How Much Cardio Do You Need for Fat Loss?
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If you are trying to lose fat and wondering whether you should be pounding the treadmill for an hour every day, this guide is for you. It is written for everyday UK gym-goers and home trainers who want a straight answer on cardio for fat loss without the fad claims or guilt. The short version: cardio is a useful tool, but it is not the main event. Let's look at what actually moves the needle.
Diet does the heavy lifting, not cardio
Fat loss comes down to energy balance. When you consistently take in fewer calories than you burn, your body draws on stored energy and you lose fat over time. Cardio can help widen that gap by increasing the calories you burn, but it is far easier to not eat 400 calories than to burn 400 calories on a bike.
To put that in perspective, a 70kg person jogging for 30 minutes might burn roughly 300 calories. A large flapjack or a couple of biscuits can wipe that out in two minutes. Get your nutrition sorted first, then use cardio to support the plan rather than rescue it.
If you have never worked out your daily calorie and protein needs, that is the logical starting point. Our guide on how to calculate macros and calories walks you through it step by step, and our piece on how much protein you need per day explains why protein matters so much when you are in a deficit.
So how much cardio do you actually need?
There is no magic number, but a sensible, sustainable framework looks like this:
- Baseline health: The UK NHS recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. That is a solid floor before you even think about fat loss.
- Supporting fat loss: Adding 2–4 cardio sessions of 20–40 minutes on top of a controlled diet is plenty for most people. That might be three 30-minute brisk walks and one interval session.
- Daily movement: Your everyday steps matter more than most realise. Aiming for 7,000–10,000 steps a day burns a meaningful number of calories without any formal "cardio" at all.
More is not automatically better. Piling on two hours of cardio a day tends to crush your recovery, spike your appetite and make training feel miserable, which is a recipe for quitting. Start at the lower end, track your progress over a few weeks, and add more only if fat loss stalls despite your diet being on point.
LISS vs HIIT: which is better?
These two styles get pitted against each other constantly, but they simply do different jobs.
LISS (low-intensity steady state)
LISS is any steady, easy-to-moderate effort you can hold a conversation through: brisk walking, cycling, the cross-trainer or an incline treadmill walk. It is gentle on the joints, easy to recover from and simple to add several times a week, so it pairs well with a hard lifting schedule.
HIIT (high-intensity interval training)
HIIT alternates short, hard bursts with recovery periods, such as 30 seconds hard on a bike followed by 90 seconds easy, repeated for 15–20 minutes. It is time-efficient and demanding. Two HIIT sessions a week is plenty for most people alongside weight training, otherwise fatigue builds up fast.
Here is the honest truth: for fat loss, the best type of cardio is the one you will actually keep doing. Both LISS and HIIT burn calories. Neither one "melts fat" on its own, and no session out-trains a diet that is out of control. Many people get the best results by combining a couple of easy LISS walks with one shorter, harder session each week. If you like a drink before harder sessions, a pre-workout is simply a formula taken before training; many contain caffeine, which contributes to alertness and concentration (from 75mg per serving). Anything containing caffeine is not suitable for under-18s or during pregnancy, so always check the label.
Keeping muscle while you lose fat
The goal is not just to weigh less, it is to keep the lean muscle that gives you shape and strength. Lose weight carelessly and a chunk of it can come from muscle, leaving you smaller but soft. Three things protect your muscle in a deficit:
- Keep lifting weights. Resistance training is the single strongest signal to your body to hold on to muscle. Do not drop your strength work in favour of endless cardio. Our push, pull, legs workout plan is a good structure to follow while dieting.
- Eat enough protein. Protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass, so keeping intake high while calories are low helps preserve what you have built. A daily target of roughly 1.6–2.2g per kg of bodyweight is a widely used guide.
- Do not slash calories too hard. A moderate deficit of around 300–500 calories a day is far more sustainable, and easier on your muscle, than crash dieting.
Whole foods should always come first, but supplements make hitting your protein target easier when you are eating less. A scoop or two of quality protein powder is a convenient, cost-effective way to top up, and a protein bar or snack is handy for busy days. Creatine is also one of the most researched and affordable supplements on the shelf; creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise, an effect obtained with a daily intake of 3g. There is no need to stop taking it while dieting.
Putting it all together
A realistic weekly template for someone leaning out might be three or four short strength sessions, two or three LISS walks, one optional HIIT session, and a daily step target. Anchor all of that to a modest calorie deficit and a solid protein intake, and you have a plan you can stick to for months, which is what real fat loss requires.
The bottom line
Cardio is a helpful tool for fat loss, not the whole toolbox. Your diet and calorie balance do the heavy lifting, weight training and protein protect your muscle, and cardio simply helps widen the gap. Two to four manageable sessions a week, plenty of daily steps and a sustainable deficit will get you further than hours of joyless treadmill time. Pick the cardio you enjoy, stay consistent, and let the results build. Ready to stock up? Browse our full range of fat loss and diet supplements or explore the whole NE Commerce range to build your plan.
Read: How to calculate macros and calories
Read: How much protein do you need per day
Read: Push, pull, legs workout plan
A quick note
This article is general information, not medical or nutritional advice. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle, and should not be used to prevent or treat any illness. Always read the product label, do your own research, and speak to a qualified doctor, pharmacist or registered nutritionist before starting a new supplement — especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18, taking medication or managing a health condition.