I hate to be the bearer of bad news but… cardio will not get you the toned body you’re shooting for.

I know this might ruffle some feathers, but before you tune out, allow me to explain.

First off, let’s make sure we’re talking about the same result. Everyone has different goals, and context is important.

So, when I say toned I really mean making body composition changes — losing body fat and building muscle.

If your goal is simply general health and wellness, then this message probably doesn’t apply to you.

Cardio can be amazing for heart health, but it falls short if you’re looking to change your body composition.

Here’s why:

Body Adaptation:

The body adapts to consistent cardio, which means you need to do longer or more intense sessions over time to achieve the same calorie burn making fat loss less efficient in the long run.

Short Term Calorie Burn:

Cardio burns calories during the workout. Once you’re done, your metabolic rate quickly returns to baseline, which limits its long-term fat-burning potential.

Muscle Loss:

Excessive cardio can lead to muscle loss, especially if paired with a caloric deficit. Losing muscle will lower your resting metabolic rate (RMR) and make it harder to sustain fat loss and achieve that toned look you want.

So many women think cardio burns more calories than lifting weights, while that may be true in the short term, in the long term it doesn’t because your body will adapt.

And I hear it all the time…

“I’ve been doing cardio for 3 months consistently, so why is my body not changing?!”

This is why.

You’re not giving your body a reason to make real changes.

You’re simply giving it a reason to get better at cardio.

If you want true sustainable body composition changes, the formula is pretty straightforward:

Build a healthy lifestyle — get 7-9hr of sleep a night, manage stress, eat a high protein and high fiber diet, lift weights 2-4x a week, and hit 8k+ steps a day.

Focus on getting strong — lift weights with progressive overload and focus on fueling your body for 3-6 months.

After 3-6 months of building muscle, go into a calorie deficit while continuing to lift weights with a focus on getting strong.

See the fat melt off your body and reveal that toned look you desire.

These principles have worked for my clients time and time again without any cardio.

In fact, in my 1 on 1 coaching program, I help you upgrade your lifestyle to build a healthy baseline, provide you with a personalized strength training program that will send that muscle building signal, and help you manipulate your nutrition, so you can finally get that dream body you desire for good!

The results are be transformative because we work with your body instead of against it.

Remember, my goal isn’t to bash cardio—it can be effective for certain goals.

But if getting toned is what you’re after, you might need a new approach.

Want to know more? Fill out this metabolic assessment and I can highlight what this process would look like for you.

❤️ Coach Emma