How Much Cardio Should You Do Per Week?
How much cardio is "enough"? It depends on whether you’re chasing health, fat loss or muscle — and more isn’t always better.
The baseline for health
Health bodies recommend about 150 minutes of moderate cardio a week (e.g. 5 × 30 min), or ~75 minutes of vigorous cardio — plus 2 strength sessions. That’s the minimum for heart health and general fitness.
By goal
- Fat loss: the above plus more daily steps; add sessions as needed for your deficit, but diet does most of the work.
- Muscle building: keep cardio moderate (2–3 easy/short sessions) so it doesn’t hurt recovery.
- Endurance: more, structured around your sport.
Too much hard cardio while dieting can eat into recovery and muscle — balance it.
Aim for ~150 minutes a week as a health baseline, then adjust for your goal. For fat loss, extra steps beat extra grinding cardio.
Quick answers
How much cardio do I need to lose weight?
Start with ~150 minutes a week plus daily steps, and adjust to support your calorie deficit — diet drives most fat loss.
Can too much cardio hurt muscle gains?
Yes — excessive hard cardio can impair recovery and muscle growth. Keep it moderate when building muscle.
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