HIIT too much?

I started a new cardio program on the treadmill. I'm doing a HIIT routine. 20 minute run at steady pace (6.5), then 5 cycles of 1 minute sprint (10.0) then 1 minute walk (4.0). Then 5 cycles of medium intensity 3 minute run (8.0) then 1 minute walk (4.0). This is followed by another 20 minute steady pace run (6.5). All together it ends up being about 70 minutes and 900 calories burned. I'm doing this 3 times per week. I also lift weights about 3-4 times per week.

My time at the gym is limited to 4 times per week. Therefore I have to do cardio right after my lifting routine. So all together I'm at the gym for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Is this to much?

Is my cardio alone too much?

I slam a post workout shake immediately after my workout consisting of whey protein, dextrose, and glutamine.

i sort of have a similar question.  i do some intense cardio, and a few weeks ago added in a 20 minute hiit session.  it's been my sense from every source that the purpose of hiit is to maximize results in minimal time, which would lead me to believe that it's NOT something you're advised to ADD to regular cardio (rather, it's meant to replace regular cardio).  perhaps it is overworking things to be doing hiit and your 40 minutes at 6.5 (which is no walk-in-the-park pace)? 

i'd be interested in hearing what others have to say about this routine. 

and just in case you find your "slamming" sort of violent, i have read that it's okay not to drink your protein w/in seconds of finishing your workout.  you probably have a good hour to refuel before you melt ("top ten postworkout nutrition myths").

i agree with ccme ~ i would shorten your first 20 minute run to 10 minutes to warm up, do the HIIT portion.... and thats it. your done. HIIT revs up your engine so-to-speak and burns more calories in your next 24 hours than a regular aerobic routine would.

2 hours plus may sound like a lot, but i find i can easily kill 2 hours there when i ensure i take every 60 second rest period between sets very seriously.

it really depends on you, and if you feel the burning of those calories in cardio is required.  

~

you can even sip at your post workout fuel to recharge a little more naturally. i personally don't eat or drink a thing for the first half hour after my workout outside of water to ensure i am properly hydrated with the basics before hitting up protein

yes, this is too much cardio!!!! you're gonna make yourself sick! the point of cardio is to get your heart rate to the point where your body starts burning fat. it reaches it's peak at about 30 min which is why only 30 min of cardio is recommended a day. once it hits that point, everything you do after that will burn more calories and fat than if your heart rate were at the resting phase. it doesn't help to do more than 30 min a day. in fact, it could hurt you. once you do your 30 min, if you just stay steadily active the rest of the day (even a nice slow walk) you'll burn calories and fat. don't overdo it people! that's how eating disorders start. ;)

as for the lifting routing, i'm not sure if you're overdoing it, but it also depends on what look you're going for. if you want bulky muscles, slow, contracted exercises using more weight with less reps is key. if you want lean, toned muscles, less weight with more reps. hope this helps!

sounds great as long as you eat a few thousand calories.  you're not going to build muscle if you're at a caloric deficit ... so doing that much cardio is kinda counter-productive to the weight lifting.  unless, again, you're eating a lot.

I have a personal trainer and I do HIIT  twice a week and that's all my trainer says I need, on the day I do HIIT for 20 minutes it's all the cardio I do for that day. They advise me not to do any other cardio--I know at the gym some people can lift weights for 20 minutes if they can but I"m too worn out after HIIT. Now I do cardio on the other days that I don't do HIIT but when it comes to HIIT days that's all I do. I don't know much about it, I just do what my trainer says---so there's my two cents!