**Key Takeaways: Stop Doing Cardio Like This to Lose Abdominal Fat** *Thomas Delauer’s Insights on Effective Fat Loss Strategies* --- ### **1. Avoid "Zone Creep" for Optimal Fat Utilization** - **Mistake:** Gradually increasing cardio intensity (creeping into Zones 3-5) shifts fuel reliance from fat to carbohydrates, reducing fat-burning efficiency. - **Solution:** Stay in **Zone 2 cardio** (60% effort), where you can hold a conversation or sing. This zone prioritizes fat as the primary fuel source and sustains metabolic health. --- ### **2. Increase Protein Intake with Cardio** - **Mistake:** Failing to adjust protein intake when adding cardio leads to muscle loss, slowing metabolism. - **Solution:** Add **30g of protein per 30 minutes of cardio** to preserve muscle mass. Example: 60 minutes of cardio = +60g protein (adjust based on body weight). --- ### **3. Cross-Train to Prevent Efficiency Plateaus** - **Mistake:** Sticking to one cardio method (e.g., running) allows the body to adapt, reducing calorie burn over time. - **Solution:** Rotate cardio modalities (bike, rower, skier) to keep workouts challenging and maintain fat-burning effectiveness. --- ### **4. Leverage Upper-Body Cardio for Intensity** - **Mistake:** Over-relying on leg-dominant cardio (running, cycling) misses the heart rate benefits of upper-body work. - **Solution:** Use rowing, battle ropes, or skiing to exploit **peripheral resistance** (arms require more effort from the heart), ideal for HIIT sessions. --- ### **5. Prioritize Resistance Training Over Excessive Cardio** - **Mistake:** Excessive cardio can impair recovery for resistance training, leading to muscle loss and slower metabolism. - **Solution:** Balance cardio with leg/glute-focused resistance training to maintain muscle mass, which drives long-term fat loss. --- ### **6. Manage Post-Cardio Hunger Strategically** - **Mistake:** Cardio triggers disproportionate hunger, often leading to overeating and negating calorie deficits. - **Solution:** Plan nutrient-dense meals post-cardio and avoid using workouts as a "license to eat." Mindful eating is critical. --- ### **7. Boost Antioxidant Intake to Combat Oxidative Stress** - **Mistake:** Prolonged cardio increases oxidative stress, raising infection risks and slowing recovery. - **Solution:** Consume antioxidant-rich foods (berries, leafy greens) and supplements (vitamin C, alpha-lipoic acid, ashwagandha) to mitigate damage. --- ### **8. Separate Cardio and Weight Training (for Beginners)** - **Mistake:** Mixing cardio and resistance training dilutes focus on both energy systems, reducing effectiveness. - **Solution:** Keep sessions separate until advanced. Example: Lift weights in the morning, do cardio in the evening. --- ### **9. Make Cardio Enjoyable for Sustainability** - **Mistake:** Treating cardio as a chore creates a negative psychological association, leading to burnout. - **Solution:** Engage in fun activities (hiking, sports, family walks) that disguise cardio as leisure, ensuring long-term adherence. --- ### **Additional Tips** - **Hydrate with Electrolytes:** Dehydration exacerbates muscle soreness. Increase sodium intake pre/post-cardio to retain intracellular water. - **Track Progress Sparingly:** Avoid obsessive calorie counting. Periodically monitor food intake to manage post-cardio hunger without triggering orthorexia. --- ### **Conclusion** Effective abdominal fat loss requires strategic cardio, not just more cardio. Key principles include: 1. **Stay in Zone 2** to optimize fat oxidation. 2. **Preserve muscle** with increased protein and resistance training. 3. **Prevent adaptation** through cross-training and varied modalities. 4. **Mitigate oxidative stress** with antioxidants. 5. **Prioritize enjoyment** to sustain habits long-term. By avoiding these nine mistakes, you align cardio with metabolic health, muscle retention, and sustainable fat loss. Balance intensity, nutrition, and recovery to transform cardio from a grind into a tool for lifelong wellness. *Final Note:* Cardio is a supplement-not a replacement-for a holistic fitness strategy. Pair it with strength training, mindful eating, and recovery for visible, lasting results.
