The One Workout You Need if You're Trying to Lose Weight
Want to put those new Lululemon leggings to the ultimate test? Try a HIIT workout.High intensity [...]
Want to put those new Lululemon leggings to the ultimate test? Try a HIIT workout.
High intensity interval training (HIIT) is perfect for the lazy girl with a busy schedule. Research shows that 15 minutes of HIIT training is actually more effective at burning calories and building muscle than jogging on the treadmill for an hour. You need less total time to make big changes in your body than average workouts — sounds amazing, right?
So what is it?
HIIT workouts incorporate high-intensity intermittent exercise—or sprint interval training— with less intense recovery periods. So you work out hard, rest for a moment, and then work out hard again—on repeat.
"HIIT burns more calories during and after a workout than continuous aerobic training," exercise physiologist Scott Weiss told Men's Fitness. "The bursts of increased intensity simply increase the caloric expenditure, thus, more total calories are burned aiding in better body composition."
If you're the sort of person who gets bored of 30 minutes on the elliptical, then HIIT might be a good option for you. Studies show that people who practice HIIT workouts find greater enjoyment from their exercise than continuous exercises, like spinning or runs on the treadmill — plus, you'll lose more weight in a shorter amount of time.
"You get the same, if not greater, results in half the time of low-intensity longer duration workout sessions," Tom Holland, an exercise physiologist, said, citing a 2013 study.
The study shows that those who cycled for 40 to 60 minutes five times a week and those who did HIIT workouts for less than 12 minutes three a times a week saw similar results.
Want to try a HIIT workout? Try Ellie Goulding's!
Related:
Watch: Erin Andrews Shares Her HIIT Orange Theory Workout
Simone Biles' and Aly Raisman's Crazy Intense Fitness Plans Will Blow You Away
These Women Who Lost Half Their Body Weight Are All the Inspiration You'll Need Today
Hilary Duff's Daily Diet Actually Sounds Super Delicious