How To Run To Lose Weight
We all know that cardio is really boring at times. Running on the treadmill or pedaling on an exercise bike doesn't seem like that arduous activity, and to make matters worse, the final effect on weight loss can often be very little.
But what if we told you that you may be wasting less time in the gym by losing more fat mass? It may seem absurd to you, but there is actually a science-based training method that can raise your energy and calorie expenditure far beyond your time in the gym.
It is called high intensity interval training, commonly referred to by its English acronym HIIT.
What is High Intensity Interval Training?
HIIT is a training method that focuses on intensity rather than duration, in contrast to conventional cardio workouts. In this type of training, alternate periods of low intensity with periods of moderate or high intensity.
This means that, Instead of running on the treadmill at a constant speed for 20 minutes, you will alternate moments of moderate activity (eg: 50 seconds running at a constant speed) at intense peaks of activity (eg: 10 seconds of fast running).
The best part is that HIIT takes less time than traditional cardio. As research shows, HIIT can improve both the aerobic and anaerobic systems and burn fat faster in less time.
Why Does HIIT Burn More Fat?
It is a scientific fact that our metabolism remains at high levels for many hours even after finishing training in the gym. Even when you are back home, you continue to burn calories at a higher rate than normal.
This phenomenon is called EPOC (Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, literally “post-workout oxygen consumption”). As long as the body is in a training recovery phase, the metabolism will still remain in an accelerated phase. Therefore, the greater the effect of exercise-induced muscle wasting, the longer the fat and calories will continue to burn.
HIIT is the best way to induce damage to muscle fibers thus speeding up your metabolism (1).
The Best Fat Burning Program
There are other ways HIIT contributes to weight loss as well as increasing metabolism. Scientific studies have also demonstrated the role of HIIT in increasing the concentration of muscle enzymes responsible for using fat to fuel metabolism (2) and the amount of proteins that transport fats to the mitochondrion, where they are metabolized for energy (3).
Conclusions
In conclusion, high intensity interval training is a really efficient way to get more in line and lose weight quickly without having to spend endless hours in the gym. The next time you hit the gym, try to incorporate intense exercises into your routine, such as reducing rest times, or doing circuit training.
