​Do you need to do cardio to lose weight?

Many people think that you need to run several times a week or do spinning classes regularly or be on the treadmill for an hour to lose weight. This is far from the truth. Simply put, you don't actually need to do cardio exercise to lose fat. Of course cardio has its place in overall health, but it's not the be all and end all. 
 
You lose fat by monitoring your caloric intake, through regular resistance training, or through a combination of both. The key factor in losing body fat is taking in less calories than you expend. Cardio can help you expend more calories, but is not absolutely necessary. Resistance training, on the other hand, will help you lose weight and bodyfat in a healthier and more sustainable and enjoyable way. 
 
Your probably wondering why this is the case. You see, resistance or weight training is one of the best ways to get leaner and fitter primarily because it builds muscle. When you add muscle, you raise your basal metabolic rate, which is the amount of calories you burn when you’re at rest. Furthermore, muscle tissue requires more calories to function, even at rest, than fat tissue. Simply put, the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn per day.
 
Cardio and resistance or weight training both have there place. If your looking to get leaner, feel good and look better however, then it's much better to focus on hitting the weights, not the treadmill.