A version of this article was published on BYRDIE, featuring Joey Thurman.
“You’ve been sweating, moving, and logging miles daily, only to see the scale creep up. If weight loss is your goal, the lack of results can feel discouraging. What’s more, the inconsistency in anecdotal advice is dually troubling. Perhaps a friend suggested adding weights; another says to stick to running. Another well-intentioned friend says the problem is you’re running the same distance and your body has gotten used to it. Exercising can feel extremely complicated. To help dispel the fog, we spoke to fitness experts to learn how you should be exercising based on your desired outcomes.
According to Joey Thurman, a certified personal trainer, and Kuudose founding trainer, cardio is actually doing the opposite for notable definition. “Lifting weights/strength training helps us regulate human growth hormone and testosterone production, which helps add muscle tissue and is muscle protective,” Thurman says. “On the other hand, long forms of cardio will regulate cortisol and tell your body to store more fat as energy—so lifting and long cardio are battling against each other.”
