Is HIIT the Best Way to Lose Fat? Why I Rarely Recommend It

Adapted from a DrSuz podcast episode

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has been crowned the queen of fitness for fat loss—short, sweaty, and supposedly smarter. But for most of my clients, especially those navigating fatigue, stress, menopause, or injury history, I don’t recommend it.

Not because it can’t work.

But because it usually doesn’t work well for the people who are actually doing it.

Let’s unpack the science, the hype, and the reality.

What Is HIIT?

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training.

It typically means working near your maximum effort (usually 90%+ of your heart rate max) for short bursts, followed by short recovery periods. The idea is to create an oxygen debt and force adaptation.

It can work brilliantly—but that depends on context.

Why HIIT Got Hyped

Early research showed people could improve their health with just 1 minute of HIIT, three times a week. Incredible, right?

But the participants were doing nothing before.

So of course, anything looked revolutionary.

Later studies showed 10–12 minutes of HIIT could rival 30 minutes of steady cardio—but more recent data shows there’s a limit:

Spending more than ~20 minutes per week in the 90%+ heart rate zone can compromise recovery and reduce benefit.

And most people don’t hit that zone consistently—or safely.

Why I Don’t Recommend HIIT to Most People

1. 

The research population isn’t you

Most HIIT studies were done on young, athletic, well-rested university students.

Not perimenopausal women with thyroid issues and three kids.

2. 

It adds to your body’s total stress load

Exercise is stress. It can be good stress—but if you’re already sleep-deprived, anxious, under-fueled, or burnt out, your system may not cope well.

3. 

Speed hides dysfunction

My mantra: Don’t move fast until you can move well slowly.

Speed amplifies poor technique. If your squat is shaky at bodyweight, adding speed and impact is a one-way ticket to a flare-up or injury.

4. 

It doesn’t train you to move better

If you’re always rushing, you’re not learning. HIIT isn’t about grooving motor patterns—it’s about surviving effort.

And that’s not how we build strong, stable, injury-resistant bodies.

Too Much HIIT Can Mess With Your System

This part gets missed.

When people overdo HIIT, especially women with stress, fatigue, or inflammation-prone bodies, we see symptoms that don’t look like “bad fitness”—they look like dysregulation:

• Histamine-type issues (itching, congestion, headaches after workouts)

• Sleep disruption (wired-but-tired, night waking, HRV crashes)

• Fatigue that lasts for days, not hours

• Mood dips, immune changes, and inflammatory flares

This isn’t about motivation. It’s about mismatch.

“But I Heard HIIT Is Great for Women!”—Let’s Talk Nuance

You’ve probably seen experts like Dr. Stacy Sims say:

“Don’t fear cortisol. HIIT can be great for women—especially in the follicular phase.”

And she’s right… in the lab.

In trained, well-fed, well-recovered bodies, HIIT can be a powerful tool.

But most of the people I work with:

• Are navigating perimenopause or chronic fatigue

• Sleep 5–6 hours a night

• Feel depleted, inflamed, or anxious

• Use HIIT to “earn rest” instead of regulate their system

That’s a very different hormonal landscape.

You can’t plug lab-designed HIIT into a real-life nervous system that’s already red-lining.

Why Strength Training Beats HIIT for Most People

HIIT gives you cardiovascular load.

But strength training gives you:

• Bone density

• Hormonal regulation

• Core and joint integrity

• Nervous system resilience

• Load tolerance for real-life tasks

If you skip strength and only chase sweat, you’ll miss what actually keeps your body functional long term.

How to Know If HIIT Isn’t Helping You

Even if you like HIIT, it may not be helping if:

• You’re not losing weight despite strong nutrition

• You feel anxious before or after workouts

• You’re getting injured or flaring up

• You only value workouts where you “feel smashed”

• HIIT is your main or only form of exercise

• You’re doing it more than twice a week

• You feel worse, not better, after a few weeks of training

What Works Better?

Here’s what I’ve seen transform results for clients:

• Strength training 2–3x/week with controlled movement

• Low- to moderate-intensity cardio for heart and brain health

• Intentional movement prep that builds balance, coordination, and stability

• Restorative inputs like mobility, breathwork, and breath pacing

• HIIT sometimes—but not as the default

You Can Still Hit Your Goals—Without HIIT

Clients who reduced or removed HIIT often saw:

• Faster fat loss (especially abdominal)

• More consistent energy and sleep

• Lower inflammation and fewer injuries

• More confidence and control in movement

They didn’t lose results. They lost the chaos.

And got stronger, calmer, and more in control.

Final Word: HIIT Is a Tool, Not a Badge of Honor

This isn’t about demonizing intensity.

It’s about context.

HIIT isn’t evil. But it’s not magic either.

And it’s not mandatory.

If your system isn’t ready, or you’re using HIIT to override what your body’s actually asking for, it might be time to step back.

More isn’t better. Better is better. 

If this resonated, I’d love to help you rethink your training so it actually matches your body—and your life.