8 Things Nobody Tells You About Cardio

8 Things Nobody Tells You About Cardio

Find out how cardio actually affects fat loss, muscle growth, and your health in this Science-Based Presentation About Cardio Mistakes and Myths. Many people try to use cardio to burn belly fat and do as many cardio fat-burning workouts as possible. However, is this actually a good strategy? How does cardio vs strength training stack up? Learn what you never knew about cardio.

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Performing cardio can be very beneficial for your heart, your lungs, and your overall health. But overdoing cardio has been proven to lead to a shorter lifespan. This is just one of many counterintuitive things that many people simply don’t know about cardio. So today I want to go over the 8 things that nobody tells you about cardiovascular exercise. 

Starting first with the simple fact that you don’t burn as many calories from cardio as you think. Most people believe that you burn a lot more calories from cardio than resistance training. But according to the research, there actually isn’t that much of a difference. For example, we can look at a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. (9) In this study, researchers compared the energy expenditure of 30 minutes of weight training, to 30 minutes of a HIIT/circuit style training workout, to 30 minutes of a steady-state cardio workout performed at 70% of the participant’s maximum heart rate. As you can see in the graph in front of you, there was no significant difference in energy expenditure between weight training and steady-state cardio. (10) In other words, if you want to lose fat…. from a purely caloric perspective, you would be just as well off performing a resistance training workout with a decent amount of training volume.

In fact, resistance training is even better from a pure calorie-cutting perspective because another thing that no one tells you is that cardio Can Cause “Constrained Energy Expenditure. This is one reason why cardio isn’t that effective for weight loss and fat loss in general. Constrained energy expenditure basically points to the phenomenon that doing cardio tends to lower calorie expenditure in the hours after you’re done with cardio. When most people do (aerobic) exercise, their non-exercise physical activity, also known as NEAT, tends to go down. This refers to the calories you burn through everyday activities, mostly movement that’s not related to exercise. A couple examples include fidgeting, bouncing your foot up and down, and even the way you sit in your chair.

The point is after burning calories through cardio, people tend to become less active throughout the rest of the day. For example, they may keep their hands and feet still instead of bouncing their feet around and fidgeting. Or, they may slouch in their chair instead of sitting in an active and straightened position. They may also be more likely to drive instead of walking. If you’ve ever done a heavy cardio session, you’ve probably noticed this yourself. A simple task like going to the kitchen to grab a glass of water requires more mental and physical effort than normal. In general, your body will make many unconscious adaptations where it’ll cut back on every form of non-essential energy expenditure if you try to burn more and more calories from cardio reducing the number of calories you burn for the rest of the day which brings us right to the next point…

Cardio is Not That Beneficial for Fat Loss. Now don’t get me wrong. Cardio can be beneficial for many reasons, including improving heart health, endurance, and your health and well-being in general. However, if your sole goal is to lose weight, cardio is not the most effective option. This was well shown by a meta-analysis in which 14 studies were reviewed that involved over 1,800 overweight and obese people. (11) The researchers looked at whether cardio would benefit weight loss, and when the data was in they concluded that “Isolated aerobic exercise is not an effective weight loss therapy.” (12) So you’re probably thinking well duh…isolated cardio won’t work because doing cardio alone without dieting obviously won’t help you lose weight. But what if I told you that you could just diet without the cardio and still lose the same amount of weight without all that extra effort. If you don’t believe me I’ll link up another meta-analysis, which by the way a meta-analysis is considered the gold standard of evidence. But this other meta-analysis also found that adding cardio to a diet plan did not increase weight loss compared to just dieting without cardio. The difference was 11 kilos of weight loss versus 10.7 kilos of weight loss. (13) So if you’re doing cardio to improve your cardiovascular health or your endurance capacity you’re on the right track, but if you’re doing cardio to lose an extra 0.3 kilos which is the same as a little more than half a pound I think you’re wasting your time…

50 Comments

  1. @mosesnjau9952 on April 18, 2025 at 9:51 pm

    Saddist! You just want us to pay you to get "professional advice" I will go on with my cardio

  2. @drakesestatesla on April 18, 2025 at 9:53 pm

    Everything in moderated portions … I do a bit of many things, but eat right and life gets much much better.

