The best cardio for weight loss is the one you’ll do consistently, at an effort you can recover from. Cardio burns calories and builds your heart health, but it works best as one part of a plan that also includes strength training and good nutrition.
How much cardio do you need?
A great baseline is the general health guideline of about 150 minutes of moderate activity per week — for example, 30 minutes, five days a week. From there, we adjust based on your goal, schedule and recovery.
My top cardio picks for fat loss
1. Brisk walking (incline or outdoors)
Low impact, easy to recover from, and it adds up fast. An incline treadmill walk is one of my favorite tools for clients who are new to training or carrying extra weight. Read more in my post on walking 10,000 steps a day.
2. Intervals (HIIT and Tabata)
Short bursts of hard work followed by rest. Intervals are time-efficient and great for conditioning, but they’re demanding — one or two sessions a week is plenty for most people. Here’s my guide to getting started with Tabata.
3. Cycling
Easy on the knees and simple to scale. A stationary bike is perfect for steady sessions or intervals, and it’s a smart choice if you’re working around joint pain.
4. Rowing
Rowing uses your legs, back and arms at the same time, so you get a lot of work done in a short session. Focus on technique: legs, then hips, then arms.
5. Stair climber and jump rope
Both build conditioning quickly. Start with short rounds and build up — they’re tougher than they look.
How I program cardio around strength training
- Lift first, cardio second if you do both in one session, so your strength work gets your best energy.
- Keep most cardio easy to moderate — you should be able to talk in short sentences.
- Limit hard intervals to 1–2 days a week and not the day before heavy leg training.
- Train in the cooler hours. Here in Tampa, early morning or evening sessions (or a gym) make summer cardio far more manageable — and bring water.
The real secret
Cardio helps, but fat loss is driven by your overall calorie balance. Pair your sessions with a sensible intake — my Body & Nutrition Calculator is a good place to start — and don’t skip strength work. Not sure how to balance the two? Read cardio vs. strength training.