Exercise is a tool — and we’ve used it very differently over the decades.

Think about it:

Then we got the eras:

70s/80s/90s: jogging + long, steady-state cardio

2000s: long-duration cardio gave way to “more intense”

HIIT + Peloton era: quick, sweaty, efficient

Now: thankfully… the emphasis is finally where it belongs — resistance training

But that leaves people wondering:

✅ Where does cardio fit now?

Let’s make it simple: it depends on the goal — and the timeline.

One of the biggest problems in fitness is that people coach from bias.

Meaning:

Example (and yes, people hate me saying this):

“Great… wrong tool.”

Not saying don’t do it.

It’s like my teenage swimmers:

No. Wrong tool.

The right tool depends on the goal — not your preference.

Resistance training isn’t just about aesthetics.

But today’s focus is cardio — because cardio has become confusing.

And it’s confusing because the “best cardio” has changed every decade… mostly due to trends and preference.

So here’s how I coach it:

The number one reason diets fail is unreasonable expectations.

So when someone says:

I’m not going to cheerlead that.

Because the plan depends on timeframe.

If the goal is short-term (days to a few weeks), cardio is rarely the main tool.

Example: my Peak Week / 5-Day Shred.

It’s a 5-day diet + 7-day program with 4 coaching calls and people drop weight fast — but there’s no exercise requirement.

Because if the goal is fast results:

nutrition creates the environment quickest

cardio doesn’t move the needle much in 5 days

and adding lots of cardio often makes people hungrier and less compliant

And once you push beyond about 30 minutes, cardio can increase appetite for many people.

So in short-term phases, the question becomes:

“Is the juice worth the squeeze?”

If cardio makes you hungrier and less compliant, it can work against the result.

If the goal is long-term fat loss and keeping it off, exercise matters a lot more.

Here’s something fascinating:

Multiple long-term weight loss studies (people maintaining results 2+ years) show a consistent theme:

The vast majority of long-term successful maintainers walk a lot.

And the data tends to land around this:

✅ ~350 calories/day burned through exercise

Not every day has to be exactly 350 — it can average out:

some days 250

some days 500

This is one of the most realistic, sustainable “maintenance” targets I’ve ever seen.

Two other studies looked at this question:

“If I don’t want to manage food very tightly… how much do I need to exercise?”

Answer:

🔥 roughly 770–800 calories/day burned through exercise

That’s a lot.

And eventually: ankles, knees, hips, back… something complains.

So yes, you can try to outwork your diet…

This episode comes full circle to one point:

You might enjoy an exercise.

Is it the right tool for your goal?

And that’s the part many people don’t want to face — because it requires giving something up, changing routines, dropping comfort habits, and choosing what works.

Exercise has to be part of your long-term life — not just a short-term “fat loss phase.”

Find what you can commit to…

🗓 Full 2026 Coaching Schedule:

🔥 Peak Week / 5-Day Shred

🧠 Victory Vault

This episode was recorded during Christmas week, but I’m likely releasing it between Christmas and New Year.

If you celebrate Christmas — I hope you had a wonderful one.

Relax. It’s done. You’re fine.

The new year is here — and if you want the ideal runway into 2026:

Start with me on January 12…