If I do HIIT, can I still gain weight?

TonyMo25
TonyMo25 Posts: 31 Member
Sup guys, I'm trying to put on some mass but I'm trying out HIIT. Haven't done thay before but so far its intense. Its been about two weeks now and everytime its a challenge. My question is, will it be hard for me to put on mass with HIIT?
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Replies

  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    >will it be hard for me to put on mass with HIIT?

    No, just keep eating at surplus.
  • TonyMo25
    TonyMo25 Posts: 31 Member
    I guess that's what it all comes down to
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    just means you have to eat more, the more cardio you do.
  • TonyMo25
    TonyMo25 Posts: 31 Member
    just means you have to eat more, the more cardio you do.

    The thing is, my job is a physically demanding one too so i feel like I'm a have to take an insane amountof calories
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    TonyMo25 wrote: »
    just means you have to eat more, the more cardio you do.

    The thing is, my job is a physically demanding one too so i feel like I'm a have to take an insane amountof calories

    how often are you doing HIIT in your routine?
  • TonyMo25
    TonyMo25 Posts: 31 Member
    TonyMo25 wrote: »
    just means you have to eat more, the more cardio you do.

    The thing is, my job is a physically demanding one too so i feel like I'm a have to take an insane amountof calories

    how often are you doing HIIT in your routine?

    3x a week
  • TonyMo25
    TonyMo25 Posts: 31 Member
    Erik8484 wrote: »
    TonyMo25 wrote: »
    just means you have to eat more, the more cardio you do.

    The thing is, my job is a physically demanding one too so i feel like I'm a have to take an insane amountof calories

    Clearly the only way forward is to quit your job

    If only bills paid themselves lol
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,430 MFP Moderator
    The bigger question is, how many calories can you consistently eat? I plan on doing HIIT during my 1st bulk. But eating 3300-3500 calories is a breeze for me. If you have to eat 4K or 5K, it might be worthwhile to not do HIIT.
  • TonyMo25
    TonyMo25 Posts: 31 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    The bigger question is, how many calories can you consistently eat? I plan on doing HIIT during my 1st bulk. But eating 3300-3500 calories is a breeze for me. If you have to eat 4K or 5K, it might be worthwhile to not do HIIT.

    Yeah i have to hit close to 4k calories a day. Cuz of my job and HIIT, so HIIT alone isn't optimal?
  • TonyMo25
    TonyMo25 Posts: 31 Member
    TonyMo25 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    The bigger question is, how many calories can you consistently eat? I plan on doing HIIT during my 1st bulk. But eating 3300-3500 calories is a breeze for me. If you have to eat 4K or 5K, it might be worthwhile to not do HIIT.

    Yeah i have to hit close to 4k calories a day. Cuz of my job and HIIT, so HIIT alone isn't optimal?

    Btw, can i get away with eating something like a slice of pizza or similar more often than not? Cuz I did eat nasty stuff before and still didn't gain weight. In fact, I took 3 weeks off the gym and ate the same and lost 10 lbs
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    TonyMo25 wrote: »
    TonyMo25 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    The bigger question is, how many calories can you consistently eat? I plan on doing HIIT during my 1st bulk. But eating 3300-3500 calories is a breeze for me. If you have to eat 4K or 5K, it might be worthwhile to not do HIIT.

    Yeah i have to hit close to 4k calories a day. Cuz of my job and HIIT, so HIIT alone isn't optimal?

    Btw, can i get away with eating something like a slice of pizza or similar more often than not? Cuz I did eat nasty stuff before and still didn't gain weight. In fact, I took 3 weeks off the gym and ate the same and lost 10 lbs

    why would you eat pizza if its nasty?

    eat pizza that's delicious, surely?!
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    If your goal is to gain weight why are you expending energy doing HIIT? For cardiovascular health/conditioning?

    To gain muscle, strength train hard (and progressively harder ) and eat at a calorific surplus. Adding in cardio (whether HIIT or any other type of protocol) means you need to eat more.

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,430 MFP Moderator
    TonyMo25 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    The bigger question is, how many calories can you consistently eat? I plan on doing HIIT during my 1st bulk. But eating 3300-3500 calories is a breeze for me. If you have to eat 4K or 5K, it might be worthwhile to not do HIIT.

    Yeah i have to hit close to 4k calories a day. Cuz of my job and HIIT, so HIIT alone isn't optimal?

    HIIT is just going to burn a lot of calories (especially if you are doing it for extended periods of time). If you want, cut it out during a bulk and add it back when you are looking to maintain. Below is a thread that can help you get calories.


    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10326769/are-you-a-hard-gainer-please-read/p1
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    TonyMo25 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    The bigger question is, how many calories can you consistently eat? I plan on doing HIIT during my 1st bulk. But eating 3300-3500 calories is a breeze for me. If you have to eat 4K or 5K, it might be worthwhile to not do HIIT.

    Yeah i have to hit close to 4k calories a day. Cuz of my job and HIIT, so HIIT alone isn't optimal?

    Optimal for what?

    Why are you doing HIIT?

    I'm not saying it's good or bad, but I don't yet know what your goals are or why you are doing HIIT.

