“I’m doing loads of cardio but not losing weight"

This is something I hear all the time as a personal trainer.

Earlier this week, a client said: “I’ve been doing loads of cardio, but the weight just isn’t shifting.”

They were putting in the effort, multiple cardio sessions each week, trying to stay active and genuinely committed. But despite that, progress had slowed and frustration was building.

Once we looked a bit closer, the issue became clear.

More cardio isn’t always the answer

Cardio is often the go-to for fat loss. It feels productive, burns calories, and is easy to understand. But relying on cardio alone can sometimes lead to stalled progress.

In this client’s case, most of their training was:

• Treadmill sessions

• Cross trainer workouts

• Occasional classes

  
  

Very little strength training, and no real structure around progression. This is something I see regularly. People work hard, but their approach isn’t balanced.

Why strength training matters for fat loss

When your goal is fat loss, strength training should play a central role.

Building and maintaining muscle helps increase your metabolism, meaning you burn more calories throughout the day, not just during your workout.

It also improves body composition. Even if the scales don’t change dramatically, you’ll often look leaner and feel stronger.

Once we introduced structured strength sessions into this client’s routine, things started to shift.

Why doing more is not always better

Another issue was that the client kept adding more cardio whenever progress slowed. More sessions, more time, more effort.

But this often leads to:

• Fatigue

• Reduced recovery

• Inconsistent energy levels

• Eventually, burnout

  
  

Instead of doing more, we focused on doing things better.

We reduced unnecessary cardio slightly and replaced it with focused strength training. Straight away, sessions became more productive.

Small changes that made a difference

We didn’t make extreme changes. Just a few key adjustments:

• Introduced 2–3 strength sessions per week

• Kept some cardio, but with purpose

• Focused on progression in workouts

• Improved overall structure

  
  

Within a couple of weeks, the client felt stronger, more energised, and more confident in their training.

Why this happens so often

Cardio feels like the “safe” option. It’s familiar, doesn’t require much planning, and avoids the uncertainty that can come with weights.

But without resistance training, it’s harder to create the long-term changes most people are looking for.

As a personal trainer in Nottingham, one of the most common shifts I help clients make is moving away from “just doing cardio” to a more balanced, effective approach.

Final thoughts

If you’re doing a lot of cardio but not seeing results, it might not be your effort, it might be your approach.

Adding structure, incorporating strength training, and focusing on progression can make a huge difference without needing to spend more time in the gym.