Upper-body cardio is amazing! I used to struggle to get my heart rate above 150-160 bpm, but lightweight upper-body workouts with very short breaks between sets absolutely destroy me. They’ve significantly improved both my everyday endurance and my normal strength training performance, while taking significantly less time and being more convenient to do than running or cycling.
I feed my dog food I get from a local butcher with a raw egg mixed in. I'm starting to get back into a morning routine where I'm waking up at 5am and hoping on the treadmill for 15-30 minutes before doing my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Exercises and then doing some weight training (Push, Pull, Legs, Core, Neck) is most likely what I'll be doing. Saturday and Sunday will mainly be rest days other than the treadmill and a day of moving at work.
Zone 1 is best for fat burning. It takes time, but luckily the "soleus push-up" (seated heel lift) exist as a great complement to wallking. Soleus push-ups can be done everywhere seated, even at work, and require no stamina so it can be done for hours.
QUESTION: does chicory root powder break a fast? When I say break a fast, I mean is it allowed to be consumed in the same way that coffee and tea and spices are allowed during a fast?
Thomas, can you recommend foods and supplements that are natural performance enhancers?I want to become stronger for calisthenic and I don't want to take any performance drugs.
I don't have a problem with Ghrelin after a long zone 2 cardio session. In fact, I've fasted after doing it on occasion. Maybe it's just different for everyone. It stays my hunger more than enhances it. My Ghrelin is on a timeline: 24 hours of fasting and it peaks and later dips after I fall asleep into the next morning.
Your video just started playing even tho I didn't ask it to. How do you teach your videos to be so aggressive? Thx for following your dreams to share your burning passion with others. Aggressiveness just pisses me off & helps me walk away now tho. Thx!
@ThomasDeLauerOfficial I don't usually get to see commercials at all due to my "controversial" natural health & electromagnetic content I'm drawn to as a massage therapist & Energyworker, lol.⚡️🤷♀️🧲
I'm confused on 8 I do 15-20 on treadmilll every work out session and then go to resistance training Is this what you mean or do you mean cardio mixed in with resistance
There is a difference between women and men especially post menopausal women. Women need more high intensity. Stacy Simms is an exercise physiologist who studies women specifically. She said women are more designed for cardio so they don't see results with cardio. As a post menopausal woman I have gotten better results with less cardio and more V02 max and threshold training. She said still do some less cardio but more easy stuff like walking or hiking.
Sorry Mr. Delauer Studies Boss, I must mix my anaerobic with aerobic simply because being a truck driver not always easy to get to the gym even twice a week, I have schedules to keep...Making general videos doesn't always work man...Studies don't account for people's hectic real lives...I respect your passion and dedication man I really do, but maybe change your channel up a bit 🙂
And he gears to upper middle class to wealthy people. Those who can afford the food he eats and has the time to work out as much as he does and has one job. He's married so his wife can raise kids, clean (unless they hire help for that) , cook etc. I appreciate the work he puts into all this but it's not for normal people
"Normal people" can be quite the term there. I'm a very working class fella, and by no means do I have surplus funds. But I do find it easy to just buy whole foods instead of bs. And I just batch cook a bunch of cheap Wal-Mart chicken breast. I get the cheapest 73% ground beef and just drain it well. Steamed veggie bags are only a dollar each at Walmart and take 5min in microwave. Couple giant tins of cottage cheese and yogurt are rather low cost. Even the daisy brand is all natural ingredients an almost same cost as store brand. Aldis has the deal on the fat free Greek I live off of lol. Collagen protein I get cheap at Costco in bulk. I know it seems really heavy and hard task at first. But you can batch cook delicious whole foods for super cheap (yes it's not pasture raised an grass fed, but easily the next best thing still) Check into a cheap air fryer, and pressure cooker if I can suggest.... get family packs meat. Get cha like 4 days worth good meat in fridge. Then I have a bunch of those dollar steamer veggies bags. An frozen cheap fruit.... You can totally rock out on whole foods the walmart way. Just a suggestion, I know it's not the perfect way that sometimes