Everywhere I read, or whatever someone tells me is either "HIIT is the best!" or "Low Intensity is the best!" - I can never find the right answers.

Every article I read is opposite to the other and is adamant one sort of cardio is better than the other...

But seriously what is the best form of cardio for fat loss?

Obviously these are my current options:

a) HIIT
b) Low Intensity Cardio
c) HITT or LISS in the morning on an empty stomach.

So could I please get some advice as which is the best cardio for maximum fat loss.

Rather than over analyse things try 30mins of light activity per day and adjust accordingly.

Light Cardio = Easy Workout, Easy Option, Nothing worthwhile comes easy...

HIIT = Horrible Workout = More results

IMO. Now that's Science!

www.caged-steel.com
www.hybridmmaschool.com   
Bench:    140kgx3 (@92kg)
Deadlift:  160kgx3 x 2 (@90kg)

Autobot are u suggesting fasted cardio doesnt work?

Nope...
I'm suggesting that hard cardio, the horrible stuff will benefit him/her more than the easier stuff i.e. plodding along on the treadmill or road or bike or whatever...

www.caged-steel.com
www.hybridmmaschool.com   
Bench:    140kgx3 (@92kg)
Deadlift:  160kgx3 x 2 (@90kg)

OK mate

ORIGINAL: Autobot

Nope...
I'm suggesting that hard cardio, the horrible stuff will benefit him/her more than the easier stuff i.e. plodding along on the treadmill or road or bike or whatever...

WRONG, so called 'hard' cardio will only burn muscle, theres a reason for why its low intensity for a long duration, otherwise people could just do 15 mins cardio at high intensity and get the same result...which they cant.

It's not wrong at all... How about the afterburn stage?
Where does it say you burn muscle during heavy aerobic/anaerobic sessions?

www.caged-steel.com
www.hybridmmaschool.com   
Bench:    140kgx3 (@92kg)
Deadlift:  160kgx3 x 2 (@90kg)

my bad, i thought he was on about unfueled cardio

How about the afterburn stage?

Overrated.

30mins light activity every day could equate to approximately 2500 calories deficit per week. Combine with a 2500 calories per week diet deficit and you will lose a hell of a lot of weight over time.

How is it overated?
I'm asking in a non arsey way by the way. Just interested to know your views as most athletes that compete only use High Intensity Training.

www.caged-steel.com
www.hybridmmaschool.com   
Bench:    140kgx3 (@92kg)
Deadlift:  160kgx3 x 2 (@90kg)

ORIGINAL: Autobot

How is it overated?
I'm asking in a non arsey way by the way. Just interested to know your views as most athletes that compete only use High Intensity Training.

The afterburn effect is overrated in that not an awful lot of calories are burned during this period.

Most athletes do not use HIIT on its own to lose weight, they use it to maintain/improve conditioning.

Ah ok that's where i'm getting confused then, between conditioning and fat loss.
Still not totally convinced on steady state cardio though.

www.caged-steel.com
www.hybridmmaschool.com   
Bench:    140kgx3 (@92kg)
Deadlift:  160kgx3 x 2 (@90kg)

ORIGINAL: Autobot

Ah ok that's where i'm getting confused then, between conditioning and fat loss.
Still not totally convinced on steady state cardio though.

I suppose it depends on how you define steady state.

Carson defined it as Low Intensity Cardio.

www.caged-steel.com
www.hybridmmaschool.com   
Bench:    140kgx3 (@92kg)
Deadlift:  160kgx3 x 2 (@90kg)

Low intensity can be fine for weight/fat loss.

If it is 'easy' but frequent enough and for a long enough period, you could still see good results.

In my experience doing a mixture of both HIIT and SSCV helped because they complimented each other. The HIIT improved my fitness drastically, i could then run for longer/harder for SSCV. The improved endurance from the longer/harder SSCV made making it to the end of my HIIT easier. Basically more calories burned all round, and much fitter.

Integra - does that sound about right or am i talking sh!t?

Sounds good to me.

Thanks for all the posts guys. I've also posted on a couple of other forums - and overall the majority responce I attained was that I do low intensity cardio for 30-60 minutes. But of course, as some have mentioned here, I can mix it up and add HIIT throughout my training regime also.

I do my cardio in the morning...So now I need to decide whether I should do it on an empty stomach or eat my breakfast first and then start the cardio.

One of my problems is that I have school later in the day so I can't wait 30-60 minutes before I start my cardio after eating breakfast.

So...cardio on an empty stomach - or - cardio straight after a good breakfast?

Cars0n, IMO high intensity will kick *ss every time. Yes slow duration cardio will burn predominantly fat rather than glycogen but with a lesser amount of calories. High intensity will burn predominantly glycogen over fat but the total amount of calories burned will be far greater. For example:

1 hour slow cardio burns say 300 calories which breaks down to 70% fat/30% glycogen = 210 fat and 90 glycogen. High intensity work for 30 minutes burns 800 calories 30% fat/70 glycogen = 240 fat and 560 glycogen. You have burned more fat but also burned a higher amount of glycogen which left lying around will be stored as fat. More calories burned = less fat and less glycogen left in the body = less chance of that glycogen being stored as fat.

someone else mentioned it i think but you need to be careful how long your high intensity session is going to be. 20-30 minutes should be a max and you need to keep protein consumption high.

The figures I used above aren't exact before someone slates me but are rather to give an idication as to the breakdown.

If you are really trying to get big and pack on muscle mass then high intensity may not be the way to go but from what you said above that's not what you are going for.

What makes you sweat..... What makes you cry.........
What makes you bleed....... Must be f*&$ing fun!