it, but you will also burn calories for several hours afterwards.

This is why many people in the gym only do Cardio on their "rest days" which are the days when they are sore from a previous workout and need a day of "rest". Its not that we are taking a day to sit on the couch, we are just resting our muscles so they can recover. Everyone trains differently. Personally, I lift 4 days a week, and on the other 3 days, I do about 45-60 mins of low intensity cardio.

If you want to increase the amount of calories you burn when you aren't at the gym, build more lean mass by lifting! I used to think the same way. Cardio was for losing fat, Lifting was for gaining muscle. Truth of the matter is...lifting weights is more beneficial for losing weight AND gaining muscle. The only thing cardio has over weight lifting is the heart aspect of it.

Take in about 300-500 calories less than your maintenance calories for your current sex, height, and weight. Get off the cardio and press some weight. Do cardio on the days you are too sore to lift weights. Will help you a lot more than sprinting on a elliptical.

Just my advice, I am not an expert. I just speak from my own personal experience.