I hear this, but don’t think it applies for people who get into sports. My story is not common, but I get annoyed when people talk about how a non athlete could never make a significant difference in their caloric output.

I fell in love with dancing, started doing it fourteen hours a week, lost thirty pounds without really trying, and had to start eating a lot just to maintain.

If you’re young, not overweight enough to seriously tax your joints, and that sounds fun to you, see if there’s a kind of cardio that’s enjoyable for you. If you do end up getting into it, check with your doctor, because heading straight into ten plus hours of cardio a week can cause injury.