How do I cut back on cardio without panicking about gaining weight?

Nikkiey gets why this feels scary. Cardio is familiar, emotionally rewarding and feels productive, and some women tell her they don't get the same high from lifting. Her answer is to ease out of it, not abandon it. She says you can find that same love for strength training, but it takes time, and for some women it may take six months.

If the fear is weight gain, consider what more cardio may already be doing. Nikkiey lists red flags that suggest the cardio-heavy approach isn't working: you work out five days a week but your body isn't changing, you panic if you skip a session, you obsessively track calories burned, you're tired or wired, sleeping poorly, always sore but not getting stronger, constantly craving carbs and sugar, or gaining weight despite doing more. She calls these signs of metabolic down regulation, not aging. She also notes that hormonal changes and other factors can be part of the picture, so if those signs sound familiar, it's worth talking with your doctor too.

Nikkiey is clear that cardio isn't evil. Her point is that using it as your primary fat loss tool is outdated. After your late 30s, she says, it can work against you if it isn't balanced with recovery, the right nutrition and strength training. At WarriorBabe, the goal is keeping the movement you love, whether that's running or CrossFit, inside a plan that works with your body. If doing more hasn't changed your results, the plan is the problem, not you.