Why your relationship with cardio is more complicated than you think
Some people love it. Some people dread it. And most people think they need to do more of it — without really knowing why.
Cardio has become one of those things that gets thrown around as the default answer to fat loss. Not seeing results? Do more cardio. Want to lose weight? Start running. And yet, for something that supposedly holds all the answers, a lot of people are doing a ton of it and still not getting where they want to go.
So let's actually talk about what cardio is, what it does, and where it fits into a plan that gets you real, lasting results.
First, Let's Define It
Cardiovascular training is anything that raises your heart rate through movement. Walking, swimming, cycling, dancing in your kitchen — it all counts. The category is broad, which is part of why there's so much confusion around it. Not all cardio is created equal, and what works for one goal might not serve another.
Before we go any further though, I want to be clear about something: resistance training — lifting weights — is non-negotiable. I don't care if you're not going for a muscular look. Building and maintaining lean muscle is what keeps your metabolism healthy, makes your results last, and helps you feel strong in your body long-term. Muscle is harder to build than most people think, so you don't need to worry about getting "too bulky." What you do need to worry about is avoiding it altogether.
Cardio is a tool. Resistance training is the foundation.
Now, with that said — let's break cardio down into two categories, because understanding this will completely change how you use it.
Aerobic Training: The Underrated One
Aerobic training is steady-state cardio — a consistent, moderate pace you can sustain without stopping. Think walking, light jogging, cycling, swimming, or an incline treadmill walk. The kind of cardio that doesn't feel dramatic but quietly does a lot of work.
Most people skip this in favour of intense, sweaty sessions because they assume higher heart rate equals more fat burned. That's actually not how it works.
When you keep your heart rate in a lower range — roughly 60–70% of your max (a simple estimate: 220 minus your age) — your body shifts into a state where it primarily uses stored body fat as fuel. It's not flashy, but it's effective. If fat loss is the goal, building aerobic sessions into your week is one of the most straightforward things you can do.
These sessions don't need to be long — 30 to 45 minutes is plenty. And they can go right after a lifting session or on their own. If you have a fitness tracker, keep an eye on your heart rate and stay in that zone. Being out of breath doesn't mean you're burning more fat — it usually means you've pushed past the zone where fat is the primary fuel source.
Anaerobic Training: The Intense One
Anaerobic training is the high-effort, short-burst style of training — HIIT, Tabata, circuit training, sprint intervals. The work periods are hard, the rest periods are short, and your body is running on stored glucose and glycogen rather than oxygen. That burning feeling in your muscles when you think you can't do one more rep? That's anaerobic training doing its thing.
This style of training does burn calories, builds some conditioning, and can be an effective tool in the right context. But it's not where I'd start most people, and it's definitely not something to stack on top of your lifting sessions without thought. Done too frequently or without proper nutrition, it becomes a stress on the body that works against you rather than for you.
Anaerobic sessions work well as a standalone day — 15 to 30 minutes, something like 20 to 45 seconds of hard effort followed by 30 to 90 seconds of rest. The harder you go, the more rest you take. If you're newer to training, start on the easier end and build up gradually.
So How Should You Structure It?
If you're following a 3 to 4 day resistance training plan, here's a simple framework:
1 aerobic session per week — 30 to 45 minutes, moderate pace, heart rate in that 60–70% range. Can be done after lifting or on its own.
1 anaerobic session per week — 15 to 30 minutes, high effort intervals, done on a separate day from lifting so you're actually able to give it what it needs.
Both types serve a purpose. Neither should replace the other — or replace your resistance training.
The bigger issue I see isn't that people aren't doing enough cardio. It's that cardio has become the go-to solution for a problem that actually requires a more complete approach — one that includes strength training, nutrition, recovery, and habits that hold up when life gets busy.
If you're trying to figure out how all of this fits together for your life and your goals, that's exactly what we work through at Diamond Coaching. No cookie-cutter plans, no guesswork — just a strategy built around what actually works for you.
Feel free to reach out or grab a time to chat. I'd love to help you put the pieces together.
