Jimmy Mackey Profile picture
Sep 17 14 tweets 4 min read Read on X
Harsh truth:

Cardio is a stupid way to lose fat.

If you have 30 pounds of stubborn belly fat to lose by Christmas, read this: Image
Cardio doesn't burn as many calories as you think.

A 30-minute jog? About 300 calories. That's one cookie.

Plus, your body adapts quickly, making cardio less effective over time.
Excessive cardio can lead to muscle loss.

When you're in a calorie deficit, your body may break down muscle for energy.

This slows your metabolism, making fat loss even harder.
Cardio increases hunger.

Ever finish a run and feel ravenous?

This often leads to overeating, negating any calories burned.

Here's what you should do instead:
Calorie Deficit

A calorie deficit is when you consume fewer calories than you burn.

The best way to do this without counting calories is to simply increase physical activity.

Maximize fat loss by eating less sugars and high calorie junk foods.
Creating a calorie deficit works best with a diet that is:

• flexible — adapts to your lifestyle
• enjoyable — includes your favorite foods
• realistic — so you can stick to it for a long time

As you lose fat, you'll also need to recalculate calorie deficit targets.
Resistance Training

Lift weights 3-4 times per week.

Focus on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and bench press.

Train to failure or near-failure to maximize muscle growth and fat loss. Image
Resistance training preserves muscle mass while in a calorie deficit.

More muscle = higher metabolism = easier fat loss.

Plus, you'll look better as the fat comes off. Image
Low-Intensity Cardio

High-intensity workouts aren't necessary.

Walking, swimming, cycling, and rowing are enough to burn extra calories without impacting recovery or increasing hunger.
Aim for 7,000-10,000 steps per day.

This burns calories, improves cardiovascular health, and doesn't interfere with muscle growth or recovery. Image
Diet Breaks

Implement periodic diet breaks every 4-6 weeks.

Eat at maintenance calories for 1-2 weeks.

This helps reset hormones, reduces diet fatigue, and makes the process more sustainable.
The bottom line:

Ditch the treadmill.

Focus on resistance training, low-intensity cardio, and a flexible diet.

This approach is more effective, sustainable, and enjoyable for long-term fat loss.
I hope you've found this thread helpful.

Follow me @thejimmymackey for more.

Like/Repost the quote below if you can:
P.S. I'm looking for a few more men who want to lose 20-30lbs of stubborn FAT & build a LEAN body this fall.

(no restrictive diets, 3 hrs required per week)

Interested?

DM me "fall," and let's chat. Image

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More from @thejimmymackey

Sep 13
After losing 37lbs of fat, here's every piece of fat loss advice I can think of:

1. Buy a good pillow
Image
Image
2. Everything in moderation is fine—including the occasional glass of wine

3. Lifting weights 3-4 times a week is the best thing you can do for your masculinity Image
4. Walking isn't sexy, but it burns calories and won't burn you out like intense cardio

5. Never skimp out on protein unless you don't want muscles
Read 14 tweets
Sep 12
A hill I'm willing to die on:

Cardio is a waste of time if you want to lose fat.

Here's why (science-backed): Image
Don't get me wrong.

Cardio burns calories. So yeah—it'll help you lose weight. In theory.

The problem starts when you realize how brutal it is for beginners.

Gasping for air, knees in pain, feeling like you're gonna pass out.

This isn't fun. And there's more... Image
Cardio increases hunger, making it harder to stick to your diet.

But the worst part?

Cardio doesn't really build muscle, so you end up "skinny fat" instead of lean and strong.

So enough with cardio.

Here's your roadmap for fat loss success:
Read 14 tweets
Aug 27
No amount of exercise will make up for a sh*t diet.

Here are 8 simple meals to make you leaner than 98% of the population:

(cook in 15 minutes or less)
BREAKFAST

1) Eggs with Avocado & Vegetables

→ 1/2 avocado
→ Slice of tomato
→ Sea salt and pepper
→ 3-5 pasture-raised eggs
→ Cook in grass-fed ghee or tallow
→ Large serving of dark, leafy greens

Cook the eggs and greens in separate pans. ~8min total. Image
2) Berry Protein Smoothie

→ 1 tsp cinnamon
→ 1 tbsp chia seeds
→ 6 oz full-fat coconut milk
→ 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries
→ 1/2 cup of grass-fed yogurt
→ 1-2 tbsp of raw almond butter
→ 1-2 scoops of vanilla whey isolate

Place everything in a blender and blend! Image
Read 9 tweets
Aug 19
If I woke up 30lbs overweight and exhausted, this is how I’d get lean & healthy fast.

My nutrition, training, and lifestyle blueprint:
Nutrition:

• 5g of creatine daily
• 3 meals, 1 snack per day
• 3-6 fruits + veggies a day
• 40g+ of protein per meal/snack
Nutrition Continued:

• <3 alcoholic beverages a week
• finish eating 2-3 hours before bed
• optional 14-18 hour fast 1x a week
• wait 60min after waking to ingest caffeine
Read 9 tweets
Aug 1
Visceral fat is America's most deadly threat, and most people don’t even know what it is…

But it’s causing heart disease, diabetes, and numerous cancers behind the scenes.

A thread on losing your visceral fat (this might just save your life): Image
What is "Visceral Fat"?

Visceral fat is the deep belly fat that surrounds your organs.

Unlike surface-level belly fat, it releases toxic chemicals and massive amounts of inflammation.

It's the hard "beer belly" that pushes out your belly. Image
But why is it so dangerous?

Visceral fat leads to chronic inflammation, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance.

Then, eventually, the 4 Horsemen of Chronic Disease:

1. Heart Disease
2. Alzheimers
3. Diabetes
4. Cancer
Read 11 tweets
Jul 25
Heart disease is the #1 killer

But it’s chronic inflammation that causes it, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer's

Since your doctor won’t help you reverse it, here are 3 simple steps that can:
Do you deal with anxiety daily?

Do you wake up with aches and pains in your joints?

Do you battle constant fatigue, even if you slept well the night before?
It’s because modern life is destroying your health

• desk jobs
• high-stress work
• and sleep deprivation

Team up with diets heavy in:

• processed foods
• unhealthy fats
• sugars

To create the ultimate recipe for chronic inflammation

But what's inflammation?
Read 15 tweets

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