  3. @justinluttrell8990 on April 18, 2025 at 9:55 pm

    I’ve lost 35lbs from an hour or more of intense cardio a day. I trust my personal experience over any study.

  4. @richardericeke on April 18, 2025 at 9:55 pm

    I guess everyone in the comments is just addicted to cardio

  5. @Aragorn.Strider on April 18, 2025 at 9:57 pm

    I do lots of cycling, some walking, some lift weighing and other exercises. Cycling for like 3 or 4 hours is a complete different beast then lifting weight, that I can assure you. Both are great, but to say cycling is a waste of time, no I don’t think so. Not for my body at least

  6. @Casual_BackPacking on April 18, 2025 at 9:58 pm

    The only people that over do cardio are ultra runners

  7. @RahulGupta-xj7vi on April 18, 2025 at 9:58 pm

    What is "too much cardio", this is so misleading

  8. @clanyoung14 on April 18, 2025 at 9:58 pm

    People who do resistance training sit too long between sets, but rarely get any cardio benefits. Fat lost? If your sole goal is weight lost, cut down on the eating. No exercise program, without a diet will do any good. For health, cardio is the best thing for longevity. Progressing? You are talking like a bodybuilder. The average person, for health, doesn’t need "muscle growth", you need cardio, some strength and flexibility for health and long life. "The average age of death for bodybuilders is 47.7 years, which is 34% higher than the average age of death for men in the United States of the same age." Also, "Distance runners tend to live longer than the general population, and the benefits of distance running extend to a range of distances: Elite runners A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that elite runners live almost five years longer than the general population. Another study found that the average age of death for elite runners was 77, compared to the overall average of 73. Marathon runners: A study of Olympic athletes found that marathon runners had the highest observed-expected survival, at 4.7 years for men."

  9. @GravityTransformation on April 18, 2025 at 10:02 pm

    References

    1. Research shows that given the same energy expenditure, you’ll see similar fat loss results with high and low intensity cardio. There’s no difference.
    http://www.nmcd-journal.com/article/S0939-4753(13)00140-3/abstract

    2. A case in point: a study by Paoli et al. (2011) that if you burn more of one substrate during a cardio session (in this case fatty acids), you’ll burn less of it over the next twenty-four hours.
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21411835/

    3. “Fasted compared to fed exercise does not increase the amount of weight loss and fat mass loss”
    https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/2/4/43/

    4. “Weight loss and fat loss from exercise is more likely to be enhanced through creating a meaningful caloric deficit over a period of time, rather than exercising in fasted or fed states”
    https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/2/4/43/

    5. Various studies show that combining cardio with resistance training reduces explosiveness and muscle mass.
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12627304/
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19387377/
    https://www.researchgate.net/publication/13595979_Concurrent_resistance_and_endurance_training_influence_basal_metabolic_rate_in_nondieting_individuals
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18545210/

    6. Physical adaptations for cardio or strength training tend to run in opposite directions. These adaptations include changes in muscle fiber type composition, reduced speed of muscle activation, and various changes in gene activation and enzyme concentrations that impair strength gains.
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17095931/
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21425890/
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19448698/

    7. For instance, a 2012 meta-analysis looked at the effect of combining cardio and resistance training on muscle growth.
    See Figure 1 to see how cardio effected lower body hypertrophy
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22002517/

    8. Consider this 2015 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. In this study, researchers compared the energy expenditure of 30 minutes of weight training, to 30 minutes of a HIIT/circuit style training workout, to 30 minutes of a steady-state cardio workout performed at 70% of the particpant’s maximum heart rate. As you can see in the graph in front of you, there was no significant difference in energy expenditure between weight training and steady-state cardio
    See figure 1
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25162652/

    9. This meta-analysis of 14 studies that involved 1,847 overweight and obese subjects found that cardio was not a very effective for weight loss.
    "Isolated aerobic exercise is not an effective weight loss therapy in these patients."
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21787904/

    10. Another meta-analysis also found that adding cardio to a diet plan did not increase weight loss compared to not doing so. The difference was 11 kilos of weight loss versus 10.7 kilos, respectively.
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9347414/

    11. “People who get either no exercise or high-mileage runners both tend to have shorter lifespans than moderate runners.”
    https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20140401/too-much-running-tied-to-shorter-lifespan-studies-find

  10. @alancapuano5197 on April 18, 2025 at 10:02 pm

    This is false bruh.

