Life is busy. It seems we all have a fitness goal but it feels daunting to find time for exercise, let alone execute an actual plan to reach our goal. A great way to jump in and kick-start your transformation is through high intensity intervals. This type of exercise is very efficient, not just in time, but also the benefits are astounding. You can reach total body results in just 15 minute sessions. Most of us can find 15 minutes a day.
There are many benefits of high intensity interval training (HIIT). I recommend this type of exercise if you’re short on time because it’s highly effective—you can burn fat in just 15 minutes. If time is an inhibitor, or, you just don’t know where to begin in reaching your goals, do this for a few weeks and it will set you on your fitness trajectory.
5 AMAZING BENEFITS OF HIIT:
1) Time Efficiency:
Studies show that 15 minutes of HIIT burns more calories than 1 hour of jogging on the treadmill.
2) Remove Toxic Waste:
Alternating between high intensity and short periods of rest effects your breathing in a highly beneficial way to remove toxins from your body.
3) Boost Metabolism:
The excess use of oxygen when doing HIIT increases your rate of metabolism so that you continue burning calories about 90 minutes after your exercise session!
4) No Equipment Necessary:
This is the easiest way to get “bang for your buck” when exercising because you can do anything that gets your heart rate up…you can run outside, climb a hill, climb stairs, dance, etc. And if you already have cardio equipment, then use it!
5) Lose Fat, Not Muscle:
Low intensity cardio can waste your muscle, but HIIT uses your body as weight training to build muscle while also shredding fat.
Anything that accelerates your heart rate to a high intensity can be used for HIIT. You can find your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. The high intensity portion of your exercise should be about 80-90% of your maximum. A few of my favorite activities include running outside, climbing stairs, and biking on my stationary bike. When running, I usually just go a couple of miles around my neighborhood…I sprint 1 minute, then jog slowly for 30 seconds. When climbing stairs, I seek a beautiful setting like a beach or park, where I can go up and down quickly for several minutes, then jog lightly on flat ground for a couple of minutes to bring my heart rate down—repeat 3-4 times. When biking, I treat myself to watching TV as I perform HIIT. This magnetic resistance bike pictured below has been much appreciated in the hot, summer months. It has a wide, comfy seat and can fold for easy storage. I’ve recommended it to many of my clients looking for cardio equipment, as it is very affordable ($149), uses no power, and can be set to 8 different levels of intensity. I like to alternate between levels 4, 5, and 6 while watching a show. It has a large LCD display and hand pulse sensors to check your heart and track calories burned. It can be moved and stored easily with it’s transportation wheels. I love mine and it makes my HIIT go by fast! Though you don’t need any equipment to reach an accelerated heart rate, this piece is an easy way to get your transformational 15 minutes and also start an affordable home gym.
