{"id":511561,"date":"2026-05-31T10:29:23","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T10:29:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/511561\/"},"modified":"2026-05-31T10:29:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T10:29:23","slug":"i-lost-25kg-when-i-stopped-doing-hours-of-cardio-the-weights-and-walking-routine-that-finally-worked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/511561\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018I lost 25kg when I stopped doing hours of cardio\u2019 \u2013 the weights and walking routine that finally worked"},"content":{"rendered":"

When it comes to fat loss, the internet is saturated with supposed tips, tricks and hacks \u2013 most of which have little scientific substance. Hoping to debunk some of these myths, personal trainer, yoga teacher and nutrition coach Stacey Jones<\/a> recently shared her own<\/a> fitness journey and the exact combination of cardio, weights and Pilates<\/a> that helped her lose 25kg.<\/p>\n

What she changed about her routine1. She reduced the intensity and amount of cardio she was doing<\/p>\n

\u2018When I was trying to lose weight, I was doing two hours of sweaty cardio<\/a> a night,\u2019 says Jones. But after her progress plateaued, she started questioning the approach, which is when she began learning about what she calls \u2018the cardio fitness penalty\u2019.<\/p>\n

In other words, \u2018the more cardio you do, the fitter you become, the less calories you burn per workout,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

\u2018Over a couple of months, as your muscles become more efficient and coordinated, you can burn 10% fewer calories in the exact same workout,\u2019 explains Jones. \u2018So to keep getting results, you would have to keep doing more and more cardio.\u2019<\/p>\n

Additionally, Jones says the hunger and fatigue she experienced from doing excessive cardio meant her \u2018motivation to do anything tanked\u2019 and left her \u2018in a battle with carb cravings\u2019, making it harder to stick to the calorie deficit needed for weight loss.<\/p>\n

While Jones stresses that cardio is still \u2018so important for your cardiovascular health\u2019, and that people should stick to whatever keeps them consistent, she believes that too much intense cardio can backfire if sustainable fat loss is the goal.<\/p>\n

2. She added more LISS<\/p>\n

Instead, Jones found that swapping intense cardio sessions for LISS<\/a> \u2013 low-intensity steady-state cardio \u2013 particularly brisk walking, was much more effective and sustainable.<\/p>\n

\u2018I could have burned the exact same calories just from getting 10,000 steps a day and wouldn\u2019t have felt as tired or hungry,\u2019 she says.<\/p>\n

3. She started weight training<\/p>\n

But changing her cardio routine wasn\u2019t the only part of the puzzle \u2013 strength training<\/a> played a major role too.<\/p>\n

\u2018Muscle<\/a> is your metabolic engine \u2013 lose muscle and your metabolism slows down,\u2019 says Jones. Unlike cardio, she explains, \u2018you actually do burn more calories the better you get at [weight training]\u2019.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s referring to the fact that muscle is highly metabolically active tissue. In other words, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn \u2013 both during workouts and at rest.<\/p>\n

\u2018Using the precious time you do have on the treadmill<\/a> trying to burn calories rather than in the weights section trying to build muscle is a bit of a waste of your time,\u2019 says Jones.<\/p>\n

She adds that focusing on compound movements<\/a> \u2013 exercises that work multiple muscle groups at once \u2013 and using progressive overload<\/a> (gradually increasing weight or reps over time) has been instrumental to her progress.<\/p>\n

\u2018Not using progressive overload will be the reason that you feel like weights are a waste of time.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"cardioYouTube \/ Stacey Jones<\/p>\n

Focusing on compound moves \u2013 like squats \u2013 helped Jones stay consistent and make progress<\/p>\n

4. She used Pilates to support her training<\/p>\n

\u2018If weight loss is your goal, you don’t want to be swapping all your cardio and weights just for Pilates,\u2019 says Jones. \u2018It doesn\u2019t quite challenge your muscles in the same way or use progressive overload to the extent needed to create muscle growth.\u2019<\/p>\n

In other words, on its own, Pilates isn\u2019t \u2018a great weight loss tool\u2019.<\/p>\n

Instead, Jones views it as \u2018a supporting role in my weekly training plan\u2019 because \u2018it\u2019s amazing for body awareness, mobility, flexibility, core strength and posture\u2019.<\/p>\n

The formula that works<\/p>\n

And there\u2019s another vital part of the fat-loss puzzle too: nutrition<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018When it comes to weight loss, exercise isn’t even the biggest tool that you have in your toolbox \u2013 nutrition is,\u2019 says Jones. \u2018Exercise is more like the cherry on top. It\u2019s supposed to feel doable and leave you energised.\u2019<\/p>\n

With this in mind, when building a weekly routine, she recommends:<\/p>\n