If weight loss is at the top of your list for your fitness goals, then cardiovascular training should be a part of your regular workout. Cardio is essential to burn unwanted fat stores to enable you to see your awesome defined muscles.
The best fat burning cardio method is high-intensity interval training (HIIT). An HIIT session is tough, it’s not easy, but the results and benefits are more than worth it. You can burn fat with less time doing HIIT cardio, that means you will have more time to accomplish your “to-do list” for the day by incorporating interval training into your fitness program.
HIIT And Interval Training
- There are two methods of HIIT: Short intervals lasting from 20 – 30 seconds and long intervals lasting 45 – 60 seconds.
- Intervals are high intensity exercises using large muscle groups in the body.
- Sprints are an excellent way to do interval training to burn fat at optimal levels.
- You can do HIIT on any cardio machine of choice or incorporate during your outdoor training.
Doing cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is the best route to go to burn fat faster. It will burn your fat stores for energy since your glucose in the blood (blood sugar level) is extremely low from fasting during sleeping hours.
Therefore, your body will turn to its own stored energy to fuel your muscles during tough workouts, which will shape your physique in less time.
How Often And How To Do It
To accomplish your fat reduction goals sooner, you need to incorporate HIIT into your fitness routine two to three days a week.
What Is Interval Training?
- Short energy bursts incorporated throughout a cardio routine, typically done every 4 to 5 minutes with moderate intensity between high-intensity durations, which should last anywhere from 30 to 60 seconds, followed by a moderate intensity for 3 to 4 minutes, repeating 4 to 6 times (do what you can).
- Basically, an HIIT workout consists of a few minutes of warm-up, followed by periods of high-intensity exercise, separated by low to medium intensity, and ending with a period of a few minutes cool down.
- The high-intensity intervals should be done at near maximum intensity at the end by giving it all you’ve got. The medium exercise should be about 50% intensity.
- The number of repetitions and length of each high point repetitions depends on you, do what you can, within time, your endurance and strength will increase.
The goal is to hit a high-intensity level at least 6 times during your workout and to have the entire HIIT session last at least 20 to 30 minutes, followed by a 5 to 10-minute cool down starting with medium intensity ending with light intensity.
The entire exercise time period should last about 22 to 45 minutes, which includes warm up and cool down.
HIIT: Benefits And Precautions
HIIT is an excellent way to maximize your workouts to burn fat faster and make the most of your time when working out. You will see results much sooner by making HIIT a part of your regular workout regimen.
Be mindful of your body when doing HIIT, this exercise is not for the faint-hearted. It takes energy, determination, and sweat when done correctly.
Do what you can and don’t push your body to the point of wanting to pass out or if you can’t breathe well. As you continue to do HIIT, your endurance will improve, so make it a point to simply do your best and forget the rest.
You can do HIIT on any cardio machine, with a jump rope or by jogging and doing sprint intervals on a treadmill or outdoors. You can also do them without a cardio machine by incorporating them into your regular cardio routine.
As always, if you’re new to exercise or training high-intensity intervals be sure to consult your physician prior to beginning a new exercise routine.
Turbocharge Your Metabolism
The beautiful thing about doing interval training a few times a week is that your metabolism will be in high gear hours after you exercise by the awesome after-burn effect.
In addition, you’ll have a rush of feel-good hormones (serotonin, human growth hormone, endorphins, testosterone, thyroxine [T4], epinephrine,) during and after you exercise.
Plus, doing HIIT burns brown fat for energy during your hard workouts by using your intramuscular reserves (deep fat stores) which use the glycogen stores in the muscles and bloodstream for energy.
Best Diet Tips For HIIT
I always workout on an empty stomach and have had outstanding results by doing so. But, I don’t exercise without fueling my body, I have my favorite a pre-workout drink about 30 minutes before exercising.
- To make the most of your workouts be sure to have a whey isolate protein shake (25 to 35 g of protein) directly after training with a simple carb (fruit is an excellent choice) for optimal recovery.
- And be sure to drink plenty of purified water with branch chain amino acids before, during, and after training to fuel your muscles and aid in muscle repair.
- Eat a clean diet, make it part of living a healthy lifestyle. It won’t do you any good to train hard day in and day out and then eat junk food or give in to cravings of eating unhealthy fast food, such as hamburgers and French fries.
If you really want to burn fat fast then eat a diet that is high in lean protein, vegetables, fruit (best eaten after training). Also, consume healthy fats along with doing HIIT. Doing so will aid your weight loss efforts and will make you leaner and stronger in no time!
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