@drspencer: Almost 12 years as an obesity doctor who lifts… and people still don’t believe this: 1. Cardio isn’t the main driver of fat loss. An hour of cardio might burn 300–400 extra calories. A meal you barely think twice about can easily replace those calories. That doesn’t mean cardio is a waste of time. It’s great for your heart, fitness, mood, and long-term health. But if your goal is fat loss, controlling your food intake while preserving muscle will usually make a much bigger difference than adding more time on the treadmill. If you’re working out constantly and still struggling to lose weight, doing even more cardio probably isn’t where I’d start. 2. The scale can hide a lot of progress. Your weight can fluctuate from changes in water, sodium, carbohydrate intake, stress, and hormones. That means you can be making real progress for weeks without seeing much change on the scale. Pay attention to how your clothes fit. Track your strength in the gym. Take progress photos and look at your weight trend over time. The scale is useful, but it only tells you how much you weigh. It doesn’t tell you how much fat you’ve lost or muscle you’ve gained. 3. You don’t need to cut out entire food groups to lose weight. Carbs are fine. Dietary fat is essential. And you can still eat sugar while losing body fat. Your overall calorie intake matters most for weight loss, so I’d focus on foods that keep you full without using up a huge chunk of your daily calories. That usually means prioritizing protein, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and getting enough fiber. You can still have the foods you enjoy without turning every meal into a cheat meal. The goal is to find a way of eating that lets you lose fat without feeling hungry and miserable all the time. Because if your diet is so restrictive that you can’t see yourself following it six months from now, you probably need a better plan.

Dr. Spencer Nadolsky

Open In TikTok:

Region: US

Saturday 10 October 2026 17:09:54 GMT