  11. @neotericdiscipline8283 on April 18, 2025 at 10:03 pm

    Only thing I learned from this video is the dude clearly hates doing cardio.

  12. @KeshavSinghal-c9x on April 18, 2025 at 10:04 pm

    Imagine building all those muscles without being able to use them 😂

  13. @germancreatives88 on April 18, 2025 at 10:06 pm

    just doing excuse not to run, just do body weights training for 30 minutes and run for 30 minutes, no need for gym memberships

  14. @adams7043 on April 18, 2025 at 10:07 pm

    Pause 03:13, read the whole conclusion. Laughed at the selective quote. Skipped to something else on YouTube.

  15. @friedec3622 on April 18, 2025 at 10:07 pm

    Fat loss is quite easy. Just go hunger strike for a few months. Cut down your carbs/snacks/sugar so you could feel slight hunger until the next meal.

  16. @genstone7906 on April 18, 2025 at 10:07 pm

    Worsiest exercise video advise

  17. @Vaser1013 on April 18, 2025 at 10:07 pm

    Hahha .3 kg less guess I should stop running

  18. @39FF75 on April 18, 2025 at 10:08 pm

    Ye, ofc if you measure the three at the same heart rate. But in reality, cardio will have a way higher heart rate and will burn way more calories. Studies are jokes.

  19. @choxron on April 18, 2025 at 10:08 pm

    Most confusing video have ever seen

  20. @AvikaKidsTv on April 18, 2025 at 10:09 pm

    Chup

  21. @moruix on April 18, 2025 at 10:10 pm

    This video is wrong about at least 12 things lol

  22. @Vaser1013 on April 18, 2025 at 10:12 pm

    So cardio stops you from fidgeting therefore I’ll lose less weight?? lol yeah all that anxious fidgeting really gonna be missed

  23. @JimmyLoose on April 18, 2025 at 10:13 pm

    WOW, this is a load of crap. I say this from experience. I’ve always been able to loose weight through cardio. Weight lifting has never worked for me. My legs are chiseled like a Greek God, not like a stringy marathon runner.

  24. @andrewdiolosa3861 on April 18, 2025 at 10:13 pm

    Cardio is amazing for fat burning actually

  25. @sumihiro. on April 18, 2025 at 10:14 pm

    🎯 Key points for quick navigation:

    00:00 *Cardio is beneficial for health but excessive cardio might shorten lifespan.*
    00:14 *You don’t burn as many calories from cardio as commonly believed; resistance training burns a similar amount.*
    00:28 *Cardio doesn’t significantly outperform resistance training in calorie-burning, making it less effective for fat loss.*
    01:25 *Cardio can lower non-exercise activity post-workout, leading to constrained energy expenditure.*
    02:48 *Cardio is not highly effective for weight loss; diet adjustments are more impactful.*
    03:57 *Cardio can impair strength and muscle gains due to the interference effect.*
    05:24 *Cardio affects muscle fiber type and enzyme activity adversely impacting strength.*
    07:00 *No scientifically supported "fat burning zone"; overall energy balance matters more.*
    09:33 *Fasted cardio doesn’t enhance fat loss over regular fed-state exercise.*
    11:12 *Excessive cardio might decrease lifespan; moderate exercise is more beneficial.*

    Made with HARPA AI

  26. @thatchick1433 on April 18, 2025 at 10:15 pm

    Meh I love cardio ❤

  27. @Shepherdservices317 on April 18, 2025 at 10:16 pm

    Whats funny is people wholly run, or do other cardio things are slender and athletic. Peiple who only do resistance training are almost all fat

  28. @MonkeeTommy on April 18, 2025 at 10:20 pm

    Chat am i gonna die from running 😭

  29. @NitishKumar-ye6bj on April 18, 2025 at 10:20 pm

    I love weight training it gives me strength

  30. @KennyTriton on April 18, 2025 at 10:21 pm

    I used to box for a while. The training for that is heavy anaerobic cardio and it’ll get you incredibly fit in a short time. You won’t be big and muscular, you’ll be toned and slim. However your energy levels become incredible. i’m almost 35 years old now and i’d rather go to the cardio machines in the gym than go to the weights.

