Discover the incredible advantages of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for your health and well-being. This comprehensive guide explores the science behind HIIT, revealing its impact on metabolism, fat loss, cardiovascular health, stress reduction, and more. Learn how to incorporate HIIT into your fitness routine for optimal results.
Looking to jumpstart your health journey? Download the new Start TODAY app for fitness challenges, meal plans and daily inspiration! A high-intensity interval ( HIIT ) workout is all about intensity and efficiency. It involves alternating between short bursts of high-intensity exercises and brief periods of active recovery. The beauty of HIIT workouts is that they can be done in a short amount of time, making them perfect for people with busy schedules.
They are incredibly effective for burning calories, improving cardiovascular fitness and boosting your metabolism. Let’s take a look at some of the impressive benefits of including HIIT workouts in your fitness routine. One of the most popular benefits of HIIT is the “after-burn effect.” This type of exercise stokes the metabolism, increasing calorie burn during the workout — and it stays elevated after the workout is complete, meaning your body is burning more calories at rest. NBC News medical contributor Dr. Natalie Azar told TODAY that including HIIT-training sessions in your weekly workout program has been shown to have statistically significant impacts on your metabolism. HIIT promotes fat loss If you are trying to lose weight, high-intensity interval training is a great workout to make a regular part of your routine. Research has shown that interval training like HIIT may be better for fat loss than continuous endurance training since it seems to promote fat-burning by using fat as fuel during exercise. HIIT workouts stimulate both the aerobic and anaerobic systems using just your body weight, meaning your body is burning the carbs and fats in your body to generate energy. Since HIIT also increases your metabolism during and after the workout, it can enable you to burn more calories even at rest, which also can contribute to weight loss. HIIT improves heart health HIIT is a type of cardiovascular exercise that raises your heart rate. According to the American Heart Association this type of exercise improves your cardiorespiratory fitness and they recommend including both moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity in your routine. Intense cardio exercise like HIIT can also lower blood pressure and it encourages fat loss and muscle building, all of which are good for your heart. HIIT gives you a good workout in a short amount of time A typical HIIT workout can be anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 minutes, so fitting it into your schedule should be doable. Plus, according to a 2014 study, doing only three, 10-minute sessions per week can improve heart and lung health, increase oxygen supply to the muscles, and improve cholesterol and blood-pressure levels. A study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity also linked less than 10 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity to a lower risk of obesity and better metabolic health. HIIT can regulate blood sugar Many studies have found that HIIT workouts not only regulate blood-sugar levels, but also can improve insulin resistance. If you have type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes, HIIT workouts can be helpful in managing your numbers. HIIT may combat the effects of aging and sitting Could a HIIT workout be the fountain of youth? A 12-week study found that participants had “improved age-related decline in muscle mitochondria.” Of course, any movement is better than being sedentary, but the study found HIIT workouts in particular were highly efficient in terms of reversing age-related changes. Incorporating just 20-minutes of moderate to high-intensity activity into your day can also help combat the effects of prolonged sitting — something all too common in our modern lifestyle. A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that about 22 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous activity can counteract the harmful side effects of sitting for extended periods. The study also found that as activity level increases, the risk of dying prematurely from any cause decreases. HIIT can reduce stress and anxiety HIIT workouts have been shown to provide mental health benefits thanks to the release of feel-good hormones dopamine and serotonin. For example, one small study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology looked at the effects of HIIT exercise on healthy adults in confinement during the COVID-19 lockdown. They found that moderate- and high-intensity exercise decreased anxiety, stress and depression and increased resilience. Another study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that exercising three times a week improved symptoms of people diagnosed with anxiety disorders compared to those who were not physically active. The authors claim that exercise 'can be an effective treatment for people suffering from anxiety and should be more frequently prescribed for them by primary care doctors,' TODAY reporte
HIIT High-Intensity Interval Training Fitness Health Metabolism Fat Loss Cardiovascular Health Stress Reduction Exercise
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