In this video, I’m going to help you optimize your cardio workouts for fat loss.

I wanted to continue the theme of the couple previous videos and this time go ahead and expand on how you can best optimize your cardio workouts to more effectively lose fat.

Though working out is a key component to reach your fat loss goals, I don’t have the chance to illuminate you on the A to Z of accelerated fat loss in this video.

It’s, for this reason, I create the freebie eBook, Accelerated Fat Loss 101.

This freebie eBook is designed to give you all the necessary nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle tools you need to master fat loss and reach your goals in an expedited manner.

EVA Fat Loss Cardio

Creating a caloric deficit through cardio isn’t complicated, however, it’s important to take a look into your cardio training modality in order to see if you are optimizing your cardio workouts for fat loss and/or your respective training goals.

Firstly, you need to ask yourself what are your training goals.

Do you only care about fat loss?

Do you want to focus on weightlifting and use cardio to burn surplus calories?

Or do you look at cardio the same way Superman looks at Kryptonite and think cardio is going to eat into your gains?

Granted if you wholeheartedly believe cardio eats up gains I doubt you even had a chance to make it to my third question, in which my response would be, no, cardio does not eat up your gains nor does it eat away at your superhuman strength like Kryptonite.

In AFL 2.6 I talked about your fat loss potential and which respective fat loss protocol you should follow.

In this video, I’m going to help you determine which cardio program you should be following and how it will tie into your fat loss protocol.

Accelerated Fat Loss (AFL) Cardio

First and foremost, will be accelerated fat loss (AFL) cardio.

The AFL protocol is most suited to your goals if you are the utmost concerned with fat loss and indifferent towards muscular retention.

If AFL is starting to resonate with you, then we can also assume that you don’t mind if your weightlifting workouts aren’t geared towards building muscle or gaining significant strength for max or sub-maximal lifting.

What this means is you’ll place a stronger emphasis on AFL cardio, as part of your training regimen, in order to increase the overall calories and fat that you burn. While also utilizing a weightlifting workout that is almost entirely composed of circuits, compound, and total body movements, and has minimal rest between sets.

To perform AFL cardio, you’ll be using a combination of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT Cardio) followed by Low-Intensity Steady State (LISS) Cardio.

HIIT cardio will increase the overall calories that you burn and place you in a strong caloric deficit. Additionally, high-intensity exercising releases stored fatty acids into your bloodstream which can then be used as fuel.

AFL Cardio In-Practice

Your HIIT cardio should be performed for about 15-25 minutes in ratios of time or distance. I recommend you start with a larger ratio such as 1:3 then working your way down.

For example, start with 15-second sprints followed by 45 seconds of recovery for 15 minutes then work your way up to 25 minutes and then change your ratio to 1:2 and work your way back up from 15 minutes.

While LISS cardio can be performed on almost any piece of cardio equipment HIIT cardio is not as versatile. I recommend you limit your HIIT workouts to running, rowing, swimming, cycling, or using a Skierg.

Your LISS cardio should perform at a nice and moderate pace that is challenging but not exhausting, for about 15-25 minutes.

Moving on to frequency, for the majority of my clients I typically recommend working out 3-4 days/week.

Breaking this down into AFL cardio and weightlifting, it would be ideal to perform 2-3 AFL cardio session per week and supplement the rest of your workout schedule with some fat loss weightlifting.PS While it’s entirely possible to weightlift and perform cardio on the same day it’s best that you start with weightlifting so you can avoid performing any dangerous movements while physically exhausted.

PS While it’s entirely possible to weightlift and perform cardio on the same day it’s best that you start with weightlifting so you can avoid performing any dangerous movements while physically exhausted.

Moderate Fat Loss (MFL) Cardio

Moderate fat loss (MFL) is designed as a middle ground between AFL and Slow Fat Loss.

MFL is ideal if you’re equally concerned with losing fat as you are with retaining/gaining lean muscle; which means the majority of your workout program will be geared towards weightlifting rather than cardio.

From a fat loss standpoint, you won’t be in so great of a caloric deficit that your weightlifting performance is significantly hampered but you’ll be in strong enough of a caloric deficit to ensure that you still lose fat consistently.

In essence, while following an MFL protocol the majority of your fat loss will be as a direct result of your nutrition and the fat loss that’s contingent on your workout program will provide more icing on your fat loss cake.

MFL Cardio In-Practice

To employ MFL cardio I typically recommend two different methods.

First, is a similar protocol as AFL but for a shorter duration and on a lifting day.

For example, ending your workout with 10 minutes of HIIT cardio followed by 10 minutes of LISS cardio.

For this protocol, I typically recommend 2-4 sessions per week after your weightlifting workout.

Second, will be HIIT and LIIS cardio on a standalone or accessory day.

For example, 15-20 minutes of HIIT cardio followed by 15-20 minutes of LISS cardio.

For this protocol, I typically recommend 1-2 session per week.

PS if this workout is on an accessory day, I recommend starting off with your accessories then moving on to cardio.

Conclusion

Fat loss workouts can come in a large variety of formats; all promising the most expedited results and a killer 6-pack at the end.

And while I could discuss for days the numerous ways you can work out to lose fat, what’s most important is that you follow a program that best represents your goals.

Enjoy the workout program that you follow, get your fat loss nutrition squared away, and push yourself to get stronger regularly throughout your program and the results will come.

I want to mention again that the freebie that comes with this post is the Accelerated Fat Loss 101 guide; this free eBook was designed to help you master your fat loss and reach your goals in an expedited fashion.

Click on the box below to get your free copy!

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I want to thank you for watching this AFL video on cardio for fat loss. I hope you found a cardio training program that best matches your fat loss and training goals. And that you can start implementing it ASAP in order to optimize your overall fat loss program.

That’s all for today – Cheers!