Why Doing Only Cardio is Ruining Your Fitness Progress

Apr 2

The Obsession with Cardio

Here’s the truth: cardio alone won’t get rid of your belly fat. In fact, for many Indians, relying on cardio might be making your results worse.

Most people are stuck in a cycle:

Eat a high carb, low protein Indian diet
Try to “out exercise” it by doing tons of cardio
Lose some weight but also lose muscle, feel tired, and gain it all back
Sound familiar?

Why Cardio Doesn’t Work the Way You Think

Cardio burns calories while you’re doing it but once you stop, your metabolism goes back to normal. And if your diet doesn’t have enough protein, you’ll likely burn muscle, not just fat. Less muscle = slower metabolism = easier fat gain in the future.

Additionally, cardio increases hunger for many people. So even if you burn 300 calories on a run, you might eat 500 more later without realizing it.

Most Indian diets are already carb heavy. Pairing that with long cardio sessions and no strength training leads to a skinny fat look (low muscle, high belly fat) along with lower metabolism, constant cravings and low energy.

What Actually Works to Lose Fat (and Keep It Off)

If you want to change your body, not just lose weight, you need to change your approach:

Lift Weights 3-4 Times/Week: Resistance training builds muscle and keeps your metabolism high. It’s the key to long term fat loss.

Focus on Daily Steps: 7,000-10,000 steps per day improves fat loss, digestion, and energy levels, and it's easier to recover from than cardio.

Eat More Protein: Protein keeps you full, fuels recovery, and preserves muscle. Every Indian meal should have at least one solid protein source including paneer, chicken, eggs, tofu, Greek yogurt, or protein powder.

Fix Your Diet First: You can’t out train a high calorie, low protein diet. Start tracking what you eat and be honest about those extra sweets, chai, or weekend restaurant meals.

Do SOME cardio: Yes, cardio is necessary for health and caloric burn, but it shouldn’t be the only mitigation you have in place.

Why This Matters for South Asians

Indians living in Western countries are already at a disadvantage:

Sedentary jobs
Poor Fitness education
High carb meals

That’s why I coach Indian professionals on how to lose belly fat, build lean muscle, and get stronger without cutting out Indian food or wasting time on cardio that doesn’t work.