For Optimal Fat Loss - HITT vs Low Intensity Cardio

[EasyEJL]

my feeling is that HIIT raises your metabolism more for longer afterwards, so its better earlier. mostly doing either matters, and patience

 

[Neil5585]

my feeling is that HIIT raises your metabolism more for longer afterwards, so its better earlier. mostly doing either matters, and patience

I've heard that doing it in the evening can be good because this is when metabolism and insulin sensitivity generally start to lower, so doing the HIIT would jack both up when they are normally lowering.

But I agree, just doing it consistently and damn near killing yourself with the workout is what's important for results.

 

[EasyEJL]

yeah, what you said could be true too. Like the whole "what sort of protein is best when" and "should I eat protein right before bed" I think the difference here is in the <5% in terms of efficiency. so not worth a ton of fuss over.

Plus too, i'd guess that part of it depends on your overall cardiovascular fitness level anyhow

 

[fatburner2007]

But doing HIIT on an empty stomach first thing in the morning?

my feeling is that HIIT raises your metabolism more for longer afterwards, so its better earlier. mostly doing either matters, and patience

 

[EasyEJL]

thats the way I do it. just caps and BCAAs. hit the gym around 6:45, do abs, then HIIT for 30 min

 

[diminuendo]

A huge piece of the puzzle that is missing so far in this thread is the hormonal response to different types of exercise.

In addition to the hormonal response you have the upregulation of transcription for the GLUT (glucose transport factors), which HIIT is better at.

In my experience low intensity cardio has the benefit of not pushing me into overtraining. HIIT should be treated like a weight lifting session to maximize the aforementioned processes above, and at least for me should be at least 8 hours away from a lifting session. Low intensity can be done in conjunction with lifting.

Do both, but at the right times and for the right reasons.

 

[ZoMbSta]

Yeah...I agree on the overtraining part..think that's what happened to me....did 5 straight days of HIIT in the afternoon and cardio with weights in the evening and i actually lost some 1/8 inch in arm muscle mass..a great deal in just 1 week IMO..

 

[fatburner2007]

Good point! So far I have been doing a combination of both, not focusing more on one than the other.

A huge piece of the puzzle that is missing so far in this thread is the hormonal response to different types of exercise.

In addition to the hormonal response you have the upregulation of transcription for the GLUT (glucose transport factors), which HIIT is better at.

In my experience low intensity cardio has the benefit of not pushing me into overtraining. HIIT should be treated like a weight lifting session to maximize the aforementioned processes above, and at least for me should be at least 8 hours away from a lifting session. Low intensity can be done in conjunction with lifting.

Do both, but at the right times and for the right reasons.