Running, cycling, swimming, and even walking are all forms of cardio designed to improve your cardiovascular fitness. These exercises primarily train your heart and lungs, boosting endurance and overall health.

Maintaining good cardiovascular fitness is excellent for longevity and is worth improving over time.

Can cardio help with weight Loss?

While cardio is fantastic for overall health, it's often overrated as a weight loss method. Many people believe that doing more cardio will drastically increase energy expenditure, but in reality, even regular cardio only boosts your weekly energy consumption by about 15%.

It's much easier to reduce calorie intake by eating less than to rely on cardio for weight loss.

WHY MOST CALORIES BURN ESTIMATES ARE WRONG

Energy Compensation

After long cardio sessions, your body compensates by reducing activity levels for the rest of the day. You might unconsciously move less—sitting more, walking less—therefore burning fewer calories during daily activities. On average, about 28% of the calories burned during cardio are offset by this reduced movement.

Smartwatches and Fitness Trackers

Relying on smart devices and "eating back" the calories they claim you’ve burned is unwise. Most fitness trackers overestimate calorie burn, sometimes by several tens of percent.

Look at the Difference, Not the Total

Instead of asking, "How many calories does running burn?" ask, "How much more energy do I burn running *compared to*, say, watching TV?" Remember, even when you’re not exercising, you’re still burning energy doing something else.

Takeaway: Do cardio for your general health, but don't rely on it to significantly speed up weight loss.