feels like is all thats pushed on us by fit influencers.... but by far I rock whole foods. Hit 6 to10k steps a day, an hit my 24hr fitness 30bucks a month gym when I have the time a few days a week. You can totally do this in a suitable manner for yourself, and your own personal needs. I know when we start something new it seems difficult. But please don't feel like whole foods and physical activity lifestyle is limited to only for wealthy people. I understand time is one of the hardest parts. An when you make your health a priority, you will see small changes you can start stacking up without any life overhauling drastic shift. And you will feel so good about it, because before you know it a year passes. And you're accidentally eating a nearly all whole food lifestyle that's delicious and costed the same as before. And the new found energy gained from that alone is worth nearly any cost. But it's really not much more expensive to eat whole foods, when you're creative with it. And mainly batch cook your proteins, an have cheap quick good sides on the fly. Best of luck to anyone who is 1st chasing this new found lifestyle shift. One love 🙏
@JohnTCampbell1986 Well BRO I'm over the road, living in the semi truck for one... just because I don't get to the gym doesn't mean I don't get exercise walking around a store,truck stop etc... going to the gym means I'm going to take a shower afterwards okay All time consuming, but it's all good you or your friends they don't live my life actually so it's all good 👍
I love how you always circle back to the beginners or heavier folks for their optimal take on your videos. You’re ripped and fit, but you don’t leave us newbies behind, ever. I’d argue you’re frequently spinning the video from our perspectives. Thank you!
MORE protein? additional 30 grams per 30 minutes?! this is discouraging for me. i can’t even hit my baseline goals - i live in hawaii and food is expensive, and i can’t eat that much anyway. hopefully my EAAs help supplement the cardio i do, because adding 60 grams a day would be impossible…..
Put the ear buds in, get you favorite youtube shows or music on and it goes much better. Sometimes I get so into what I'm listening to, I don't even realize how much time has passed. Tons better.
Yeah, I have a business to run, employees to pay and mouths to feed. You get free content and hours of research delivered to you free of charge. Skip the ad then. So entitled
So you think he can/should make high quality and informative vids like this for free while doing a day job for the man? Get your head outta your butt. His sponsors allow him to make a living by bringing you quality content.
It makes you hungry, also spikes your blood sugar which makes you hungry, if your fat because you have food issues then cardio is not the answer, will make you overeat and you won't lose.weight
@@SP-xd8gsmakes who hungry? Not everyone is the same. When I have done it, my hunger has decreased. It depends on a lot of things, do you have a sedentary job etc, etc.
So what happens when you go harder than zone 2 when you are fat adapted and in a fasted state? Not a whole lot of carbs goin' on there.....are you subject to breaking down muscle as a fuel or is there enough lipolysis going on.....I realize that there has to be an upper limit for this to continue being the main fuel source....HIIT probably wouldnt work to well....
Bedroom cardio is best!
yup 😂😅
Even better when you're fasted!
My tongue is in fabulous shape….👅
@@liminal79 you’re absolutely right, only black coffee on board!
that's what I tell the wife
**Key Takeaways: Stop Doing Cardio Like This to Lose Abdominal Fat**
*Thomas Delauer’s Insights on Effective Fat Loss Strategies*
---
### **1. Avoid "Zone Creep" for Optimal Fat Utilization**
- **Mistake:** Gradually increasing cardio intensity (creeping into Zones 3-5) shifts fuel reliance from fat to carbohydrates, reducing fat-burning efficiency.
- **Solution:** Stay in **Zone 2 cardio** (60% effort), where you can hold a conversation or sing. This zone prioritizes fat as the primary fuel source and sustains metabolic health.
---
### **2. Increase Protein Intake with Cardio**
- **Mistake:** Failing to adjust protein intake when adding cardio leads to muscle loss, slowing metabolism.
- **Solution:** Add **30g of protein per 30 minutes of cardio** to preserve muscle mass. Example: 60 minutes of cardio = +60g protein (adjust based on body weight).
---
### **3. Cross-Train to Prevent Efficiency Plateaus**
- **Mistake:** Sticking to one cardio method (e.g., running) allows the body to adapt, reducing calorie burn over time.
- **Solution:** Rotate cardio modalities (bike, rower, skier) to keep workouts challenging and maintain fat-burning effectiveness.
