Cut the Cardio!

Like most of us, I'm not afforded the luxury, nor do I have the time or energy for hour-long cardio sessions every day. Enter High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). HIIT consists of 30 second bouts of all-out intensity followed by 60-90 seconds of recovery time. The intervals are completed about 10-12 times. With a 3-5 minute warm-up and cool down, your cardio session lasts about 20 minutes. HIIT can be done using any type of cardio exercise or equipment, such as the treadmill, elliptical trainer, stationary bike, etc. HIIT torches about nine times more calories post-exercise than steady-state cardio. This is due to EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). An increase in EPOC means that you consume more oxygen recovering from the exercise, and therefore it takes the body longer to recover, which equals more calories spent. HIIT training should be done on three nonconsecutive training days per week to reap maximum benefit.

My personal experience with HIIT is that it works and it works fast! I learned the hard way that certain prescription drugs can slow weightloss efforts and even cause weight gain. Since incorporating HIIT to my training schedule, I have been able to start losing weight again after a long battle with the scale. I sweat like mad and my legs burn during a session. Afterward, I feel more energetic. Even dealing with chronic headaches, I feel less wiped out and more productive.