Studies have shown that HIIT can help you lose fat. One review looked at 13 experiments and 424 adults with overweight or obesity. Interestingly, it found that both HIIT and traditional moderate-intensity exercise can reduce body fat and waist circumference (13).

A recent study compared participants who did steady-state cardio for 30 minutes three times a week to those who did 20 minutes of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) three times per week. Both groups showed similar weight loss, but the HIIT group showed a 2 percent loss in body fat while the steady-state group lost only 0.3 percent.

Following a 12-week HIIT program, participants who continued with HIIT exercises not only maintained their weight loss but also saw further improvements in body composition over time. This suggests that HIIT isn’t just effective for initial weight loss, but also plays a crucial role in sustaining these results and promoting overall body health.