Cardio...Best Idea For Fat Loss?

Some of you may have heard parts of this spiel already, but due to the mass amount of misinformation out there, it still bears repeating.

Aerobic training (a.k.a. CARDIO...an ugly word around me) has long been thought of as the end-all, be-all of weight loss and body recomposition. I'm here to tell you that this is simply not true! Yes, you will lose weight on a calorie-restricted diet. Yes, you will also lose weight doing cardio. No, that doesn't mean cardio is good (here's some insight into my disdain for cardio). No, you won't end up with the body you want...unless you approach it from a slightly different angle.

Here's why: Cardio and calorie restriction do, indeed, create a caloric deficit, but the cost is a little higher than most people believe. Instead of just shedding fat and getting lean, you lose muscle and bone mass also. If you don't use it, you lose it. So, how do we prevent this from happening? Enter resistance training.

Resistance training can be anything from bodyweight to resistance band training to weightlifting. There are so many options out there, your choices are practically infinite. Depending on your goals, you can use resistance training as part of an interval program, or you can train specifically for strength. Or you can do both. The point is, you need to at least maintain your lean mass if you want your body composition to change in a good way...and resistance training can get you there. As an added bonus, increasing (or, at least, maintaining) lean mass will increase your resting metabolic rate (a.k.a. how many calories you burn when you aren't being active).

Now let's take a step back and look at the big picture. I already mentioned my dislike of "chronic cardio"...so what should you do instead? My current favorite set of guidelines are from Mark Sisson's "The Primal Blueprint." There are three rules regarding fitness in the Primal Blueprint:

1: Move Frequently at a Slow Pace. It strengthens the cardiovascular and immune systems and promotes efficient metabolism. It's also less damaging on the joints. Try to get up to 55-75% max heart rate for 2-5 hours a week. Here's Mark's take.

2: Lift Heavy Things. This one has some obvious benefits, such as muscle growth and increased strength. It also strengthens the tendons so your joints stay healthy. I already mentioned that it increases resting metabolic rate. It also increases spacial awareness and proprioception. The bottom line is this: you want to increase (or maintain) your strength so you can live without fear of injury, even into old age. Keep the workouts short and intense, focusing on functional movement. 1-3x per week, shooting for 7-60 minutes per workout. (These recommendations are for general fitness. Change it however you see fit if you're working toward specific goals like I am)

3: Sprint Once in a While. Once every week or so is sufficient. Here's what I have to say about sprinting.

A fourth and often misunderstood rule that I would like to add is to play! It's fun, it's physical (that means video games don't count!), and it burns calories! Many types of play (like sports) also help with coordination and proprioception. You should give it a try sometime.

Let's recap...dieting and cardio alone won't give you the best results. Cardio is bad. Resistance training is good. Do lots of low level aerobic activity. Lift heavy things (but make sure it's intense!). Sprint once in a while.

Train Smart!