Do you really have to do HIIT cardio?

[El Don]

Im starting to try and diet and lean down. Ive been running, but not any high intensity cardio like HIIT cardio just steady long distance running. Is it necessary to do HIIT or is it just a faster way to lose weight?

 

[Brian20o2]

HIIT Is better for losing fat while retaining muscle. Long distace low intensity cardio and lifting dont mix.

 

[El Don]

right now im not lifting. I figured I could just do the low intensity and lean down, then start lifting again after I get down to where I want to be since its easier to bulk up than cut. Is that ok to do?

 

[Adone]

Man, you have to understand that unless you are already pretty big (and not your natural build, I mean if you have gained like 40lbs or more by lifting), there won't be much difference at all. All you have to do is lift big and eat big until you have become a lot bigger than you started out. THEN, you will begin to worry about HIIT or steady running and other things like this...

 

[El Don]

Well Im trying to lose weight first. Im 6'2 and about 230lbs. I want to lose some fat first then bulk up because I am already a big guy

 

[mrRuckus]

Well Im trying to lose weight first. Im 6'2 and about 230lbs. I want to lose some fat first then bulk up because I am already a big guy

Lift weights anyway while you are losing fat.

 

[Skilla_Staz]

Why would you stop lifting weights?


Thats like saying "I want to change my hairstyle, so I'm going to let it grow out. Hopefully it'll look better, but in the mean time, I'm going to stop taking a shower because it makes my hair look different."

You're getting a new hairstyle, but you'll smell and look like sh*t.

You're going to try to lose weight, but you're going to allow your body to become weak, which will basically allow your body to waste all that muscle away.

Hit the weights. Do HIIT. You'll be better off than not lifting and doing 930423909 miles a day. You'll look and feel a hell of a lot better.

 

[Warboss Alex]

your body won't keep muscle unless you give it a reason to (lifting at a given intensity).

just doing cardio and dieting makes you a smaller version of yourself. i.e. if you're big and fat you'll end up skinny and (less but still) fat, back to square one again.

 

[A-Unit]

Re:

Best methods to lose fat...in the most powerful order...

1) Lifting weights, being active. Weights is chosen as #1 of 'activities' because it has a muscle sparing effect, and burns a great deal of calories during the allotted time. Walking an hour each day with a book on tape, or running, or playing games. ANYTHING of activity for at least an hour, which should be mandatory will burn calories.

2) Diet...here you would switch your body to a fat burning machine by lowering your carbs to under 80 g, and switch to consuming fats. After about a month, and for as long as you almost constantly consume a high protein/high fat diet...your body will begin to use fats as fuel. Carbs are stored as fat, and only in a small way used in the brain and liver.

3) Know your maintenance calories intake. Any calories over it, will be stored, and calories under it will be burned. It's as simple as that. It won't matter how many protein, carb, or fat grams you take in, it's all about calories.

Energy in, Energy out. That's it. So you can tell how many calories you need to lose or gain based on how much your body consumes when you're NOT active, such as working @ a desk, or resting, and then adding any activity to the equation. If you want to lose weight, then eat for your maintenance level, and just be active. Starving yourself is the WORST thing for losing weight. Not only is NOT sustainable, but it also puts a screeching, break halt on your body eventually. Few people can live forever on 1500 or less calories, and you don't want to, because then you're body is only sustainable if you eat less than you really crave.

If you seek to add muscle, eat enough calories to supply lost calories due to working out, AND add more calories via protein and fat, like 250 or more. And slowly increase.

I'm not totally 0 on carbs, and I will have alcohol now and then, but in my basic meals I don't add large carbs sources, like potatoes. I feel better, more energy, and with the added fats and protein, my muscles are harder. Food crazings don't exist as they did and I can tell I'm leaning down. Don't buy my thoughts? Just research a bit deeper on this topic. Dr Gregory Ellis is a good pit stop on the road to nutrition. Atkins was close, but his theory of eating as many calories as you want is wrong, as are a few other points about what he says.



A-Unit

 

[KJB]

Well Im trying to lose weight first. Im 6'2 and about 230lbs. I want to lose some fat first then bulk up because I am already a big guy

Trust me, cardio is the most important part of any excercise program. Especially if your trying to lose weight.
Also, if you just lift and put on lots of bulk, but you dont do cardio, then you'll just be a blown up muscle bound pretty boy with no applicable use for your new body. No cardio = out of shape, I dont care how big your chest is.

 

[El Don]

Im not asking if cardio is necessary period. I know it is to lose weight. What Im asking is if I can still get alot slimmer and burn as much fat if I stuck with low intensity and running for around 45 min or so instead of doing HIIT and get the same results even if it takes a little longer.

 

[[S]alvatore]

HIIT is more suited to fitter individuals, and you can get the same amount of fat burning done in 20 minutes, compared to the 40 minutes of long steady-state cardio. So IMO if your fitness levels allow you to do HIIT then do it, but if you're below average stick to steady state for now.