Why You Should Stop Overdoing it With Cardio

Cardiovascular exercise, such as running, cycling, or swimming, is a popular way to burn calories and promote fat loss. However, overdoing cardio can actually impede your fat loss efforts in several ways. Here are four ways that overdoing cardio can prevent fat loss:

1. Muscle Loss
   
   Cardiovascular exercise can lead to muscle loss, particularly if it's done excessively. This loss of muscle mass can lead to a decreased metabolic rate and make it harder to burn fat. Additionally, preserving lean muscle mass is crucial for achieving a toned and defined physique.
   
   Remember that you will burn more calories during resistance training (weight lifting, resistance bands, bodyweight exercise) and also while at rest after a resistance training workout. So it's more effective and more efficient to burn excess body fat through resistance training versus with cardio.
   
   
2. Plateau Effect
   
   Overdoing cardio can lead to a plateau effect, where your body adapts to the exercise and becomes more efficient at burning calories. When your body becomes efficient at burning calories, it requires fewer calories to perform the same exercise, making it harder to continue losing fat. Therefore, it's essential to mix up your exercise routine to prevent this plateau effect
   
   
3. Increased Stress Hormones
   
   Intense cardio can lead to an increase in stress hormones, such as cortisol, which can lead to increased fat storage, particularly in the abdominal area. This increase in fat storage can make it harder to lose fat, even if you're burning a lot of calories during your cardio sessions.
   
   
4. Increased Appetite
   
   Overdoing cardio can lead to an increase in appetite and cravings, particularly for high-calorie and high-carbohydrate foods. Intense cardio can lead to an increase in the hunger hormone ghrelin and a decrease in the satiety hormone leptin, making it harder to stick to a calorie deficit necessary for fat loss.