3 Benefits of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

I’m a big believer in working out smarter not harder when it comes to reaching your physique goals. After all, no one (not even me!) wants to spend hours upon hours in the gym everyday.. YUCK!! That’s why, as a Weight Loss Coach, Personal Trainer and Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, when it comes to developing programs for my clients, I make it a point to get them in and out of the gym as efficiently as possible! One of my favorite types of workouts that I incorporate into my client’s programming is HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training.A HIIT workout session usually lasts anywhere from 5-30 minutes and involves intense periods of “work” followed by short periods of rest. By bringing your heart rate up, letting it fall and repeating this cycle, you get a really effective workout (and calorie burn) in a short amount of time. But that's not the only reason why it is so effective, check out the 3 reasons why you should be incorporating HIIT into your workout plan.

1.) You will burn more fat:

HIIT has been proven to be incredibly effective at burning fat because of what is known as EPOC or Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (aka the "after burn"). I know this sounds like a really geeky term, but it basically means that after a High Intensity session you are still burning calories long after you leave the gym.

2.) You will get stronger:

It’s true that I am a BIG believer in the notion that women (and men), should lift. However, there is power in compound body-weight movements when it comes to adding strength and endurance. Not only will you be getting stronger the more you perform HIIT circuits, but you will also be shedding fat. #winwin

3.) You can do it anywhere:

You literally don’t need a single piece of equipment to get an effective HIIT workout in. Simply put together a list of exercises (high knees, burpees, push ups, jumping jacks), decide on the amount of time you want to spend and GO!More tips: For your HIIT workout, I wouldn’t just get on any old treadmill and pound through a few circuits, instead.. incorporate compound body movements like I mentioned earlier (i.e. burpees, push ups) so that you can build and preserve lean muscle while also shedding fat. New to High Intensity Interval Training? Try incorporating a HIIT work into your workout plan anywhere from 1-3 times a week.Want some inspiration? Check out my super affordable,  $12 HIIT Workout Guide  -- Complete with 5 HIIT Workout Circuits & a full exercise glossary!