This is one of those questions that gets sent to me frequently. It makes sense. If fat loss is your goal and you’re going to exercise, you may as well find the exercise that is going be the most efficient at helping you reach your fat loss goal right? I think there is a little more to the story.
I believe that when it comes to choosing exercise routines, goals should be a primary contributor to our decision. However, I also think we should consider what is enjoyable to us.
Every exercise and nutrition plan is only as good as your ability to stick to it. Fat loss, or improving our health in any regard, does not happen overnight. It takes persistence and diligence to reach those goals. Why not choose an activity that you enjoy and will be able to do consistently? To me, that seems like a choice that will give you a greater chance of reaching your goals.
Here is an example of how this concept has worked for me. I used to play basketball in high school and college. When I graduated from college and was no longer able to play at the level of competition that I was accustomed to, I stopped playing altogether.
My first year after undergrad, I wanted to lower my body fat percentage. I did machine cardio nearly every day for 12-weeks. Not only did I hate it, but after the 12 weeks, I went months without doing any cardio at all. I tried running outside, I tried doing more HIIT training. Nothing really stuck for me. Then I remembered how much I loved basketball and realized that just because I couldn’t play it at such a high level of competition anymore didn’t mean I couldn’t still play it for fun or to improve my health.
Now for the past 5 years, I have been getting 20+ miles of exercise on the basketball court every week. My cardiovascular fitness is as good as it was when I was in school, I am able to maintain my desired weight much more easily, and my stress levels are much lower.
You can apply this same logic to yourself. What activities do you actually enjoy doing? Is it going for a morning walk, playing soccer, or getting out and doing yard work? Whatever it is, know that you being able to do that activity consistently is going to be far more beneficial towards you reaching your health goals than any particular type of exercise that you may struggle to stick with or otherwise despise doing.
This isn't to say that you should avoid any type of exercise that is challenging or puts you out of your comfort zone. The price of growth can often be pain and discomfort. The point is to keep trying things until you find the activities that you enjoy doing. The activities that you will be able to do consistently, with a smile on your face, all while progressing towards your health goals.