the best workout for fat loss

The world of workout and training can be super confusing cos of how much choice there is out there. I mean from lifting weights alone you got bodyweight workouts, weight lifting, bodybuilding, powerlifting, cross-fit etc. From taking classes you got all shapes and sizes of yoga, pilates, body pump, dance classes. Then you got all the sports like soccer, basketball, badminton, tennis. Then there’s cardio from brisk walking, to marathons, to hiking, biking, swimming etc. So so many choices and one of the questions I get most often is:

“Which workout is best for fat loss?”

And the answer is...

... there isn’t one.

All workouts help you burn calories. Yes of course some might burn more than others depending on the intensity and volume of your workouts but overall what matters more isn’t how much calories they burn in the short term, but how much they burn in the long term. Long term in terms of months and years.

An easy example would be say you’re doing some cross-fit exercise that helps you burn 2000kcal per week (hypothetical numbers). It’s super intense, really takes it out of you but you chose to do it cos you think it burns the most calories so it must be best for fat loss. You do it for maybe 2-3 weeks and end up quitting cos it’s just too much and you actually don’t enjoy it, you only did it for the perceived fat loss benefits.

Now compare that to you doing a workout you actually love. Say you love playing badminton or taking yoga classes a couple of times a week, it’s relaxing and fun for you and it burns roughly 1000kcal per week (hypothetical numbers). Chances of you keeping up with it for 3-6 months is really high compared to the cross-fit example. In the cross-fit example you hated it, quit after 2-3 weeks which means you in total burned 6000kcal at most. This much less taxing and fun activity of badminton or yoga you can keep up for months, and over 3 months that’s easily 12000kcal burned and more as you keep going.

So what’s the best workout for fat loss?

It’s a workout that you enjoy cos something you enjoy has the highest chance of you sticking to it the longest and the longer that you stick to it, the more benefits you’ll reap from it in the long run. Losing fat is a long run game, the things that matter are the things that you are consistent with for a long period of time. Things that you do temporarily mean very little cos temporary actions yield temporary results.

Of course do remember though at the end of the day if your primary goal is fat loss, diet should still be your number one focus. Working out consistently doesn’t guarantee you’ll lose fat. Losing fat depends on your diet, depends on how much (calories) you’re consuming on a regular basis. If you’re consistently in a calorie deficit, then working out can definitely act as a supplement to help you towards your goals.

If you’re constantly eating too much, no amount of working out is gonna help you lose fat.

Fat loss is a race where the goal is just to reach the finish line. You don’t need to reach the finish line as fast as possible, you just need to reach the finish line. Take all the time you need. You gotta stay on course, go at a pace that’s comfortable to you, and keep on moving forward little by little.

Stop rushing it.

Trying to go faster in most cases is exactly what makes the journey longer than it needs to be cos you end up having to take breaks or restart.

Don’t know what workout to do? Choose something you enjoy and start with making time to do it once a week. Over 3-4 weeks, add more as you see fit.

Something is always always better than nothing.

Till the next one~

—Po