---
### **4. Leverage Upper-Body Cardio for Intensity**
- **Mistake:** Over-relying on leg-dominant cardio (running, cycling) misses the heart rate benefits of upper-body work.
- **Solution:** Use rowing, battle ropes, or skiing to exploit **peripheral resistance** (arms require more effort from the heart), ideal for HIIT sessions.
---
### **5. Prioritize Resistance Training Over Excessive Cardio**
- **Mistake:** Excessive cardio can impair recovery for resistance training, leading to muscle loss and slower metabolism.
- **Solution:** Balance cardio with leg/glute-focused resistance training to maintain muscle mass, which drives long-term fat loss.
---
### **6. Manage Post-Cardio Hunger Strategically**
- **Mistake:** Cardio triggers disproportionate hunger, often leading to overeating and negating calorie deficits.
- **Solution:** Plan nutrient-dense meals post-cardio and avoid using workouts as a "license to eat." Mindful eating is critical.
---
### **7. Boost Antioxidant Intake to Combat Oxidative Stress**
- **Mistake:** Prolonged cardio increases oxidative stress, raising infection risks and slowing recovery.
- **Solution:** Consume antioxidant-rich foods (berries, leafy greens) and supplements (vitamin C, alpha-lipoic acid, ashwagandha) to mitigate damage.
---
### **8. Separate Cardio and Weight Training (for Beginners)**
- **Mistake:** Mixing cardio and resistance training dilutes focus on both energy systems, reducing effectiveness.
- **Solution:** Keep sessions separate until advanced. Example: Lift weights in the morning, do cardio in the evening.
---
### **9. Make Cardio Enjoyable for Sustainability**
- **Mistake:** Treating cardio as a chore creates a negative psychological association, leading to burnout.
- **Solution:** Engage in fun activities (hiking, sports, family walks) that disguise cardio as leisure, ensuring long-term adherence.
---
### **Additional Tips**
- **Hydrate with Electrolytes:** Dehydration exacerbates muscle soreness. Increase sodium intake pre/post-cardio to retain intracellular water.
- **Track Progress Sparingly:** Avoid obsessive calorie counting. Periodically monitor food intake to manage post-cardio hunger without triggering orthorexia.
---
### **Conclusion**
Effective abdominal fat loss requires strategic cardio, not just more cardio. Key principles include:
1. **Stay in Zone 2** to optimize fat oxidation.
2. **Preserve muscle** with increased protein and resistance training.
3. **Prevent adaptation** through cross-training and varied modalities.
4. **Mitigate oxidative stress** with antioxidants.
5. **Prioritize enjoyment** to sustain habits long-term.
By avoiding these nine mistakes, you align cardio with metabolic health, muscle retention, and sustainable fat loss. Balance intensity, nutrition, and recovery to transform cardio from a grind into a tool for lifelong wellness.
*Final Note:* Cardio is a supplement-not a replacement-for a holistic fitness strategy. Pair it with strength training, mindful eating, and recovery for visible, lasting results.
awesome thanks buddy
What AI did you use to do this?
@ Deep Seek R1
So just do a lot of walking for cardio
Dog people are just happier people! 💙
Awesome video!
True my friend.
The best
Yes!
Thank you for putting together this video. Very helpful.
Thanks for great videos.
Great video Thomas. Thank you.
Upper-body cardio is amazing! I used to struggle to get my heart rate above 150-160 bpm, but lightweight upper-body workouts with very short breaks between sets absolutely destroy me. They’ve significantly improved both my everyday endurance and my normal strength training performance, while taking significantly less time and being more convenient to do than running or cycling.
Thanks so much for the video
I feed my dog food I get from a local butcher with a raw egg mixed in.
I'm starting to get back into a morning routine where I'm waking up at 5am and hoping on the treadmill for 15-30 minutes before doing my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Exercises and then doing some weight training (Push, Pull, Legs, Core, Neck) is most likely what I'll be doing. Saturday and Sunday will mainly be rest days other than the treadmill and a day of moving at work.
Great content
Good contents as always
Me! When I do cardio, I am soooooo hungry; it is a hunger that causes me to make bad choices.
Yes! Running makes me so hungry. Walking doesn’t do that to men
It does the opposite for me. I can lengthen my fasting by doing long cardio sessions in the middle of the fast.
