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Adding HIIT to cut

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irridia
irridia Posts: 528 Member
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Has anyone successfully added HIIT and cut weight while still lifting. (by successfully, I mean without injury or compromising their immune system)

If so, what did you do? Details too please.

Belly fat has got to go and HIIT was the only thing that ever worked. But when things start to get heavy I find I either tend to get injured or sick. (I'm a go hard or go home kinda grrl) :p

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  • threnjen
    threnjen Posts: 687 Member
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    Are you talking about some specific type of HIIT that would cause injury? I've read that it's easy to injure yourself doing HIIT sprints. But you could easily do it on the elliptical or something.
    My PT always bugged me to add HIIT to my lifting regime and I just... didn't want to. Lately I've been wondering if I should just to improve my heart rate recovery (which is darn good, but can always be better!).

    I realized this was not actually very helpful, sorry, lol. I got nothin, hopefully someone else will :)
  • Graceious1
    Graceious1 Posts: 716 Member
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    I don't do HIIT but I do 3 hours a week of taekwondo (tkd), run 30 mins once a week and SL 3 times a week. In 7 weeks I have lost half an inch off my waist. A couple of years ago I did just HIIT and tkd and lost loads but gained it all back again when the HIIT and low cal eating finished.

    I am so glad that I found this group and eat more to weigh less because, not only is my metabolism resetting but I am enjoying the process of my body shaping up. Today I eat 2230-2500 cals a day and feel so much more energetic and motivated to do my workouts. My body is changing shape nicely, my belly is getting there slowly but surely and the food I eat compliments my exercise. I feel healthier and less fatigued and at 46 it's a great feeling.

    I have realised, since starting my new fitness regime, that this fat loss is no quick process because as quick as you get it off you can put it back on again but the slower you lose it the slower you're likely to put it on again.

    All the best with it and feel free to add me! :)
  • MissHolidayGolightly
    MissHolidayGolightly Posts: 857 Member
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    You will lose weight with a deficit . Unfortunately, if you store fat around your mid section, belly fat will be the last to go. Watch your intake and be patient.

    Exercise is for health. If the HIIT you're doing causes you injury or leads you to illness, it probably isn't your best option.
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
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    MissHolidayGolightly wrote: »
    You will lose weight with a deficit . Unfortunately, if you store fat around your mid section, belly fat will be the last to go. Watch your intake and be patient.

    Exercise is for health. If the HIIT you're doing causes you injury or leads you to illness, it probably isn't your best option.

    All of this.

    I do bike sprints because I hate running sprints. But everytime I've lost weight it's because my diet was in check. Get and stay in a deficit, workout the way you enjoy, and stick it out for the long haul. With that, your belly fat will go down.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
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    you could pick something, aka ordering your priorities. if hiit for belly fat is what you want more than you want strength atm, then do hiit and make the lifts secondary. if/when that isn't true anymore, switch them up. if you can't make up your mind, try them both . . . and if your form of go-hard-or-go-home keeps on getting you hurt, then maybe try going a little less hard.

    idk. not helpful either, i guess. i did all three - lifts, fierce cardio, deficit - when i started sl last year, and i lost weight for sure. i gained some stamina, gained some strength, but i didn't lose any magically specific areas of fat and i didn't progress very far with my lifts.
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
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    For me, belly fat is the last to go. I focus on getting enough protein, lifting heavy and eating enough to recomp. It's slow and that sucks but I'd rather stick needles in my eyes than do hiit lol
  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
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    In saying that I do run a couple of times a week do LISS cardio not hiit. My stomach is kinda flat these days
  • irridia
    irridia Posts: 528 Member
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    You ladies are all so cool! Thank you. My favorite quote of all time is "I was being patient! ...it took too long. " lol. :p Sadly my favorite form of HIIT that is injury free is the most difficult for me to get. Swimming. I swim until I can't catch my breath, then I backstroke to recovery and do it again. It was also the most effective.

    I also like running stairs, but don't have any to run where I am now.

    Bike is okay and I have a stationary. The biggest issue for me is ilio tibial band syndrome. That in combo with bad posture caused some really bad tweaks in my hip flexors. I think I have overcome them.

    Maybe I'll just do it as a form of fun. Bike with my kid, skate with my dog and go swimming when we can afford it.

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