The first thing people think about when approaching weight loss is diet. However, a big part of weight loss is in fact exercise. Exercise has many amazing benefits for the body and also the mind.There are many different types of work out options out there suiting different people for different lifestyles. One work out has proven to stand out from the crowd, delivering brilliant results and working for every lifestyle: HIIT workout. HIIT is becoming a revolutionary way of effective fitness and is also becoming the best way to get the most out of your work out time.
What exactly is HIIT?
HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. Breaking that down, HIIT is intense but short bursts of physical activity which includes periods of rest between each outburst. HIIT is effective even though the work out is relatively short because it encourages the metabolism to burn calories at a higher rate for up to 3 days after the workout. Burning calories is essential to reducing fat within the body, which is how a person will lose weight. Doing this workout will increase the rate of weight loss because of how effective it works on the metabolism for extended periods of time. The workout is also known to improve cardiac health, heighten endurance levels and prevent insulin resistance which will help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Studies have also shown that it can help lower blood pressure to a greater extent in comparison to endurance training.
How To Do HIIT
It is important to start any workout with a warm-up, and HIIT is no different, aiming for a 5-10 minute warm-up is ideal. HIIT can be done on an exercise bike or a treadmill to get the best results. The work out itself should be between 10-20 minutes long and performing this twice a week is a good starting point, and is enough to get the benefits. The person undergoing the exercise should aim for 20-30 second outbursts of maximum effort riding or running, and then a minute at a very light pace repeated until you would like to stop. It is always a good idea to do a 5-minute cool down after the workout to relax your body and wind down your muscles. An effective way of approaching and incorporating this workout into your routine is following guided workouts, like the ones available on the 30 Day Fitness Challenge app, which is full of different exercises and plans, perfect for keeping you on track.
Some Final Advice
When starting a new workout it is always a good idea to take your time and build up the time that you are exercising. Start HIIT as a 10-minute workout with another 10 minutes divided by a warm-up and cool down and build up to a 20-minute workout. Setting goals is also an easy way to reflect on your progress and build to where you would personally like to be with your fitness. Make sure that your goals are realistic and achievable for you, not just going on what others have achieved. Most importantly have fun, stay hydrated and ease your body into this workout that will give you many benefits in return.
