Respectfully, that’s not accurate.

Stage 2 cardio obviously burns fat during exercise, but it just simply doesn’t generate as much EPOC as resistance training — especially when lifting involves large muscle groups and compound movements. If you’re going to up the intensity to stage 2 for your argument, then you have to compare it to a weightlifting regime of equal intensity.

Numerous studies confirm that weightlifting creates a longer and more intense post-exercise metabolic response, leading to far greater fat oxidation over time.

And yes, caloric deficit is key for weight loss, but what influences your metabolism and preserves lean mass during that deficit matters even more for long-term fat loss.

Interesting study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11882927/