Lifelong runner here: I lose weight easily whenever I take a break from running. I’m just way less hungry. Lots of high intensity cardio can increase cortisol and cause weight gain. ESP for women. I’m still gonna run because I love it, but if I ever wanted to tone up for some reason I’d dial way back in cardio and clean up my diet

Yes. I would do cardio right after dinner (only time I could fit it in) like at 7:30pm, then be ravenously hungry at 9pm so I'd eat the leftovers --healthy food, but still food late in the evening.

Instead, I stopped cardio and did IF. I don't eat from 7pm when dinner is over to 12pm the next day. I lost weight slow and steady that way.

I still do strength training 2x/week, during the day (at a class at the gym).

I'm also living on 1200-1400 calories a day. I do not eat food until 12-1pm. Herbal tea and 8oz green juice until then. Then usually for lunch it's 1/4c rice and a lean protein/veg or 1/4 cup yoghurt with fresh berries. Dinner can be 6-8oz of the entree, then 1/4 cup veg or salad. No desserts. Meals consumed by 19h.

Yes. At my level of fitness and health (very lean, maintaining mybcollege weight post 3 kids mid 40s) I do not do cardio to burn more calories. I walk my dog 5k every day, plus do 90 minutes of pilates/yoga. Mostly Ashtanga based yoga, with handstands and bodyweight bearing asanas. If I were to add more cardio, it would just make me eat more and gain weight.