By: Chris Gates

There’s long been a theory that high-intensity interval training (HIIT cardio) is the best type of cardio for weight loss.

HIIT became popular in the 2010’s and billed as optimal for weight loss. The claims were that it would put you in a fat burning zone and unlock weight loss potential you wouldn’t experience with other forms of cardio.

But is that true?

Is HIIT cardio better for weight loss than other types of exercise?

Should you be focused on short, intense cardio sessions as opposed to longer, less intense cardio?

Let’s first define what HIIT cardio is so that we’re speaking the same language. And then, I’ll explain what form of cardio is going to be best for you for weight loss.

As always, we’ll wrap things up by creating an action plan for you so that you can get moving in the right direction today!

Let’s dive in…

What is HIIT Cardio?

HIIT cardio is short for “high intensity interval training,” and the name explains what we’re talking about pretty well.

This is a form of exercise where you’re doing short, highly intense bouts of cardio over and over again in intervals. The goal is typically to get above 80 percent of your heart rate max for short periods of time, followed by periods of low intensity cardio, or rest.

But in general terms, HIIT is where you go “all out” in intervals when you do cardio.

An example of this could be doing sprints on a spin bike. If you did a 20-minute HIIT cardio spin session, it could look something like this…

• First 5 minutes: warmup to a steady speed.
• Second 5 minutes: intervals of 20-second “all out” sprints, followed by 40 seconds of lower intensity spinning.
• Third 5 minutes: steady state spinning.
• Final 5 minutes: 20-second “all out” sprints, followed by 40 seconds of lower intensity spinning.

You could also consider hill sprints, tabata workouts, and other styles of interval training as HIIT cardio.

Is HIIT Cardio Better for Weight Loss? What the Research Says…

A meta analysis from November 2021 evaluated 54 different research studies that assessed HIIT cardio and changes in bodyweight.

HIIT cardio was compared to lower, more moderate-intensity cardio to determine changes in body fat. And what researchers found was neither form of cardio stood out as better, or worse, for weight loss.

The authors of this study concluded that you should choose the type of cardio you enjoy or prefer the most, as opposed to searching for a form of cardio that is deemed “optimal” for weight loss.

Researchers have also found that making adjustments to your nutrition tend to be most impactful for weight loss, and long-term weight management. This 2013 study explains that modifications to your diet seem to influence weight loss more than changing or adding to your exercise program.

All told, these are basically nails in the coffin of the “HIIT is optimal for weight loss” claims.

But it shouldn’t totally discount HIIT cardio for weight loss.

If you love HIIT, or have a tight schedule and need quick, effective forms of cardio for your program, HIIT cardio is probably a great option!

It’s just not “better” or more “optimal” than walking, running long distances, using the elliptical, etc.

Is HIIT Cardio Better for Weight Loss? What’s Best for You?

At the end of the day, your weight loss exercise plan should come down to what you prefer and/or enjoy.

• Do you love high-intensity workouts?
• Do you hate them?
• Are there specific forms of cardio you love?
• Do you have a specific performance goal you’re chasing along with weight loss?

The answers to those questions should determine what type of cardio you choose. Don’t choose something because of magical or misleading claims.

From there, you can balance your cardio of choice within your overall weight loss program.

If you’re tight on time or hate long cardio sessions, HIIT cardio might be great for you. If you hate that exhausted feeling of HIIT, or don’t like to send your heart rate through the roof, then HIIT cardio might be a bad choice.

Think about the forms of exercise you enjoy the most, and go with that. At the end of the day, a huge determining factor of whether or not you hit your weight loss goal is if you can stick to your plan long term.

You need to be consistent with it. Typically, consistency is best achieved by structuring your program in a way that you enjoy (or at least can tolerate).

Whatever you prefer for cardio, it can work. Because the true key to weight loss is…

Cardio Isn’t for Weight Loss. Nutrition Is…

Cardio is not the end-all, be-all for weight loss.

Neither is any form of exercise, for that matter.

But nutrition is.

As mentioned above, research has found that dietary modifications are much more impactful for weight loss, as compared to adding more exercise to your routine.

You should view exercise as a way to build your body up — not burn as many calories as possible. If you can shift your focus on exercise, it will make weight loss much easier.

As such, your focus should really be more on the health benefits of cardio for weight loss, as opposed to the amount of calories it might help you burn. The cardio you choose will do much more for your cardiometabolic health than it will to shed that unwanted belly fat.

So here’s what I’d recommend you do…

Do cardio — and any other form of exercise — for the incredible health benefits. Here are just a few of them:

• Improves heart health
• Lowers blood pressure
• Regulates blood sugar
• Improves muscle function and endurance
• Increases sleep quality
• Improves mood
• Helps to improve stability

And then slowly adjust your nutrition to get yourself into a calorie deficit. At the end of the day, to lose body fat and be successful with weight loss, you need to be in a calorie deficit.

I’ve written an entire article on how to know you’re in a calorie deficit. It outlines everything you need to know about calorie deficits, and how to make tweaks to start seeing weight loss. Definitely give that a read.

Your Weight Loss Action Plan…

So let’s focus the rest of your energy and attention on your diet.

• How many calories are you eating right now, on average?
• How much protein are you eating?
• Are there certain types of foods that really cause you problems?

The answers to those questions, and more, will help you figure out what might need to change with your diet.

I highly recommend tracking your calories for 1-2 weeks to get started. This will help you figure out how many calories you eat a day, on average.

From there, you can reduce calories slightly (~10 percent reduction) and give it another 1-2 weeks of tracking to see how your bodyweight responds.

I also highly recommend weighing yourself every other day, if not daily, and taking waist measurements and progress photos to evaluate your progress. Sometimes the scale doesn’t go down, but you’re still burning body fat!

You don’t need to make any drastic changes, really. It’s about making small, sustainable changes over time and monitoring how your body reacts.

And make sure you actually give yourself, and your body, time. Don’t make rash decisions because the scale doesn’t move for a day or two.

Your weight will spike up and down on a daily basis, and there’s nothing you can do about it. It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing anything wrong, or right.

Truth comes in the long-term changes in your body. So take your time.

Weight loss isn’t a race.

Just like specific forms of cardio aren’t “magic.”

Set up a program for yourself that you’ll enjoy, and invest your time in the process.

If you can do that, you’ll make as much progress as you want!

—

Thanks so much for reading this article! I had a blast putting this one together, because honestly this is a question I get from my clients all the time. The answer is always the same — whatever you can be consistent with will result in the most progress.

If you’re interested in getting some customized coaching to help you along your weight loss journey, definitely check out my coaching page! I’d love to help you build muscle, burn fat, and feel more confident :). If you’d like to talk about your goals, fill out a coaching application form and I’ll reach out to you to talk more!

Thanks again!

~ Chris