HIIT TUESDAY WORKOUT #1

Helloooo, Tuesday. Two important things going on today>>

1: It is my husband’s birthday. (So weird I can say “husband” now!) I was picking out his birthday card at Target, and I totally got all teary eyed realizing I could look at the “husband” section… Silly, I know 😉

2: I give you your first workout! 😀

So while I don’t have any snacks for you today (sad I know), I do have a great workout planned for you. And guess what? It’s QUICK, and requires NO EQUIPMENT. Guess what that means…? NO EXCUSES! 🙂 This workout is a type of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)… which is great for people short on time, or those that don’t have access to a gym.

Over are the days where you have to run on the treadmill for 45 minutes, jump on the elliptical for an hour, or climb the stairmaster for 20 minutes. And thank goodness for that! Because seriously, I get so bored after being on one of those machines for 15 minutes, let alone 45! But back in college I did just that. I thought I needed to spend at LEAST 20-40 minutes on the elliptical, or alternate between the different types of machines for an hour, in order to get any results. I kind of started dreading getting on those machines. And was I seeing any progress? Not really. Talk about frustrating. Well, come to find out, HIIT is what I was missing.

There has been numerous research showing that in comparison to excessive traditional cardio, HIIT is far more effective in burning fat, increasing metabolism, and preserving muscle while also losing fat. (It’s important to preserve that hard-earned muscle, because that’s what burns the fat!) Don’t get me wrong, I love a good long bike ride, or the occasional group fitness cardio class. But if you’re looking for fat loss, you might want to think about changing up your routine.

Just as you get a greater after burn effect from weight-training, HIIT offers the same benefits. That means your body will continue working hard to burn calories, even long after you’re done exercising. The afterburn effect is influenced by the intensity of the exercise, NOT the duration. So yes, you have to push yourself a little more, and probably talk yourself through each and every second. But I promise it’ll be WORTH IT. I mean, who doesn’t have 30 minutes to spare to get in a great workout? And if you find yourself saying, “Literally I don’t have 30 minutes…” Yes, you do. Prioritize, my friends. Start putting your health first! YOU are important, your HEALTH is important. Your life depends on it. PLUS you don’t even have to leave your house… unless you live in an apartment on the top floor and your downstairs neighbors bang on the ceiling while you do 30 seconds of tuck jumps and high knees. Then you might want to consider going outside… 😉 Or maybe your neighbor will want to join you?! Spread the health 🙂

Don’t forget to push yourself through each exercise, and make those 20-30 minutes count. It’s called “High Intensity Interval Training” for a reason. But always listen to your body and make adjustments as needed. You might not be “comfortable”, but you should never be in physical pain.

Comment with any questions below, or feel free to email me at fitmittenkitchen@gmail.com

Good luck!