How To Lose Weight Without Cardio

Not everyone is a fan of cardio workouts. But it’s definitely possible to lose weight without cardio. This post will show you how, and share tips to help you on your weight loss journey!

Some people run the other way when they hear the word cardio because it’s just not their thing.

I get it – I’m not a big fan of it either. Don’t get me wrong, I love to exercise and see the great results from my press and pull home workouts. Toned arms and abs, and just feeling stronger and proud of my efforts are awesome benefits. Not to mention, how weight training boosts your metabolism.

But more on that later!

There are a few tips and tricks to losing weight without cardio and this post will tell you exactly what you need to do to make it happen. So, let’s not delay any longer, my friends! Cuz I know you’re ready to get started. Let’s do this together!

Is Cardio Necessary For Weight Loss?

Nope, cardio is not necessary for weight loss. I won’t lie, it can help because you will burn fat when you do aerobic workouts, but there are other ways to get it done too. And we’re going to look at those down below.

It’s true that the higher the intensity of your exercise session, the more calories you burn, but you’ll see in my tips below that there is a bigger picture – and what I mean is that a lifestyle change for the better is often the best way to lose weight without cardio. Cardio can get boring, or sometimes you lose motivation, but with a change in habits and attitude...you can accomplish a lot!

Can I Lose Stomach Fat Without Cardio?

Yep, you can lose stomach fat without cardio. Again, I’ll fill you in with my easy-to-follow tips below. But to give you a heads up right now, you can blast that belly fat via a few easy steps. I’ve given you the full scoop in this post 15 Tips to Lose Belly Fat | Based on Science, but for a brief rundown, take a look here:

• Add fiber to your day
• Drink green tea (and gain other benefits too!)
• Drink apple cider vinegar (learn how to do it here)
• Include probiotics in your diet
• Avoid sugar

Those are just a few of the ways to get rid of stomach fat. To read more about how to get rid of fat around the middle, hop on over to the post after you’re done here!

Can I Lose Weight By Lifting Weights Only?

Not really. Why, you ask? While lifting weights is an amazing thing to get into – as I said before, I love it – there is more to the picture than just lifting weights. Sure, we’re here to learn how to lose weight without cardio, but lifting weights is just one piece of the wonderful puzzle that getting fit is!

You’ve got to find a form of exercise that you love and will stick to and if lifting weights is it, then do it. After all, weight lifting does a LOT of things like help bone density and reduce blood pressure. So yes, definitely use weights as part of your training program. You’ll never regret it!

In A Nutshell: Cardio Versus Weights For Fat Loss

Both cardio and weights (also called resistance training) can raise your heart rate and that’s key to weight loss. Whether your form of exercise is hiking at a fast speed or using resistance bands to target specific areas, whatever you do to improve your overall health is a win, right?

I always say, step by step, be proud of what you do, and keep it up. You can do it! Just a few notes to add:

• Cardio does burn more calories than weight training in the same amount of time
• But weight training helps you to burn more calories while at rest (see my post on NEAT)
• HIIT (high-intensity interval training) has you doing bursts of intense exercise like sprints and jumping rope and is a proven way to burn calories
• Combining all types of exercise like walking, pushups, curls with weights, and more is an overall great way to lose weight

What’s More Important: Weight Loss Or Fat Loss?

Fat loss is really the key to better health. And when you lose the fat, you lose weight. When you follow a healthy weight loss eating regimen, you lose fat.

So, the two go hand in hand. But when you lose fat, you are doing yourself a favor by reducing the risk of illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. When you have more muscle, you burn more calories while at rest. Muscle growth and maintenance are also essential to body repair and strength as you age.

Keep a healthy balance of protein in your diet, make sure to exercise, and maintain a calorie deficit (eat more fruits and veggies, whole grains, and full fat dairy while ditching fake healthy foods).

Workouts To Make You Feel Better

Are you looking for ways to lose weight without cardio today? Start with this schedule for the week:

Monday: Do some resistance training (my video!)

Tuesday: Stretch your body with yoga

Wednesday: Work on your muscles again with squats, pushups, and lunges

Thursday: Give your body a rest

Friday: Follow my video again

Saturday: Take a nice long walk and breathe in the wonderful fresh air (see about your step count here!)

Sunday: Rest day

More Tips For Losing Weight Without Cardio 

You’ve got some great info in hand now on how to lose weight without cardio, and here are a few more tips:

• Eat healthy fats like avocado and olive oil, while avoiding unhealthy fats found in things like processed foods (they cause chronic inflammation!)
• Eat foods that fight inflammation 
• Don’t fill up on empty carbs full of sugar and additives
• Try protein powders as a way to increase your healthy protein intake
• If you are vegan, look to good protein options
• Get your steps in – you’ll be surprised at how easy it can be
• Use a food scale to help you portion control
• Choose a few healthy habits to get you started

How To Lose Weight Without Cardio

All right, I promised you how to lose weight without cardio. These are the 8 tips and pointers I have to get it done!

• Eat clean: This is so important. Stay away from packaged foods and make smart choices by eating protein, unrefined grains, and veggies and fruits. Stay clear of inflammation causing foods because you’ll only feel bloated and uncomfortable, making it harder to get out there and move with energy.
  
• Try strength training: We’ve touched on this a bit already but I can’t really stress enough how much strength training can do for your overall well-being, including helping your clothes to fit better. You’re building muscle after all!
  

• Drink water: Water is so essential to our health. When you drink water, you naturally feel better. Drink half your weight in ounces every day. You’ll lose weight and your skin will glow. Seriously!
  
• Keep a calorie deficit: Burn more calories than you eat! How to do this? I’ve written a post on how to calculate your macros which simplifies things. Watch my video on macros too!
  
• Intermittent fasting: This is a way of eating that works for weight loss and is practically fool-proof! The key is to find the right regimen that works for you – one that you can stick to and that isn’t hard for you to manage. Learn more about IF here and here. IF is a great way to burn fat and to feel in control of your eating.

• Meal prep: Meal prep is easy and super effective! Prep your meals ahead of time and then during the week when work has you swamped or the kid’s activities have you running from place to place, you’ve got healthy food at hand. Learn how to meal prep with these recipes – they are easy and delicious!
  
• Eat protein: As I have mentioned, I target my daily calories to be 40% protein. There are tons of sources for meat eaters, protein powder lovers, and even vegans. Eat your protein, folks, because it does help you lose weight and build muscle. Protein keeps you full and helps you burn calories as you digest.
  
• Get your sleep: Sleep does a lot for us, from preventing disease to repairing muscle after an exercise session. Poor sleep is linked to obesity and also makes it hard to fight off cravings that can pop up during the day. I have found personally that if I lack sleep, I gain weight and inflammation. So I aim for at least 7 hours per night.

The last thing I’ll say is, you’ve got this. You really do! Thinking about working towards a healthier lifestyle and taking some steps forward is major. And you are already doing it! So, keep going and watch the results happen.

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