Anyone doing HiiT long term - has it worked?

[Sssloou]

If so what method / routine do you use?

Worked for what?
Being stronger? Yes
More toned ? yes
Happy mindset? yes
Losing weight ? No, because despite being lean, every time I stop because of holiday or lockdown, I lose weight and whenever I start again, I gain a couple of kg and then stay there.

Again, worked for what?
Getting fitter and stronger, yes. Losing weight? I think running is a lot more effective.

Losing weight is my goal!

Yes absolutely.

Cancelled gym membership 4 yrs ago because they didn't open early enough (I'm a dawn exerciser) and started Joe wicks.

To be fair I was fit and defined already, but I have stayed that way.

I moved ftom Joe wicks onto PMA fitness and now do a combo of those with Bodyfit by Amy.

I have weights of varying size, kettlebells, TRX straps in the garage, a yoga block, foam rollers etc.

I workout at least every other day and I took my mat and a 5kg weight camping on holiday as I mix running and hiit while I'm away.

I am generally a size 10, have toned arms, defined legs and I like to feel achy!

Don’t use exercise for weight loss, it simply doesn’t work. It’s great for toning and making you fit etc but not for weight loss, it’s 90% diet.

Don’t use exercise for weight loss, it simply doesn’t work

This is not true.
It's simple maths.
If you run, say, 50 miles a week, every week, and eat anything like a normal diet, then you will lose weight.
The truth is that most people just aren't prepared to do anywhere near enough exercise for it to have an effect. But that doesn't mean exercise doesn't work for weight loss.

Exercise can absolutely work for weight loss especially if it’s about getting you into healthy mindset of looking after your body, treating your body well and valuing it for what it can do.

I use Beach Body On Demand app and do HIIT on there. It’s great and I’ve had such good results using it.

@scarydinosaurs makes another excellent point there, about how exercise makes you think about food and drink differently.

After I started running, I stopped eating crap like greasy takeaways because I realised it made me feel dreadful on runs the morning after. Then I stopped drinking for the same reason. In isolation neither of these things would have had a big impact on my weight but, all together, eating well plus no booze plus running made me gradually go from an overweight and sluggish size 12/14 to a fitter - and much happier- size 8.

I think it works. I started doing PE with Joe over lockdown and I lost 2 stone and dropped from bmi 26 to bmi 22. I ate better too but I think it was the HIIT that changed my body shape.

Does anyone have any links to these HIIT workouts please?

@fellrunner85 that’s simply not true, eventually your body gets used to this normal and adjusts, short term loss over 6 maybe 12 months yes but not long term. I agree it’s great for you in every way but simply just exercise doesn’t make weight loss. Like you say, eat a normal diet, simply doing that will make you lose weight.

@Sweetbabyrays

Don’t use exercise for weight loss, it simply doesn’t work. It’s great for toning and making you fit etc but not for weight loss, it’s 90% diet.

Totally disagree with this, I dropped 2 stone by doing Bootcamp 3 times a week. Didn't change my diet at all,

@userxx but if you continue to do the same boot camp x3 a week do you think you would maintain the same weight loss at the same speed over a period of a year or two??

I think bodies are different. We are not all the same.

that’s simply not true, eventually your body gets used to this normal and adjusts, short term loss over 6 maybe 12 months yes but not long term

Ok, so if you're right, why are serious distance runners almost all very slim? It's not by chance

(I mean, clearly you don't continue losing weight at the same rate forever. That would be ridiculous. But its nigh-on impossible to get to the point where you can burn 700-1000 calories a day running and it has no effect. That's why exercise is brilliant for keeping the weight off once you've lost it, compared to dieting alone...)

@Sweetbabyrays

I make this point on nearly every 'diet v exercise' thread!

It is far too simplistic to say that exercise doesn't contribute to weight loss.

Other posters have identified the link between exercising & diet change.

Additionally, it's demonstrated that your metabolic rate is affected by strenuous exercise so as well as he calories burned by exercise, you metabolise calories more efficiently post-exercise for a period of 13 hours after exercise.

However, one big mistake people make is over-estimating calories used up by exercising, compared with calorie intake via diet. Eg 'I did a HIIT session this morning, so I can have a pastry & latte now'. TG reality is that you'll use up something like 250 - 300 calories in a strenuous workout. A pastry will often be close to 400 calories on its own.

That's why diet is most significant - as you need to think what you consume overall.
However, especially for women, aerobic & strength training is so important for weight management, shape - especially in perimenopause/menopause - and strength / bone density which is vital for well-being into middle & old age.

It's a complete package - diet & exercise.

Here's some more indignation on exercise & weight loss

www.healthline.com/health/exercise-and-weight-loss

I've done hit classes for years. Same usual people there. Have people losing weight? No!! Me included. However, there is no doubt that it's keeping me healthier. Two of my friends used to do it with me, then gave up. We've been doing some walks over the hills this summer and it was very noticeable how out of breath they were compared to me. It was quite a shock to them, and it prompted them to consider going back.

Weight is mainly managed by diet. They work together though is that when you eat better/less, you have more energy and the more energy one has, the more positive you feel and find it easier to control your eating.

Losing weight is my goal!

You can't out train a calorie surfeit. To lose weight, you need to be in calorie deficit (my trainer adds to that "and lift heavy weights").