High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has long been deemed the superior method for weight loss. The workout style alternates short bursts of intense activity followed by brief recovery periods, allowing participants to burn a high amount of calories in a condensed period of time while improving cardiorespiratory fitness. But is HIIT really the best way to lose weight? One trainer doesn’t necessarily think so.
“These workouts carry a higher level of impact that can beat down the body if you don’t have a level of strength and muscle to keep your body resilient,” says trainer, certified strength and conditioning coach, and owner of Purposeful Strength, Casey Lee. “When you’re in a period of weight loss, strength training helps preserve muscle, a valuable commodity in the body.”
In general, cardio is an effective way to boost overall daily movement. If you work a sedentary job and average only 2,000 to 3,000 steps a day, adding regular cardio will help support a weight loss goal. But that doesn’t mean the chosen cardio needs to be intense HIIT workouts multiple times a week.
For example, one 2021 study compared a 12-week HIIT program to moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in adults with obesity. MICT involves steady-state cardio, like jogging, cycling, or brisk walking at a consistent pace for an extended period. Researchers found that both training styles produced similar weight loss and improvements in cardiovascular risk factors, such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
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Plus, weight loss progress is largely going to be determined by nutrition, Lee warns. And something people forget about is the fact that high-intensity cardio workouts can actually make you hungrier.
“After intense workouts, your body releases ghrelin, a hunger hormone, as a way to get you to eat and recover,” Lee explains. “Strength training doesn’t have quite the same effect, so you can work out and keep hunger at bay a little easier.”
A HIIT workout can be useful occasionally when you want to shake it up, but it may not be the superior approach for overall weight loss. Lee suggests keeping up with strength training and replacing HIIT sessions with lower-impact cardio performed for slightly longer durations, which can better support heart health and sustainable fat loss.
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