So, I have returned to working out, finally! I am currently using HIIT for my cardio because I find that I am actually able to get it done, for one, and two because I "feel" like I am getting more of a workout. I guess my question is this...which one is better for weight loss? Does HIIT for cardio (I am also lifting) work best or doing the long low-intensity cardio work better?

I have read advocates for both sides of the issue. Some have said you need intense cardio for over an hour a day to really get weight off (Jill from Biggest Loser advocates this). Others have said that HIIT is actually more effective. I haven't really been doing this long enough to know for myself so I am interested in others experiences.

HIIT all the way.. plus (depending on what you're doing) it really gives your body some great shape. My favourite HIIT is sprints on stairs, 2 at a time. Really really does beautiful things to the legs and butt.

I have been mixing it up with a combination of the rowing machine and the elliptical machine. I have had about five knee surgeries, so I have to be careful about which exercises I use. However, I have noticed a vast improvement in how my knee feels as I lose weight. I might be able to hit the stairs or treadmill before long. I like HIIT because it's quick and keeps me from getting bored. I hear so many conflicting reports though. I guess some movement is better than none, whichever I choose!

My knees are not my friends - different people have differnet body mechanics but that is why I stick to the stairs, much less impact than even walking on flat ground or jogging. I despise jogging. Because I'm landing and pushing off my toes as I sprint - rather than landing heavily and solidly on a heel - there is a spring there, and for me it's a lot easier on the knees. Of course you have to keep posture etc. in mind.

I agree... HIIT all the way! I can manage 20 to 30 minutes on a treadmill but if someone told me I had to do an hour I wouldn't ever consider it.

Plus... it works for m!

I have been doing the HIIT thing for a few weeks now and I must say I am very happy with it. I can't believe how quickly it can go because I am watching when to do my next interval, etc and I look down and it's already been 15 minutes. I started at 15 minutes total, then 20 and am now up to 40 minutes. I think this is the most that I will do though. The 40 minutes includes the warm-up and cool down, so it's not 40 minutes of intervals. I am going to start shortening my rest intervals, probably next week.

On a good note, I have definitely noticed a difference in my cardiovascular fitness and I am starting to see the "flabiness" in my legs tighten up. So, I can definitely say that I am pleased with the results. Also, I sweat like you wouldn't believe!! It's really a workout. I am pretty pleased with my choice of HIIT.

Southbel- Not sure if you are going to check back on this thread, but if you do, would you mind sharing what sort of intervals you do. I just started on the eliptical after a long, tedious 3 week bout with the stationary bike, so I am not quite sure what a good HIIT workout on the eliptical looks like. Thanks!

mix it up. HIIT and Low-intensity. when you feel hardcore do HIIT. when you feel a little exausted or more relaxed do low-intensity.

that's makes it more interesting. well it has for me at least.

assume:
warm-up for 5 mins
cool down afterwards for 5 mins

option 1: shorter sprints
crank up resistance & sprint hard for 30s - sprint hard enough that you couldn't go 31s
ease off resistance a little and work while recovering for 60s
repeat 6 times (3 mins of sprints, 6 mins of recovery)

wu 5+ work 9+ cd 5 = 19 mins

option 2 - longer sprints
sprint hard 1 min, recover 1 min (or maybe 90s)
or
sprint hard 2 mins, recover 2 min

option 3 - less rest
sprint hard 30s, recover 30s - repeat for 10 rounds

option 4 - Tabata intervals
sprint 20s, recover 10s - this is critical, only 10s recovery
repeat for total of 8 rounds

Obviously, your speed on the shorter sprints is faster than on the longer sprints, so the intensity varies inversely with the duration - but these all challenge your capacity in different ways. If it was distance, some of these might be 100m or 200m intervals, some might be 400m intervals - so check some sites about running intervals - and guess the sprint times and recovery times if you were to do it - and then just use the time on the elliptical. You can do the same on rowing machines.

Here is another protocol that mixes shorter & longer intervals - and the recovery period isn't governed by time - it is governed by HR - so when your HR recovers to the target - you sprint again.
http://www.exrx.net/FatLoss/HIITvsET.html

I workout on both rowing machines and the ArcTrainer. I can't do too much treadmill work because of the lack of cartilage in my knee (5 knee surgeries).

I do a 5 minute warmup

30s work intervals followed by 90s rest intervals. As I continue the workout, I increase the resistance for each work interval until I reach the halfway point and then start cranking it back down in the same manner I upped it. I do this for 20 minutes total.

Followed with a 5-10 cool-down.

I try not to make my rest intervals too easy, but rather like I would do if I were just doing plain low-intensity for a longer period. This really works me and I sweat a lot!

I am going to continue this for a bit and then try and crank down my rest intervals. I have also been able to increase my resistance as I have been getting better at it. I only do this after my strength training and on my off days, I completely rest. I might change this as I get in better shape and maybe do HIIT on my off days and low-intensity on my weightlifting days, but for now, this is working for me.

For results, I have seen an enormous improvement in my cardiovascular fitness and my legs are tightening up at an incredibly fast rate. I am quite pleased with the results. Since I can increase the resistance, decrease the work intervals, and push myself harder, I don't feel like I will plateau on this type of exercise anytime soon.