Exercise as a Tool: Cardio, Bias, and What Actually Works

Exercise is a tool — and we’ve used it very differently over the decades.

Think about it:
In the 1950s, “exercise” wasn’t really a thing the way it is now. People moved, they danced (my parents and grandparents were ballroom dancers), but it wasn’t packaged as “workouts.”

Then we got the eras:

• 70s/80s/90s: jogging + long, steady-state cardio

• 2000s: long-duration cardio gave way to “more intense”

• HIIT + Peloton era: quick, sweaty, efficient

• Now: thankfully… the emphasis is finally where it belongs — resistance training

But that leaves people wondering:

✅ Where does cardio fit now?
✅ Do I need it?
✅ What kind? How much?
✅ Is HIIT better than steady state?
✅ Should I walk more?

Let’s make it simple: it depends on the goal — and the timeline.

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🔧 Coaching Without Bias

One of the biggest problems in fitness is that people coach from bias.

Meaning:
They coach what they personally like…
not what the goal actually requires.

Example (and yes, people hate me saying this):
If your goal is muscle gain and you tell me you do Pilates and yoga five days a week… I’m going to say:

“Great… wrong tool.”

Not saying don’t do it.
Just saying don’t expect it to build muscle.

It’s like my teenage swimmers:
If they want to be better at swimming, am I going to put them on a treadmill for an hour?

No. Wrong tool.

The right tool depends on the goal — not your preference.

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🏋️ Resistance Training: The Right Tool for Midlife

Resistance training isn’t just about aesthetics.
It’s foundational for midlife health because muscle is not “just muscle” — it’s metabolic, structural, protective tissue.

But today’s focus is cardio — because cardio has become confusing.

And it’s confusing because the “best cardio” has changed every decade… mostly due to trends and preference.

So here’s how I coach it:

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⏳ The First Question I Ask: “How long have we got?”

The number one reason diets fail is unreasonable expectations.

So when someone says:
“I want to lose 30 pounds in 6 weeks…”

I’m not going to cheerlead that.
I’m going to coach reality.

Because the plan depends on timeframe.

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🎯 Short-Term Fat Loss: Nutrition Does the Heavy Lifting

If the goal is short-term (days to a few weeks), cardio is rarely the main tool.

Example: my Peak Week / 5-Day Shred.

It’s a 5-day diet + 7-day program with 4 coaching calls and people drop weight fast — but there’s no exercise requirement.

Because if the goal is fast results:

• nutrition creates the environment quickest

• cardio doesn’t move the needle much in 5 days

• and adding lots of cardio often makes people hungrier and less compliant

And once you push beyond about 30 minutes, cardio can increase appetite for many people.

So in short-term phases, the question becomes:

“Is the juice worth the squeeze?”

If cardio makes you hungrier and less compliant, it can work against the result.

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🧱 Long-Term Results: Exercise Becomes Non-Negotiable

If the goal is long-term fat loss and keeping it off, exercise matters a lot more.

Here’s something fascinating:

Multiple long-term weight loss studies (people maintaining results 2+ years) show a consistent theme:

The vast majority of long-term successful maintainers walk a lot.

And the data tends to land around this:

✅ ~350 calories/day burned through exercise
(as an average)

Not every day has to be exactly 350 — it can average out:

• some days 250

• some days 500
  but roughly… it balances out.

This is one of the most realistic, sustainable “maintenance” targets I’ve ever seen.

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🍕 Want to “Out-Exercise” Nutrition?

Two other studies looked at this question:

“If I don’t want to manage food very tightly… how much do I need to exercise?”

Answer:

🔥 roughly 770–800 calories/day burned through exercise
every day

That’s a lot.
Even walking, that can mean hours — daily — forever.

And eventually: ankles, knees, hips, back… something complains.

So yes, you can try to outwork your diet…
but it’s not a long-term strategy for most people — especially in midlife.

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✅ The Real Lesson: Use the Right Tool for the Job

This episode comes full circle to one point:

You might enjoy an exercise.
You might prefer a style of training.
But…

Is it the right tool for your goal?

And that’s the part many people don’t want to face — because it requires giving something up, changing routines, dropping comfort habits, and choosing what works.

Exercise has to be part of your long-term life — not just a short-term “fat loss phase.”

Find what you can commit to…
but make sure it actually matches your goal.

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📌 Programs & Links

🗓 Full 2026 Coaching Schedule:
👉 www.joannelee2026.com

🔥 Peak Week / 5-Day Shred
Starts January 12
👉 www.5dayshred.com
🎟 Use code PEAK before Jan 1 for the discount

🧠 Victory Vault
Starts January 26
👉 www.yourvictoryvault.com

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🎄 Closing

This episode was recorded during Christmas week, but I’m likely releasing it between Christmas and New Year.

If you celebrate Christmas — I hope you had a wonderful one.
And if you’re currently doing that post-holiday “what did I eat?” panic…

Relax. It’s done. You’re fine.

The new year is here — and if you want the ideal runway into 2026:

Start with me on January 12…
and let’s build momentum all the way through the year.