I am a fan of H.I.I.T. and steady state cardio  I use both methods on a weekly basis because I have experienced the benefits of both.  I will reveal some pros and cons for each so you can decide for yourself.

H.I.I.T. = High intensity interval training.  This method of training requires short bursts of high intense activity like a sprint, followed by a longer recovery with moderate intensity.  Example, 25 sec sprint :  60 sec jog, and you would cycle through this 10-15x.

H.I.I.T. Pros:

– It’s a short workout, 20-30 min tops with warm up and cool down.  Even those with the busiest of schedules can fit in this type of workout.

– You can increase VO2 max for both high intensity and endurance activities. VO2 max is the max amount of oxygen a person can use and transport during exercise.  You want this number to be high because it enables us to use more fat as fuel instead of glucose.  Therefore you will burn a higher percentage of fat during a H.I.I.T. workout.

– You will increase your EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) resulting in an elevated fat loss state for up to 24 hours after you finish your workout.

– H.I.I.T. is ideal for anyone who doesn’t need to drop a bunch of weight but is looking to reveal more muscle definition by burning off body fat.

– You don’t need a gym

H.I.I.T. Cons:

– This could be viewed as a pro or a con.  You should only do a H.I.I.T. workout 2-3x weekly.  Because of the intensity of the workout your muscles need a day to recover.

– Even though you will burn a higher percentage of fat with H.I.I.T. you don’t burn as many total calories as you would with steady state cardio.

– H.I.I.T. is not ideal for someone who needs to lose 50 or more lbs.  When you need to lose a large amount of weight you need to focus on calorie deficit with both diet and exercise and to my knowledge there is no 20min workout that will burn 600 or more calories without hurting yourself.

– In order for you to benefit the most from this workout you really have to push yourself to the max EVERY set.  To be completely honest, after my 4th or 5th burst of intensity it’s really easy for me to dial it down to 85% instead of giving 100%.  However…if I have a training partner that day, I am more likely to give 100% every set.  So, avoid this con by planning to have a training partner on the days you choose a H.I.I.T. workout!

 

Steady state cardio is doing any type of activity where your HR stays between 65-80% of your max for 60min.

Steady State Cardio Pros:

– This is great and is a must if you’re training for any kind of race or marathon as it helps to build your endurance

– You will burn a large amount of calories.  Depending on how much you weigh and how hard you are working, you will be able to burn between 600-1000 calories in 60min.

– You can chose to do steady state cardio everyday, but I would still recommend taking one rest day.

– You don’t need a gym

Steady State Cardio Cons:

– It will take 60-90 mins of your day BUT, if you have a goal and need to lose weight than you will FIND the time 🙂

– You will lose some lean muscle mass wit the calories you burn

– You stop burning calories when the workout is done

 

I can elaborate more on either method if you have questions.  I try to get the best of both worlds by using H.I.I.T. 2-3x a week and steady state cardio 3-4x a week.  Energy wise, if I do H.I.I.T. earlier on in the day I am able to do 30 min a strength training before dinner.  On the days I do 60mins of steady state cardio, that’s usually all I do.  If I ever add something, it’s 20min of stretching for relaxation.  Let me know if you have any questions 🙂

 

Yours in Health and Wellness,

Meredith