  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    TonyMo25 wrote: »
    ... so HIIT alone isn't optimal?

    Are you trying to win races?
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    edited August 2016
    I am getting the impression that the OP wants to add muscle mass through HIIT? If that is the case, no, it's not optimal.
  • rebel_26
    rebel_26 Posts: 1,826 Member
    I don't subscribe to cardio based activities when trying to add muscle, but to each their own. I assume if calories are high enough you SHOULD be able to add some muscle, but if adding muscle is the intent limit cardio based activities and push heavier weights as suggested and of course keep calories in their perspective for the activities put forth.
  • Jcl81
    Jcl81 Posts: 154 Member
    edited August 2016
    Yes you can, UNLESS you can't eat enough, look at professional sport athletes. These men and woman do tons of cardio and don't lose weight, unless they want to.
  • pompeyjosh1990
    pompeyjosh1990 Posts: 90 Member
    why are you doing HIT training if your trying to bulk?.....stop doing HIT training- EAT a calorific surplus....and do light cardio to keep you fit.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    if you are just doing HIIT to gain muscle mass, then yes that is not at all optimal. However, if you are doing a structured lifting program, coupled with HIIT, and a calorie surplus then it should not be a problem...
  • RavenLibra
    RavenLibra Posts: 1,737 Member
    The ultimate goal of HIIT is to maximize your aerobic capacity... which leads to overall performance gains in speed and distance... IF you are training for an endurance event then HIIT is very complimentary to your efforts... however if your training is "recreational" IE climbing a mountain just because it is there, then HIIT training more than 1x/week is probably not necessary... as in all training... set goals, and direct your efforts accordingly... If you are training for Mass and strength... decide what is more important... endurance ( mega reps) or mega strength... the happy medium is Cross fit... from what I have seen cross fit is pretty much all about HIIT with weights, and some functional activities thrown in for mass appeal.
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    TonyMo25 wrote: »
    just means you have to eat more, the more cardio you do.

    The thing is, my job is a physically demanding one too so i feel like I'm a have to take an insane amountof calories

    "Insane"? I hit over 5000 some days. What does insane mean to you? If you need the calories then get them and you can do cardio for forever and still gain weight.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    RavenLibra wrote: »
    The ultimate goal of HIIT is to maximize your aerobic capacity... which leads to overall performance gains in speed and distance... IF you are training for an endurance event then HIIT is very complimentary to your efforts... however if your training is "recreational" IE climbing a mountain just because it is there, then HIIT training more than 1x/week is probably not necessary... as in all training... set goals, and direct your efforts accordingly... If you are training for Mass and strength... decide what is more important... endurance ( mega reps) or mega strength... the happy medium is Cross fit... from what I have seen cross fit is pretty much all about HIIT with weights, and some functional activities thrown in for mass appeal.

    disagree 100% on cross fit being the "happy medium"....just follow a structured lifting program with progressive overload, hit micros and macros, and thrown in some cardio if one wants to ...
  • TonyMo25
    TonyMo25 Posts: 31 Member
    TonyMo25 wrote: »
    ... so HIIT alone isn't optimal?

    Are you trying to win races?

    Actually, I would like to compete in a tough mudder
  • TonyMo25
    TonyMo25 Posts: 31 Member
    _Waffle_ wrote: »
    TonyMo25 wrote: »
    just means you have to eat more, the more cardio you do.

    The thing is, my job is a physically demanding one too so i feel like I'm a have to take an insane amountof calories

    "Insane"? I hit over 5000 some days. What does insane mean to you? If you need the calories then get them and you can do cardio for forever and still gain weight.

    How do you hit 5000 a day? 4k seems insane to me
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    That's not every day. I think a typical day for me is 3500 - 4000 but some days I need 5000+. Honestly, once I'm up and over 1 gram of protein per pound I slack off the macro requirements and do stuff like peanut butter to fill in calorie holes.

    If you have a really heavy workout day and can't get all the calories you can make up some of it the next day. Your body won't go into starvation mode or throw off tons of weight if you're short a bit one day and make it up the next.
  • AmberSpamber
    AmberSpamber Posts: 391 Member
    Are you on Instagram? If so, follow Hiitrainer. He's ripped, does HIIT and posts about his food intake so I think it will be good to look at some of what he does. He also posts videos of his workouts and is very easy on the eyes ;) ( subtle insert for the ladies) haha! He's pretty motivational and I think he is worth checking out. Good luck!
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    To answer your original question I can do 50+ miles per week and still maintain weight. I could gain weight if I bumped the calories a bit more but I don't really need to do that. :laugh:
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    edited August 2016
    What the HIIT is has not been mentioned by the OP either.

    While HIIT by most commenting here seems to be considered the normal intense interval method of doing some cardio workout that could also be done as LSS - the HIIT moniker has also been slapped on all manner of workouts that were never cardio in the first place.
    Like merely doing resistance training with no rest periods, or shorter than normal, and the lighter weights that kind of goes along with that. Tabata in that case, not sure why that was ever called HIIT in the first place.

    But ditto to why the HIIT for the type actually being done. Tough Mudder would do just as well with resistance training for strength - and short high level anaerobic workouts for intensity.
    If longer TM, then normal cardio for endurance.
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