Once, I believed that simply increasing my weight training or drastically restricting my diet would lead me to my ideal physique—less fat, more muscle.
But in reality, even training five days a week without any cardio, I only lost some fat while my muscle mass dropped as well. And when I relied solely on dieting, both fat and muscle seemed to disappear together. The suppressed appetite always came back stronger, causing me to rebound. My attempt at leaning out ended up unbalanced and unsustainable.
Now, my routine looks different: two weight training sessions a week, combined with about nine months of consistent cardio—mainly on the exercise bike, or brisk walking on a treadmill when the bike isn’t available. According to inbody measurements, there are short-term ups and downs, but over the long run, my muscle mass is gently climbing and fat is steadily dropping. This is a clear contrast to the results I saw when focusing just on weights or food restriction.
What I’ve realized: extreme approaches don’t deliver lasting change. The real answer lies in balance—pairing a few sessions of weight training each week with 30 minutes of cardio every time. Stimulate the muscles, burn the fat, and avoid overdoing the diet. The slow, steady combination does more than any harsh, one-sided effort for building muscle and reducing fat.
Ultimately, it’s not about how hard you try or how tough your routine is. The real key is making these habits a part of your everyday life and just keeping at it. That’s what truly transforms your body over time.