High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a great way (some might say it’s *the* way) to boost your body’s fat burning ability and can increase lean muscle mass all the while making you look and feel like the baddest chick around. HIIT workouts produce more results in less time simply due to the nature of the workouts.
One of the best parts is HIIT workouts don’t usually last more than 20-30 minutes at most. Bye bye 60+ minutes on the treadmill to stay in the “fat burning zone!” HIIT is where it’s at!
I used to budget out two hours a day to get a workout in. I thought the more work I did, the better my results would be and while this thought process isn’t totally nuts (more minutes exercising = more calories burned), it’s certainly not as effective or time efficient as HIIT. When I switched HIIT a few times a week, everything changed. My appetite calmed down because I wasn’t ravenous from super long workouts, my body changed because not only was I eating better, but my body was able to recover and repair faster, too.
On top of all those benefits, there are a few other reasons why HIIT workouts are so freaking awesome:
1. HIIT is extremely inexpensive
You don’t even need a gym membership to get a kickass workout. Especially when your workouts are HIIT workouts. A HIIT workout can be as cheap zero dollars and can be as expensive as a $120 per month gym membership. It’s your choice- I know I love being around other people when I’m working out so I like hitting the gym, but I also know people who like working out at home. HIIT works in either case. If all you have access to at home is your body weight, you can still crush it. If you have a few pairs of dumbbells, even better. If you like using barbells and kettlebells, more power to you! But you don’t need to spend any money at all on a gym membership to get in shape. You’ve just gotta start moving it with intensity and intention.
2. HIIT takes less time & is easy to fit into any schedule
Another barrier to exercise that I hear all the time is, well, time. We’re busy. I get that. I’m busy, you’re busy, who has time for hour long workouts 3-5 days a week? There aren’t many people I can think of that have that kind of time, but the good news is, you don’t need it. HIIT can literally cut your exercise time in half. If you can’t make it to that 6am spin class because you have to be at work by 7, do a 20 minute HIIT workout at home. If you oversleep your alarm and have to work out on your 45 minute lunch break, set the clock for 15 minutes and sprint. Basically you aren’t allowed to use the excuse that you “don’t have time to work out” anymore #sorrynotsorry. {Another note for those who think 15 minutes isn’t “enough” time (I used to think the same way!) then you’ve never done a true HIIT workout 😉
3. HIIT burns more calories than traditional steady state workouts
HIIT workouts trigger something known as Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). After a short, intense workout, your body will continue to burn calories for about 24 hours after you have completed your workout. If you were to do lower intensity workouts like walking on the treadmill for an hour, your body will stop burning calories as soon as you stop exercising.
4. HIIT results in more fat loss over time than longer duration workouts
Concerning fat loss, we burn both fat and carbohydrates when we exercise, but the proportion changes depending on the intensity of the exercise. Studies are showing that shorter high-intensity workouts result in greater fat loss than steady-state cardio sessions. This means that you get even more benefits than just burning more calories, and increasing lean muscle mass. You’ll also burn more fat if you workouts are balls-to-the-walls intense and short in length.
5. HIIT can be done anywhere
You don’t have to be holed up in a gym to get in a good workouts sesh. You can get your sweat on in your backyard, at the park, on a track, in your living room, in your bedroom, at the beach… You can workout your abs using a swing at the park, do pull-ups on monkey bars, do incline push-ups on your patio stairs, sprints down your street (just watch for cars!)…your options are endless. Move that body!
6. Anyone can do a HIIT workout. Anyone.
HIIT workouts are quick, cheap and super effective but that doesn’t mean they’re easy. In fact, these are some of the toughest workouts I’ve ever done, BUT the great part is that you always get a recover period. That’s where the interval part comes in. You work super hard for a certain period of time then rest and get back to it when you’re ready which makes HIIT great for any fitness level. It’s kind of fun to track your progress based on your rest period. The shorter they get, the more fit you’re getting!