Expert: Kim Farmer - 11/22/2008

Question
Hi, i'm 15 this year.
I have been doing the HIIT program for 5-6 weeks now. I gained weight at first but I expected it would be muscle weight. However, I never lost that extra weight that I thought I would- after 5-6 weeks. I gained weight and stayed at that weight. What could I have done wrong?

Answer
From my understanding, HIIT is a cardio training routine and does not include strength training.  If you haven't been doing strength training then your weight gain is probably not due to muscle.  You may want to look at your eating habits and make sure that you are eating less and eating the right kinds of foods like lots of fruits and vegetables and drinking lots of water.  You didn't say how often you are training or for how long which will also make a difference.  If you are relatively healthy, try to do some sort of cardiovascular exercise (like HIIT or just regular running or walking) most days of the week for 30-45 minutes.

What you eat is just as important as how much you are exercising so make sure you are paying attention to both of these factors.

I hope this helps, thanks for the question.


Kim Farmer
ACE-Certified Personal Trainer
www.MileHighFitness.com