Weights, HII Cardio and Rest...

[TheWired]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to these boards, I'm sure this has been asked thousands of times already, and some will probably flame me and point me to the search button (I probably deserve it ), but I feel like asking anyways :

I got addicted to the gym only recently, (less than a year ago) and I'm trying to find the best workout in order to lose body fat. I've read a lot of articles on the internet and asked a few gym instructors but everything is so confusing, contradicting all the time so it's hard to know what to actually trust. I know forums aren't any different but I'm interested to see what people think.

I currently work out 6 days a week, my workout looks like this :

Monday: 5 minutes light cardio, 1 hour resistance training (weights etc), 10 min cooldown stretches.
Tuesday: HIIT on Treadmill (6 min at 9km/h, then 1min at 16 km/h, 2 min at 9 again, 1 min at 16, 2 min at 9, repeat 5 times then run/cooldown for 5 min)
Wednesday: same as Monday
Thursday: same as Tuesday
Friday: same as Monday
Saturday: same as Tuesday
Sunday: Cheat day (no gym, and eat what I want)

I always eat before I do lifting, but I usually do HIIT on an empty stomach.
Resistance sessions usually last about 1h30 with stretches, rests between exercises and cooldowns while HIIT days are about 45 minutes including 10m stretches and 10m cooldowns.

Now, the questions I have :

1) Would it be more efficient to do weights + HIIT in one session in order to burn body fat?
I love going to the gym, but I have a busy life as well, and sometimes going all the way to the gym for "only" 25 minutes of cardio requires to be strong willed (T.T)
Would it be more efficient, in the sole purpose of burning body fat, to eat in the morning, do a lifting session of about 1 hour and then do HIIT for about 15-20 minutes straight after, then give my body a rest the next day and start again the next one? I'm not sure what burns more on the long run. Supposedly you're supposed to keep your metabolism high all the time if you wanna burn more calories which is why I chose to train the way I do in the first place, but I feel like it is getting harder to burn calories now.

2) What are efficient speeds for a successful HIIT on a treadmill?
I mean, how big should the gap between slow and fast speeds be?
I currently do 9 km/h for jogging and 16km/h for sprinting. I realize it's probably very specific to each individual; even though 9 km/h does not "really" tire me, I'm not sure whether I should pick up a lower speed for jogging. Would the effects be greater if the gap was bigger or is there more chance of causing oneself injuries that way?

For information, I've always been a very passive person and got addicted to sports only recently (2 years ago). I used to be around 84 kilos for 176cm a few years back then, but dropped to 65kg by practicing sports and having a better diet.
All in all, I'm very happy and I've never been obsessed about weight, but more about body-shape. I've lost a lot of body fat and I'm starting to see a few muscles popping out here and there but there is still that fat around my waist in the way. It's burning but sooooo slowly...

Any advice is welcome, I am open minded

Oh, and thanks for reading!

 

[KaraCooks]

It actually looks to me like you've got a good routine going. To answer your specific questions:

1) Would it be more efficient to do weights + HIIT in one session in order to burn body fat?

If you can lift weights and follow that up with true HIIT, then you're superhuman. IME, and based on everythign I've read, you really cannot do both in the same workout effectively. If you're heading into HIIT after a solid weight workout, then you're not going to be able to work to your maximum on the cardio. And of course the reverse, if you're doing HIIT properly, you won't be able to lift weights after because you'll be gassed.

2) What are efficient speeds for a successful HIIT on a treadmill?

You can't measure HIIT speeds in that way. The only way to really know is to measure your heart rate and/or your perceived exertion. Your "high" part should be as hard and fast as you can go for 45-60 secs before you can't put out any more effort. Your "low" should be a moderate effort, but not just strolling. A brisk walk and returning your heart rate to maybe 50% of max?

I will say that for most people (except the lucky ones) the weight around your middle will be the last to go. It kinda sucks. But that's the way it is for the majority of us. It will come off eventually if you keep working at it.

 

[summer123]

Just to add, your "cheat" day where you eat what you want? please make sure its within reason- its very easy to undo alot of good work with a few bad choices. As far as weight loss goes, food matters more then exercise.

There are a few stickes on HIIT and would be worth a read, there are also others who have been-there-done-that and have replied to the stickies. Very informative stuff.

 

[Iain1974]

I never understood the point of a cheat day. It seems to me like killing the whole point of changing your lifestyle. A relaxed meal now and again is one thing but to set aside one day a week or a month when sensible rules of nutrition don't apply seems so counterproductive.

I used to smoke and have no wish to have a 'smoke day' every month. I know it'd be the end of me.