The Formula: More Cardio + Fewer Calories = Weight Loss

By Steve Wilkens, BodyTrac Health & Fitness™

Q: I have not worked out in awhile and I recently started a new routine to lose weight. I also cut out certain foods from my diet. It has been six months and I haven’t lost a single pound. Someone at the gym told me it is because I am building muscle. Does that sound right?

A: No. With proper eating habits and regular cardio and resistance training at the right intensity you should be experiencing fat loss at a greater rate than building muscle, especially over a period of six months.

In regards to your workout routine, most people who start a workout regiment are already on an upward climb with their weight. If they do the bare minimum of cardio/strength training twice a week and make slight changes in their eating habits, they can expect to stop gaining weight, but not necessarily lose any.

First, when setting goals, we need to have realistic expectations of fat loss. The

AmericanCollege of Sports Medicine states, “For safe and successful weight loss, an overweight person should lose no more than one to two pounds per week.” On television we may see individuals claiming to lose as much as 20 lbs. or more in a month. Usually these are extreme “Results Not Typical” cases. Many of them are engaging in physical activity and weight training for many hours a day, restricting calories, and having meals prepared for them. Most people have families, careers, and other interests which limit their free time. Also, the people on TV are getting additional rewards for their efforts. We should gauge our personal expectations by what is healthy and realistic for us and not by what we see in the media.

Next, we need to focus on using the right methods to achieve our goals. Research is clear that fad diets may yield results in the short term, but not over longer periods. We initially change our eating habits giving us quick weight loss results, but soon we end the diet and go back to our old eating habits, putting the weight right back on. Making healthier food choices that we can maintain will provide lasting results. We may lose fat slower but it is more consistent and allows for a much greater chance of success.

Wouldn’t it be great if these outrageous claims were true? Forget healthy eating and exercise! The newest fad will help you take incredible shortcuts. Some even promise that we can lose weight while sleeping or while eating as much food as we want. Do these claims appeal to our knowledge of what we know we have to do or a promise of a quick fix? Over the years, these gadgets, machines, pills, drinks, diets, programs, and unused memberships have proven to fail time and time again. Yet, people are willing to shell out big bucks to try the next repackaged hoax.

What does every weight loss gimmick have in common? They all have a disclaimer that says their product must be used with proper eating habits and exercise for it to be effective. They tell us we have to purchase their “breakthrough” invention and then do what we already know will work. Under that theory, I have a backscratcher I would like to sell you for $19.95 and with proper eating habits and exercise you will see results, too.

But seriously, my recommendation is for a minimum of 60 minutes of cardio and strength training (in your target heart zone) 3 times a week and 30-45 minutes of physical activity on 3 other days. Also, I would advise counseling with a Registered Dietician to make sure your eating choices are in line with your goals. You should be meeting your nutritional and caloric needs, while paying attention to your portion sizes. Establish a baseline, track your progress, and revaluate your routine based on your level of success.

There is no real trick or secret formula to weight loss. If you want to lose fat you need to burn more calories than you consume. Change is not easy but if you stay focused, enlist help, and realize that it takes time to make a healthy lifestyle modification, you will be successful.

Steve Wilkens has been a personal trainer in Tallahassee for seven years with IFPA and ACSM certifications. He is also an owner and trainer at BodyTrac Health & Fitness in Killearn and holds the title of Mr. Florida Bantamweight 2003.