Cardio training: This is the most effective endurance sport against belly fat

Cardio-based activities burn more calories on average than strength training . There's no such thing as the "best type of cardio," but you can adapt your endurance training to your body and needs.

Therefore, when choosing an endurance sport, you should first consider your own physical condition. For example, if you have knee pain , you should avoid running long distances, as the constant impact could worsen the pain.

Another rule of thumb: Any workout that's challenging within 10 to 15 minutes is a good option. The key here is to challenge, not overwhelm; you should be able to comfortably sustain the workout for 20 to 30 minutes.

Half an hour of challenging cardio training should always be the foundation. If you have less time, it's better to do an intense HIIT workout for 20 minutes than to do a leisurely jog for the same amount of time.

“If you put in more effort in the same amount of time, you will burn more calories,” explains Machowsky.

In summary, the most effective cardio workout is one that is easy on the joints, can be done in a reasonable amount of time, is challenging and yet fun, so that you stick with it longer.

Even though cardio training stimulates fat metabolism, according to Machowsky it is important to also include strength training sessions in your training plan so that you can continue to build muscle mass or at least maintain it at the same level.

Because if you have a calorie deficit and only rely on cardio, you run the risk that your body will lose muscle mass as well as fat.

"Strength training helps prevent this. It signals to the body that it should better draw energy from fat reserves and protect the muscles," says the expert.