How do we loss body fat ?

Diet vs Cardio exercises

Losing fat is a combined process between diet and cardio exercise . It requires discipline and long term commitment to see results ./Image created by author using AI .

It is almost summer on the north hemisphere. The days are longer, the nights are shorter.

People are out for longer periods of time enjoying good weather and may be thinking : I should try losing some fat.

The overweight and fat people reached epidemic proportions in many parts of the world over the last decade.

Global adult obesity had risen sharply with more than 1 in 8 people worldwide living with obesity . In Canada, for example, 33 percent of adults age 18–79 are classified as obese, while 68 percent are considered either overweight or obese.

Overweight is a condition of excessive fat deposits.

Obesity is classified by the World Health Organization ( WHO) as a chronic relapsing disease arising from interactions between genetics, neurobiology, eating behaviors , access to a healthy diet market pressure and the environment.

As people experienced greater food security , socioeconomic development , shifts in diet and physical activity, a global public health crisis was created with more than 1 billion people being overweight and the prevalence arises in nearly every country.

Balance Diet is essential for losing fat

Studies showed that both diet and cardio play a role in fat loss, however diet has a bigger impact through :

· Appetite regulation with focus on high- fiber vegetables and lean proteins to stay full longer making easier to stick to fat loss goals without being deprived of major nutrients.

· Thermic effect of food by choosing high protein foods which increases the energy our body spends on digestion( diet induced thermogenesis ), which can naturally induce our daily caloric burn.

· Efficient deficit creation reducing our daily energy intake by 400–500calories through food choices appears to be more sustainable than running a 5 K ( 3.1 miles ) every single day.

How can cardio exercises support fat loss

The cardiovascular exercises can increase our total daily energy expenditure -TDEE ,by burning calories during physical activity itself .

It can be less efficient than dietary changes for creating a large deficit , cardio exercise promotes metabolic changes to our body in order to switch between carbs and fat .

Exercises an help loss fat through :

· Post exercise oxygen consumption via high intensity or HIIT work out which can slightly increase calorie burn after our work out , a process known as after burn effect.

· Improved insulin sensitivity which can be felt after about 8 weeks of regular moderate intensity aerobic activity, the body process the blood sugar more effectively which may reduce fat storage over time .

· Increased calories burn by engaging in steady-state cardio interval training helps to burn extra energy which can wider our daily caloric deficit.

What happens when we combine cardio and diet

By combining nutrition and exercises results in a powerful synergy which protects lean muscle while targeting fat.

Research showed that people who combine diet and exercise are more likely to maintain weight loss longer compared to those who only diet.

Both diet and exercise

· Increase life style flexibility by adding cardio allows us to eat slightly more food while staying in a deficit which makes the plan easy to follow.

· Muscle Preservation- while calorie deficit drives fat loss , exercise preserves muscle mass and helps to prevent sarcopenia during weight loss.

· Improve mental health — the mood- boosting benefits of exercise reduces emotional eating helping to stay consistent without dietary goals.

Fat loss is a holistic process

There are several additional factors which help increasing efficiency of burning fat :

· Stress management for cortisol — chronically high stress level can lead to elevated cortisol which influences fat distribution, including increase storage around the abdomen.

· Sleep for hormone balance -getting enough sleep improves regulation of ghrelin and leptin, the two hormones which control feelings of hunger and fullness.

· Resistance training for metabolism- by lifting weights we build muscle tissue, which in turn, burns more calories at rest than fat tissue.

Some practical tips backed by science

When comes to fat and weight loss the success in long term depends on managing small changes rather than drastic overall.

Here are a few manageable tips to help loss fat :

· Eat unprocessed food made from scratch.

· Hydrate yourself before meals may prevent overeating as the stomach gets full quickly.

· Prioritize protein intake and aim for high protein diet to protect muscle damage and repair.

· Care about NEAT or increase in non- exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT ) by walking faster or taking stairs .

Conclusions and Takeaways

· Losing fat or weight means eating fewer calories.

· Moving fast, increasing intensity of physical exercise means increasing heart rate which help burn calories, while making insulin more sensitive to sugar and keeping the muscles and heart strong.

· Both diet and cardio have a role in fat loss, however diet has the highest impact.

· Creating a caloric deficit is more effective than trying to burn more calories through exercise alone.

· Moving yourself on daily basis or cardio exercises will remain the background of weight loss with important benefits.

Thank you for reading my perspective.

Links to my most loved stories on this platform :

[embed]What is Hormonal Belly? What causes it, and how can we avoid or lose itmedium.com

[embed]Do some educational activities a few times a year To help your body and mind age slowlymedium.com

[embed]Why to talk about sex in Old Age? And why it matters ?medium.com

[embed]In the Old Age, listen to your body and pay attention to the environment. These can save lives.medium.com

[embed]Retirees, Do You Want to Live Longer? Your daily walking speed matters.medium.com

About the author:

Corneliu Bacauanu MD is a retired physician with 43 years of expertise and practice on 3 continents. He is a student on retirement and an aspiring writer.