Electrolytes depletion causes hunger!
Zone 1 is best for fat burning. It takes time, but luckily the "soleus push-up" (seated heel lift) exist as a great complement to wallking. Soleus push-ups can be done everywhere seated, even at work, and require no stamina so it can be done for hours.
I feel this is focused on men's studies. Women require different ratios. Love the battle ropes
100%.
Go watch a women then. 90pc of his audience is dudes so ofc he's gonna cater to dudes
“ 30 extra grams of protein for every 30min of cardio” LMFAO😂😂
QUESTION: does chicory root powder break a fast?
When I say break a fast, I mean is it allowed to be consumed in the same way that coffee and tea and spices are allowed during a fast?
Thomas, can you recommend foods and supplements that are natural performance enhancers?I want to become stronger for calisthenic and I don't want to take any performance drugs.
Jiu-jitsu is a lot of fun and like no other cardio you'll ever do, give it a go
I don't have a problem with Ghrelin after a long zone 2 cardio session. In fact, I've fasted after doing it on occasion. Maybe it's just different for everyone. It stays my hunger more than enhances it. My Ghrelin is on a timeline: 24 hours of fasting and it peaks and later dips after I fall asleep into the next morning.
Your video just started playing even tho I didn't ask it to. How do you teach your videos to be so aggressive? Thx for following your dreams to share your burning passion with others. Aggressiveness just pisses me off & helps me walk away now tho. Thx!
That's a lot of commercials, dude.
What? lol
@ThomasDeLauerOfficial I don't usually get to see commercials at all due to my "controversial" natural health & electromagnetic content I'm drawn to as a massage therapist & Energyworker, lol.⚡️🤷♀️🧲
Buy Ad Guard. Boom, no more ads... anywhere.
10:22 such a good point
I'm confused on 8 I do 15-20 on treadmilll every work out session and then go to resistance training Is this what you mean or do you mean cardio mixed in with resistance
We make our own dog food. We are always looking for other alternatives when we travel that are Whole Foods for our dog. Thanks!
I'm sure this is true for fat loss. As to visceral / belly fat loss . . .
There is a difference between women and men especially post menopausal women. Women need more high intensity. Stacy Simms is an exercise physiologist who studies women specifically. She said women are more designed for cardio so they don't see results with cardio. As a post menopausal woman I have gotten better results with less cardio and more V02 max and threshold training. She said still do some less cardio but more easy stuff like walking or hiking.
Sean O'Mara on sprinting and VISCERAL FAT: th-cam.com/video/j4bXTIT2Bkc/w-d-xo.html
I’m always on zone 4 when i run😅😅😅
Sorry Mr. Delauer Studies Boss, I must mix my anaerobic with aerobic simply because being a truck driver not always easy to get to the gym even twice a week, I have schedules to keep...Making general videos doesn't always work man...Studies don't account for people's hectic real lives...I respect your passion and dedication man I really do, but maybe change your channel up a bit 🙂
And he gears to upper middle class to wealthy people. Those who can afford the food he eats and has the time to work out as much as he does and has one job. He's married so his wife can raise kids, clean (unless they hire help for that) , cook etc.
I appreciate the work he puts into all this but it's not for normal people
"Normal people" can be quite the term there. I'm a very working class fella, and by no means do I have surplus funds. But I do find it easy to just buy whole foods instead of bs. And I just batch cook a bunch of cheap Wal-Mart chicken breast. I get the cheapest 73% ground beef and just drain it well. Steamed veggie bags are only a dollar each at Walmart and take 5min in microwave. Couple giant tins of cottage cheese and yogurt are rather low cost. Even the daisy brand is all natural ingredients an almost same cost as store brand. Aldis has the deal on the fat free Greek I live off of lol. Collagen protein I get cheap at Costco in bulk.
I know it seems really heavy and hard task at first. But you can batch cook delicious whole foods for super cheap (yes it's not pasture raised an grass fed, but easily the next best thing still)
Check into a cheap air fryer, and pressure cooker if I can suggest.... get family packs meat. Get cha like 4 days worth good meat in fridge. Then I have a bunch of those dollar steamer veggies bags. An frozen cheap fruit....
