Basically, cardio is supposed to make you fat by sending a signal to store fat instead of burning it,   No, cardio makes you lose weight by burning calories, which helps with the CO part of the CICO balance.  CO isn't usually the problem, however. And when your body gets used to cardio, that means you're supposed to pick up the fucking pace.  Getting better on the treadmill means you can run on it further and faster.  That increases the calories you can burn, not decreases it.