HIIT vs Cardio in Sri Lanka: Which Burns More Fat Faster in Our Climate?

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If you enter any gym in Colombo, you will find two distinct categories of people. The first group is on the treadmill with moderate effort, headphones on and moderate jogging for 45 minutes. The second group is performing burpees, jumping squats and sprint intervals for 20 minutes and then lying down on the floor.

Both sides feel they have the right to be doing what they are doing. Both of them are losing weight. However, which one method will lead to faster weight loss, particularly in Sri Lanka’s humidity and heat?

This is one of the most popular fitness questions in Sri Lanka at the moment! This is the full and true response.

The definitions of HIIT and Cardio

Steady-state cardio refers to the exercise of holding a steady, moderate pace for a long period of time. Running at an easy 45-minute pace. Riding at a continuous pace. Swimming consistently in laps at the same level of effort. Your heart rate is kept at a moderate level, which means it is sufficient to burn calories but not so high that it can’t be maintained for an extended period.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the term used for this type of training. It is about doing the best you can for a short period of time followed by getting a brief respite. Run for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds. Complete 40 seconds of “Jump Squats” followed by 20 seconds of rest. One crucial component of HIIT is that the challenging intervals are performed close to maximum intensity, which you wouldn’t be able to sustain for 30-60 seconds.

Both burn fat. Both are beneficial for cardiovascular fitness. However, they do so in various ways and at different rates and in Sri Lanka’s unique climate, even more.

How can HIIT burn off more fat altogether?

The most significant benefit of doing HIIT over regular cardio is a phenomenon known as EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption). During the recovery, repair and return-to-rest phase following a HIIT workout, your body burns a lot more calories for up to 24 hours later.

This afterburn effect is limited following regular cardio exercise. Your calorie burn quickly bounces back to normal once you get off the treadmill.

In reality, there is a point of 25 minutes of HIIT that can be equivalent to the calorie burn of a 45-minute steady jog, even if the jog burns more calories during that time. This is supported by research over the years. When the studies are compared for fat loss over 12-weeks of training, it is clear that HIIT results in a much greater amount of body fat loss as compared to steady cardio.

HIIT is also more effective than extended duration moderate exercise at maintaining muscle mass. After jogging 60 minutes or more per day for a while, your body turns to your muscle protein for energy, as well as your fat. When your workout is short enough, this doesn’t occur with HIIT sessions, keeping your metabolism elevated by preserving your muscle mass.

This difference is very important for people in Sri Lanka who have to lose fat without losing the muscle mass they have acquired from the gym.

The reason why Sri Lanka’s Climate Complicates Everything

This is where the local context is important and where the words of Western fitness specialists fall short.

The heat in Sri Lanka makes HIIT really difficult. In heat and humidity exceeding 30-32 degrees, your core temperature increases quickly when you push yourself to your limit. Sweating increases dramatically. Dizziness, nausea and heat exhaustion are a possibility, particularly for novices or individuals who work outside in the sun.

In Sri Lanka, steady-state cardio is much easier to endure. A moderate pace with a comfortable 45-minute jog is a gradual increase in core temperature that could be done throughout the day in significant heat, especially early in the morning before it is at its hottest.

This creates a real problem! The scientific evidence shows that HIIT has an advantage when it comes to fat burning. Training the HIIT approach safely and effectively in Sri Lanka’s outdoor environment, however, does require training in an indoor space with air conditioning, or training at certain times of the day when it is manageable.

Best times to conduct HIIT in Sri Lanka are early morning, from 5 am to 7 am, before the heat sets in, or in an air-conditioned gym at any time. The risk of overheating is higher, and performance is lowered outdoors in the afternoon or evening hours, and can be so low that the intensity necessary to achieve the true nature of HIIT may be unachievable.

Who should begin to do cardio?

HIIT isn’t suitable for all members of the public. It is not recommended to begin with HIIT if you have never exercised before, you are significantly overweight, or it has been over six months since your last workout.

For beginners, steady-state cardio is the best exercise. The cardiovascular base is developed by a 30-45 minute brisk walk or slow jog 3-4 times a week, strengthening the joints and tendons, and creating a habit of regular exercise. The foundation will take around 4-6 weeks to set.

Once this foundation is in place, HIIT can be implemented (1 session per week and then build up to 2 or 3 as fitness improves).

Just as in most other parts of the world, the Smart Approach is the way most Sri Lankans gain an education

Most Sri Lankans don’t choose one method of fat loss over the other; instead, the best course of action is to use both.

Brisk walking daily at Independence Square or Diyatha Uyana twice a week is a good way to keep the cardiovascular system fit, reduce stress levels and is a habit which can be followed all year round irrespective of weather.

The metabolic benefit of HIIT is not available from a steady cardio session, and the exercise can be performed indoors or in the early morning to maximize benefits.

Combining this with the fat-burning benefits of HIIT/Interval Training provides the consistency of cardio and the fat-busting benefits of Interval Training. It also helps to minimize the risk of injury caused by daily high-intensity training without recovery.

The Bottom Line

The science is clear, and HIIT burns fat more quickly than a traditional cardio session would. However, in Sri Lanka’s climate, the best one to do is not to select any of them. It is focusing on regular cardio to establish a foundation and maintain consistency while gradually introducing HIIT workouts as fitness and heat tolerance gradually increase.

Begin at the beginning. Increase intensity as you become stronger. Don’t let science get in the way of your life!

“Extreme workouts are not the best kind of fat-burning workouts. The one that you can actually attend, week after week, in the country that you actually reside in.”