{"id":16805,"date":"2019-06-17T01:00:30","date_gmt":"2019-06-16T21:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rachaelattard.com\/?p=16805"},"modified":"2019-06-17T00:14:00","modified_gmt":"2019-06-16T20:14:00","slug":"hiit-benefits-reasons-to-try-hiit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rachaelattard.com\/hiit-benefits-reasons-to-try-hiit\/","title":{"rendered":"HIIT Benefits – Reasons To Try HIIT"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this blog post I want to talk to you about HIIT and why I love it so much. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of you may already know that a couple of years ago I got into weightlifting and that I was going to the gym regularly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My gym sessions would always be at least an hour, not including the time it took me to get there and to get back home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But then I started to travel a lot and getting access to the gym was sometimes really hard. Also, I started getting too muscular for my own liking<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So eventually I stopped lifting heavy weights and started doing quick home workouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You see, the length of your workout isn\u2019t always what makes it a good and intense<\/em> workout. In fact, it\u2019s what you do during your workout that makes it effective. And that\u2019s why I love to incorporate HIIT into my weekly fitness routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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WHAT IS HIIT?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

HIIT stands for high intensity interval training<\/a> and the average workouts take between 10 and 30 minutes. This makes them ideal if you have a busy schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what makes HIIT different from other short workouts is the intensity of each exercise you perform. During a HIIT circuit, you\u2019ll do one type of exercise for a short period of time as hard as you can. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After that, you\u2019ll rest, walk in place, or jog to keep yourself moving and give your heart rate a chance to calm down. Then, you\u2019ll repeat the high-intensity exercise again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This cycle lasts for up to 30 minutes and can be done literally anywhere. The only thing you need is enough room to exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But aside from giving you a quality workout in less time than your average gym session, HIIT workouts pack a ton of other benefits. Here\u2019s what you need to know. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. BURNS TONS OF CALORIES IN A TINY AMOUNT OF TIME<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The common way of thinking about workouts is that the longer you push yourself, the more calories you\u2019ll burn. And, to an extent, this can be true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But with HIIT, you\u2019ll be able to burn just as many calories as with a steady cardio session but a lot quicker. For example, if I run for 40 minutes and you do HIIT for 20 minutes, we\u2019ll likely burn the same number of calories! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

RELATED BLOG POST: HOW TO GET SKINNY LEGS: HIIT FOR FAT BURNING<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. HELPS YOU KEEP BURNING CALORIES EVEN AFTER THE WORKOUT<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

HIIT workouts help your body burn calories even after the workout is over. This type of training increases your metabolism during the workout but also after you\u2019re done exercising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This study shows that two minutes of\u00a0sprinting<\/a> and 30 minutes of running will lead to the same increase of your metabolism that will last for more than 24h!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The more amped up your metabolism is, the more calories you\u2019ll burn. So if losing weight is one of your fitness goals, HIIT may help you to lose weight more quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. HELPS WITH FAT BURNING<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

HIIT will help you increase your general cardiovascular fitness and your anaerobic threshold. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that during exercise your body will remain in the aerobic (fat burning) zone<\/a> for longer, before switching to the anaerobic pathway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result? You\u2019ll be able to exercise for longer and at a higher intensity and still burn fat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. CAN REDUCE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS AND LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

High blood pressure increases your risk of stroke, heart disease, and countless other health problems. And while regular exercise can help you lower blood pressure, it\u2019s not always enough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, medication is always an option, but HIIT workouts help you give your body the tools it needs to lower it on its own. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that\u2019s not all it does\u2014HIIT can help you lower your blood sugar levels consistently. If you\u2019re struggling with insulin resistance<\/a> or have struggled to lose weight, this is great news! Your body can start to right itself and function the way it\u2019s supposed to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"hiit<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

SHOULD I DO HIIT?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So, by now you\u2019re probably wondering if HIIT workouts are the answer you\u2019ve been looking for. After all, they\u2019re short, they\u2019re effective, and they\u2019re fun. But they\u2019re not the only thing you need to do to start losing weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You still need to eat a good diet rich in lean proteins<\/a>, fruits, vegetables and avoid processed foods and sugars whenever possible. Exercise is only one component of weight loss. But by combining HIIT workouts and a healthy diet, you\u2019ll see results quickly.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, if you build muscles easily<\/a> (especially on your legs) and you want to slim down your lower body, you need to make sure you\u2019re doing the right type of HIIT.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I said, HIIT is great but routines that have a lot of burpees, squats and lunges may add bulkiness to your legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have a lot of full body HIIT workouts that will help you burn lots of calories without adding bulk. Here are some of my favourite HIIT routines:<\/p>\n\n\n\n