CARDIO AND HOW MUCH FOR FAT LOSS

The primary issue here is this: the body appears to be sensing what researchers are calling energy availability, basic energy in (from food) versus energy out (via energy expenditure). If Energy Availability (EA) goes too low, the body will adapt rapidly. Some research has shown that many of the issues that often occur in women in terms of hormones or menstrual cycle dysfunction occur at a threshold of energy availability (and aren’t actually related to body fat percentage as used to be thought).

In that sense, pretty much all activity can potentially be a problem if that activity results in energy availability to the body that is too low. Of course, the activities you’re listing aren’t really big calorie-burners, a walk with a stroller probably only burns a few hundred calories per hour. But done for extended periods it will contribute.

In addition to hormonal issues, often the combination of big caloric deficits and excessive activity (either too much activity, too hard of activity, or the combination) can cause some real weirdness with water retention that masks fat loss.

This is more common with more formal ‘cardiovascular’ activities than just activities of daily living. This is just due to the potential for increases in hormones like cortisol; this is especially an issue as the intensity of activity increases. Clearly, this isn’t an issue for a leisurely walk but it becomes more of one for more formal cardio activities.

This isn’t really stopping fat loss mind you, but it does drive people crazy because it makes it appear that the diet is not working. I’d note that this isn’t an issue for everyone, certain physiologies (and especially psychologies) seem relatively more prone to problems with water retention than others. This is why some people can get away with massive amounts of activity and not have issues and others can’t.