In this video, Eric Roberts debunks the common claim that fasted cardio is superior for fat loss. He explains that merely using fat as fuel during a workout does not equate to losing body fat; overall fat loss depends solely on maintaining a sustained calorie deficit (calories in < calories out). Roberts emphasizes that whether you eat before a workout is a personal preference, noting that consuming 20‑30 g of carbs and protein 30‑90 minutes prior can improve performance, especially for strength training. He advises using cardio primarily for cardiovascular health and endurance rather than as the main weight‑loss tool, reinforcing the principle that “you can’t out‑train a bad diet.” The video concludes that fasted cardio is neither better nor worse for fat loss—what matters is the overall nutrition and energy balance.
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If you're watching this video right now, you've probably heard something to the effect of fasted cardio is better for weight loss or fat loss. You've probably heard something to the effect of, well, when you do fasted cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach before you eat anything, your body is going to use fat for fuel. Your body's gonna use fat for energy for that cardio session, which in your head, theoretically speaking, might make total sense because if you're using fat for fuel, Then that means you're going to quote unquote burn more fat during that session, which would mean quote unquote you're going to burn more body fat and, you know, lose weight, change your physique, all of those things. And again, theoretically speaking, makes total sense. Why, why would you not do something that is going to burn fat during that exercise, which means you're going to burn more fat in the long run, right? Well, hold on. That's not always 100% accurate because Just because you use fat for fuel, just because you use fat for energy during that specific cardio session, does not mean you are burning body fat off of your body. In the same way, if I told you, hey, when you go and strength train, for example, and if you eat something before your strength training session or even a cardio session, you're gonna burn carbs for energy, you might think one of two things. You might think, oh well, carbs make me fat, so I gotta make sure I burn carbs so I don't get fat. Or you might think, okay, who cares if I burn carbs during my workout? Like, I wanna lose overall body fat. And so point being, you are not going to burn body fat off of your body, lose weight, change your physique from doing fasted cardio or from eating before your cardio session or after your cardio session. Before your strength training session, the only way you are going to burn body fat off of your body, change your physique, lose weight, is by being in an overall calorie deficit, being in an overall negative energy balance equation. Remember, losing body fat comes down to intaking less calories than what your body is burning. Losing overall body fat comes down to being in this negative energy balance equation, calories in, calories out. Versus calories out. If you intake less calories than what your body puts out, that is the only way to lose body fat. And this is why fasted cardio isn't better for fat loss or weight loss, because you can burn all of the fat you want as energy during your fasted cardio session. That's amazing. If you're not in an overall calorie deficit, then you're not going to lose body fat in the first place. Or if you eat before your cardio session and you burn carbs for energy, great. You're not going to lose body fat unless you are in this negative energy balance equation, unless you are in this calorie deficit that we have talked about thus far. So what it really comes down to is whatever you prefer. If you want to eat before your workouts, go ahead and eat. If you want to not eat before your workouts, go ahead and not eat. It really doesn't matter. Studies have shown eating before your workouts, and especially eating carbohydrates before your workouts, can increase your workout performance. So my 2 cents personally would be if you are going into a strength training session, I would definitely make sure you eat some sort of carbohydrates and protein 30 to 90 minutes pre-workout. Try to get anywhere between 20 to 30 grams of protein and 20 to 30 grams of carbs for your cardio. Again, whatever you'd like to do is totally fine. Personally, I would encourage you to use cardio as a tool to increase your heart health, increase your cardiovascular health, increase your endurance. You— I would try to stay away from using cardio as a tool for weight loss because once again, you can do all the cardio you want in the world. You've probably heard this, you can't out-train a bad diet. Okay? So I would let your cardio be used for improving heart health, improving cardiovascular health, improving endurance, Let your nutrition take care of your fat loss because unless you have your nutrition in check, you are not going to lose overall body fat in the first place. And so that is my 2 cents on whether fasted cardio is better or worse for weight loss. It's not better or worse. And again, even if you are in an overall calorie deficit, just because you're doing fasted cardio does not mean you're going to burn more fat just because you're using fat for energy. It doesn't matter what you use for energy during that workout. What matters for overall losing body fat is the calorie deficit you are in. So as long as you're in that calorie deficit, 2 thumbs up, you will lose body fat. Hope this helped.
