Cardio & Metabolic Adaptations

All too often, people want to lose weight and the first thing they do is cardio. Cardio increases the amount of calories a person uses which leads to weight loss…at first. The problem with cardio is that eventually, the metabolism adapts to the cardio and then weight loss stops. After the metabolism adapts to cardio, the amount of cardio must be increased to continue losing weight. Eventually, the metabolism adapts again and the vicious cycle starts over.

In many cases, people don’t reach their goal weight because the amount of cardio required is too overwhelming to continue. In some cases, people reach their goal weight, but once the metabolism has adapted to a set amount of cardio the same amount of cardio is required to maintain the weight loss.

Excessive amounts of cardio can decrease fat, but can also decrease lean body mass which will slow the metabolism. Not all weight loss is equal.

The key to losing weight and keeping it off is weight training. Weight training will cause muscle tissue to grow and become stronger. Stronger muscles use more calories than smaller weaker muscle. The increase in muscle strength and size will increase the metabolic rate. The increase in metabolic rate will lead to fat loss (assuming all other variables stay constant).

Weight training three times a week for 45 to 60 minutes can significantly increase your strength, metabolism, & fat loss.

Other side effects of weight training include:

  • Increased strength of connective tissue and tendons
  • Improved bone density
  • Increased flexibility
  • Increased self-esteem and confidence
  • Improved heart health
  • Better Sleep

All of which contribute to improved quality of life