You can totally rock out on whole foods the walmart way. Just a suggestion, I know it's not the perfect way that sometimes feels like is all thats pushed on us by fit influencers.... but by far I rock whole foods. Hit 6 to10k steps a day, an hit my 24hr fitness 30bucks a month gym when I have the time a few days a week.
You can totally do this in a suitable manner for yourself, and your own personal needs.
I know when we start something new it seems difficult. But please don't feel like whole foods and physical activity lifestyle is limited to only for wealthy people.
I understand time is one of the hardest parts. An when you make your health a priority, you will see small changes you can start stacking up without any life overhauling drastic shift. And you will feel so good about it, because before you know it a year passes. And you're accidentally eating a nearly all whole food lifestyle that's delicious and costed the same as before.
And the new found energy gained from that alone is worth nearly any cost. But it's really not much more expensive to eat whole foods, when you're creative with it. And mainly batch cook your proteins, an have cheap quick good sides on the fly.
Best of luck to anyone who is 1st chasing this new found lifestyle shift. One love 🙏
Bro I'm friends with 4 separate lorry drivers (class 1 and 2) who have no issue being in the gym 4-6 days a week as regular as clockwork
@JohnTCampbell1986 Well BRO I'm over the road, living in the semi truck for one... just because I don't get to the gym doesn't mean I don't get exercise walking around a store,truck stop etc... going to the gym means I'm going to take a shower afterwards okay All time consuming, but it's all good you or your friends they don't live my life actually so it's all good 👍
wouldn't switching it up because you are becoming efficient then take you out of zone 2 more often?
I will check out the dog food. We have 4 dogs also.
Lmao he brought that damn rubber adipose prop back out for the thumbnail and now he’s making it glow
I love how you always circle back to the beginners or heavier folks for their optimal take on your videos. You’re ripped and fit, but you don’t leave us newbies behind, ever. I’d argue you’re frequently spinning the video from our perspectives. Thank you!
MORE protein? additional 30 grams per 30 minutes?! this is discouraging for me. i can’t even hit my baseline goals - i live in hawaii and food is expensive, and i can’t eat that much anyway. hopefully my EAAs help supplement the cardio i do, because adding 60 grams a day would be impossible…..
Don’t listen to him, he has no clue what he’s talking about. That was a complete BS bro science statement
I'm a cat guy myself but Thomas may convince me to get a pup as well if he keeps this up
I'm surprised you say you're more hungry after a workout. I find a good workout actually suppresses the appetite.
Im am fasting till tonight and gonna take my pup for a walk 30mts.
Anyone else hear audio clipping when he pronounces the letter S in his speech?
Yes
What's your point?
@@jimbranaghan1228 was wondering if it was just my device having an issue
You can do all your weight training before you do your cardio.
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
But zone 2 is so boring...😮
Put the ear buds in, get you favorite youtube shows or music on and it goes much better. Sometimes I get so into what I'm listening to, I don't even realize how much time has passed. Tons better.
Number 4 surprised the shit out of me
Always selling something😢
Yeah, I have a business to run, employees to pay and mouths to feed. You get free content and hours of research delivered to you free of charge. Skip the ad then. So entitled
So you think he can/should make high quality and informative vids like this for free while doing a day job for the man? Get your head outta your butt. His sponsors allow him to make a living by bringing you quality content.
"Joe, your obese and its because you are exercising 5 days a week in zone 4 vs zone 2" said no Dr. ever.
It makes you hungry, also spikes your blood sugar which makes you hungry, if your fat because you have food issues then cardio is not the answer, will make you overeat and you won't lose.weight
You missed the point
@@SP-xd8gsmakes who hungry? Not everyone is the same. When I have done it, my hunger has decreased. It depends on a lot of things, do you have a sedentary job etc, etc.
@mightywind7595 makes everyone hungry if you run hard for 45 minutes you're way more hungry than if u walked
Waste of time!
So what happens when you go harder than zone 2 when you are fat adapted and in a fasted state? Not a whole lot of carbs goin' on there.....are you subject to breaking down muscle as a fuel or is there enough lipolysis going on.....I realize that there has to be an upper limit for this to continue being the main fuel source....HIIT probably wouldnt work to well....