  31. @hitybuvi7075 on April 18, 2025 at 10:21 pm

    Uhh, during covid you couldn’t go to the gym. You could meet up with your friends and go for a bike ride or run outside during the strict lockdowns. Cardio outside was the only thing you could do in a group setting during covid. I vividly remember doing group rides with 50 people during covid. That was proof. And whatever is being said in this video is complete nonsense.

  32. @sarahbean6170 on April 18, 2025 at 10:23 pm

    I hear running works and then it doesn’t from all sources. I am so sick of it. Whose right?!?! I enjoy running but stopped this past year and just lifted. Watched my macros and was in a deficit. I feel like it didn’t work for me. Don’t run cortisol yadda yadda yadda🤦🏻‍♀️ Do what actually works for you!!

  33. @abelkipngetich734 on April 18, 2025 at 10:23 pm

    Cardio helped me cut over 16kg in less yhan 3 months, something that weight training didn’t achieve in a year.

  34. @miraeja on April 18, 2025 at 10:25 pm

    These yt fitness influencers who failed hs bio now digging into pubmed and larping about a neurotransmitter they learned last night. Americans so fat and down bad, they doing convoluted mental gymnastics but avoiding the simple and obvious.

  35. @ekananda9591 on April 18, 2025 at 10:29 pm

    Mental health benefit alone is enough for me to do cardio. This is something I don’t get from doing resistance training alone

  36. @matkasim on April 18, 2025 at 10:30 pm

    Walking is everything. Then weight training . Then Hiit

  37. @flavius22 on April 18, 2025 at 10:30 pm

    For milions of years our sncestors probably walked, ran and climbed for hours every day. How much cardio can be too much?

  38. @Sam-ue4rv on April 18, 2025 at 10:33 pm

    Bro Science..

  39. @ahmadbukhari2690 on April 18, 2025 at 10:34 pm

    Human born for cardio

  40. @KwentongDakila-VoiceOvers on April 18, 2025 at 10:34 pm

    I lost 5kgs for jogrun activities for a month… it’s effective to me

  41. @valentinoyap on April 18, 2025 at 10:35 pm

    Thanks ❤, lesson learned. I was the extreme, now I slow down

  42. @TehkNinja on April 18, 2025 at 10:36 pm

    This video is just stupidly wrong. Do cardio, eat healthy, and you will feel better and lose weight.

  43. @UncleRambone on April 18, 2025 at 10:38 pm

    Running works and has worked since humans started doing it.

  44. @KratosThunder-qr7ih on April 18, 2025 at 10:40 pm

    WDYM there’s no differences?

  45. @MoleculeMan2025 on April 18, 2025 at 10:41 pm

    Wow this guy really needs to educate himself. Zone 2 training and resistance training are best for overall health. The purpose of zone 2 is not to burn fat but to stretch and not strain the heart.

  46. @linnsan16 on April 18, 2025 at 10:45 pm

    This actually helps me this makes so much sense bc I’m new to the gym and I thought you could lose fat by doing cardio only but I didn’t change my diet and I do feel more lazy so thank you🙏🏻

  47. @Vaser1013 on April 18, 2025 at 10:47 pm

    The graphic on the thumbnail of this video is horse shit

  48. @LuisGarcia-mr2vb on April 18, 2025 at 10:47 pm

    If you can move after cardio 🤔 lazy 😂

  49. @rsa553 on April 18, 2025 at 10:48 pm

    You normally dont do cardio at 70% of your max heart rate. This is misleading!!

  50. @Lexxander45 on April 18, 2025 at 10:48 pm

    Triathletes are super unhealthy

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