I will start with this, I am a science guy. I like to read studies and follow the facts. On this hot take of exercising too much for fat loss I'm just going off my experiences.
Too often I'll get deep into the weeds of trying to make everything with training, conditioning, recovery, and nutrition perfect. Fortunately I have gotten better at going where my body leads me.
Last weekend I hiked Mt Washington. It was a grueling near seven hour challenge. I knew I'd be shot so I planned for a deload this week.
With my deload I halved all my weights while keeping reps and sets the same. For conditioning I did not do my three one hour rucks or runs. Nor did I have any hiit sessions which I try to get one or two in a week. Instead, I only walked lesisurely for an hour four days this week.
I'm still on a cut so I stayed in a calorie deficit. Because I was taking it easy this week I didn't expect to lose any weight. Meanwhile, I dropped two pounds which is well above the .75 to one pound I have been averaging.
This is not a new phenomenon for me. I think I get this revelation every time I need to recover and just let my diet do its job.
Like I said at the top, I'm not going deep into the weeds on this one. It's happened too many times not to have value for me. I would imagine it has to do with hormones, cortisol, whatever.
Will this apply to you, I don't know. I'm 54 and I train really f'n hard. That goes for my weight training and conditioning. If you aren't trying to break yourself taking it easy probably won't help with weight loss.
My takeway, when in a calorie deficit I'm better off pushing my weight training as hard as I can to maintain as much strength and muscle as possible. For conditioning, I have to take it easy. It's just not the season for it.
I wonder if I'll actually remember this for my next cut or will I have this same revelation for probably the umpteenth time.
