Fasted HIIT Training Vs. Carb Cycling

MapleFlavouredMaiden

I'm trying to determine whether or not there is a big enough difference between doing HIIT training in the morning in a fasted state, vs. doing carb cycling. By carb cycling in this case I am referring to when you deplete carbs for a couple of days before doing a 60-90 minute aerobic session, followed by a no-carb rest period of about 2 hours or so, and then completing a HIIT training session during that carb/glycogen depleted state.

I feel as though the "carb cycling" method with the long aerobic session followed by HIIT is unnecessarily brutal and intense and that just doing HIIT in the morning fasted is practically the same thing (minus the calorie burn from the aerobic session, but also minus all that cortisol and muscle wasting cardio).

Clearly I'm looking for fat loss and not increasing power or strength right now as I'm cutting.

Any opinions would be appreciated!

AllanMisner

I think the big concern I'd have with your carb-cycling approach is adrenal fatigue. The only concern I have with the timing of when I do HIIT is having a proper energy level. As a result, I tend to do HIIT and strength training in the afternoon. My fasted workouts are most often low intensity cardio work (walking).

MapleFlavouredMaiden

Great point and I do have to be very careful of adrenal fatigue because I've "been there" before with over training. I am very careful with ceasing what I'm doing when I start to get insomnia which is typically the first sign of hormonal disruption for me. I only do HIIT a couple times a week and I notice a large caloric burn increase all day (according to my BMF band) when I do a short fasted HIIT in the morning. I only have about 8lbs to go until I'm done cutting and would cease the fasted training.