Interval or endurance for fat loss?

lac2t · 12-Jul-04, 01:59 PM

Lately I have read conflicting reports on whether interval training (such as a 15 minute workout that you want to collapse after) or long workouts are more effective for fat loss. I have read that your body doesn't start burning fat until after about 30 minutes of cardio and until then you're just burning sugar...is this true? The two workouts I do (the cardio parts) are either 50 minutes on the elliptical at about 75% BMI or 15 minutes of a 5 minute warm-up, 5 minutes of 30 second sprint 30 second recover and 5 minute cooldown. Which is more effictive? Or some combo? Thanks for the help!

-Laura

**cursor** · 12-Jul-04, 03:03 PM

Long-haul running simply doesn't make any sense to me (unless you really enjoy it). If you're after fat loss, then

Protect the muscle that you have by adopting a balanced resistance training program.
Get a handle on your body's real nutritional needs.
Understand that your body's nutritional requirements are not the same throughout your day. Make your feeding schedule intelligently mesh with your activity schedule.
Get involved in active sport. Team sports are great.

**Firehawk** · 12-Jul-04, 05:28 PM

I agree with you cursor, but some people like to be skinny and look like marathon runners. Why, I will never ever understand either.

Klinger · 13-Jul-04, 08:05 AM

I say do both -- but keep in mind this is coming from someone who enjoys running

I like to do interval training once a week and longish run once a week. Since I lift 4-5 days a week, that is plenty of cardio for me, personally.

Cursor is right about strength training, diet, goals, etc. Cardio is just one part of many when it comes to overall fitness. Pay attention to all of them to get maximum results.

**Firehawk** · 13-Jul-04, 12:56 PM

Unless you are interested in alot of endurance, I wouldn't waste your time with low intensity cardio. I think there are studies showing that HIIT cardio is much better for hypertrophy than low intensity cardio, and with more lean muscle mass comes a faster metabolism, which will lead to fat loss, and a much much healthier body.

ajarvis · 13-Jul-04, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Klinger

I say do both -- but keep in mind this is coming from someone who enjoys running

I like to do interval training once a week and longish run once a week. Since I lift 4-5 days a week, that is plenty of cardio for me, personally.

Cursor is right about strength training, diet, goals, etc. Cardio is just one part of many when it comes to overall fitness. Pay attention to all of them to get maximum results.

I agree

: but I really like running too

I like to do one long run a week, interval training once a week, and 1 or 2 medium runs a week. I lift weights only 2 times a week maximum though. When I was doing my half marathon training I was only lifting 1 time a week.

I decided to change that to twice a week because as klinger said theres more to fitness than cardio

lac2t · 14-Jul-04, 09:52 AM

Does anyone know a good interval program that can be done inside without cardio equipment? I babysit a lot and it would be great to kill time after the kids go to bed. I was thinking something with jumping might be as good as sprinting but if its really not I'll just make time for it when I can go outside.

Thanks for all the great advice!

**Firehawk** · 14-Jul-04, 10:24 AM

Jump ROpe...................

ajarvis · 14-Jul-04, 03:58 PM

Diana has a skipping rope interval routine in her journal.

**Firehawk** · 16-Jul-04, 06:44 AM

I know if I jump rope for 2 minutes at moderate pace, I am about to hurl over and die LMAO. But, im throwing up 289 lbs of beast every time too though hehe.

Klinger · 16-Jul-04, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Firehawk

I know if I jump rope for 2 minutes at moderate pace, I am about to hurl over and die LMAO. But, im throwing up 289 lbs of beast every time too though hehe.

But that's a lot less 'beast' than a year ago, right Firehawk?

:

**Firehawk** · 16-Jul-04, 09:23 AM

hehe someone is paying attention to my progress i see...

:

Actually it is 6.5 months that i started training and I have lost 54 lbs of fat now. My lean body mass is hovering around 203-206 lbs LBM and my body fat percentage is almost out of the 30's. Yesterday it was 30.1% on the scale.

I know scales are not that accurate with one reading, but charting it over time should be a much more accurate ballpark figure, which is what I have been doing.

I think when i started i was like 40% when i started. I tried Body for life weightlifitng and HIIT cardio for the first 16 weeks, and ever since then I have been doing MAX OT with HIIT cardio. I saw far more results on MAX OT most definitely.

I am losing about 10 lbs a month still, and getting stronger.

lac2t · 16-Jul-04, 11:04 AM

thanks for the great help guys! i will check out diana's routine

:

trHawT · 17-Jul-04, 11:32 AM

HIIT, running, really put some stress on my joints. I would recommend doing HIIT style on the crosstrainer or similar machine. Jump roping would be a good idea. I think I'd get bored with it, though.

toofatyet · 24-Jul-04, 10:31 AM

Can somebody point me to a good source for reading about HIIT cardio. I was always a sprinter in my youth and now find that longer runs cause alot of joint pain.

I have been walking 2.2 miles each morning with my dog (timed, so we stay on pace). Generally, we finished in 33 minutes. On the advice of a friend, I lengthened the distance to 2.5 miles and started running part of the distance (walk some, run some, rinse, repeat). I started at about 25% of the total distance run. Over the course of this week (I do this 5-6 times a week), I upped it to 50% of the total distance run. I started getting the pain in my hips again. I'm going to try to keep it slow and see if I can work through it. A friend who is a kineseology professor thinks it will be better if I lose 30 lbs. I'm going with that for now. However, I know that if the pain continues for a couple of more weeks, I'll want to change to something else so I don't get discouraged and stop cardio altogether.