To lose one pound of body fat the body must expend 3500 calories. Sounds simple, right? The problem is burning 3500 calories without compromising the metabolism. Too much cardio and a caloric deficit cause this downward shift in the metabolism. The solution is to cut out cardio and focus on taking in the right amount of calories so you optimize fat burning in the body. If cutting out cardio completely is too drastic, then perform HIIT (high intensity interval training) instead 1-2 times a week. This will keep the metabolism humming along and won't interfere with your fat loss goal.