This year, more people than ever are aspiring to lose weight. Whether it’s for health reasons or to fit into a certain style of clothing, people are realizing that being overweight presents many challenges and compromises their quality of life. Luckily, there are ways to lose weight without having to make radical dietary changes. One such way is through exercise. While there are numerous different kinds of exercise, there is one type of workout that experts and science have proven to be the most effective in losing weight and keeping it off: interval training.
What is interval training you ask? Simply put, it’s a type of workout where you repeatedly switch between short and intense bursts of activity and rest periods. This type of workout was once reserved for professionals and athletes because it requires a high degree of fitness. However, interval training is now widely available to the public and is even incorporated into some traditional gym routines. When performed regularly, interval training promotes weight loss, increased stamina, and improved mental health. With the right nutrition and fitness plan, you can ensure that your body builds up the right muscles while improving your overall health. Keep reading for more information on how interval training can help you lose weight and how you can incorporate this type of workout into your routine.
How Does Interval Training Work?
Like other types of workouts, interval training involves utilizing your muscles through movement. However, rather than working your whole body at one time, you isolate and incorporate portions of your muscles to promote growth and strengthen your body. When you perform interval training, you alternate between short bursts of exertion and rest periods. These periods of activity and inactivity are known as “work intervals” and “rest intervals,” respectively. During work intervals, you engage your muscles and raise your heart rate. This is a good thing because it means your body is actually working and using oxygen. Anecdotally, many people experience a metabolic boost and report feeling less tired throughout the day following a workout. This is because interval training promotes the generation of new, healthier cells and boosts the body’s natural repair processes.
While in motion, you engage different muscles groups in your arms, legs, and core. Working your stomach muscles, which control your appetite, can also help you keep off the pounds. This is because it forces you to consume more calories than you would if you were sitting still. Even when you’re resting, your body is still working to maintain a healthy weight. By incorporating interval training into your routine, you can ensure that your body continues to function at its best.
Why Should You Try Interval Training?
If you’re looking for a way to lose weight, why not try something that experts have verified time and time again to be effective? With all the fad diets and unrealistic expectations, it’s no wonder more people are turning to science-backed methods for weight loss.
Performing interval training promotes weight loss for two reasons. First, when you work your muscles, you create a calorie expenditure. This alone can help you lose some weight. Second, interval training improves the functioning of your cardiovascular system, helping you to circulate blood and provide your body with the appropriate nutrients. This improves your health and helps you to avoid certain diseases.
If you want to improve your overall wellness and quality of life, incorporate interval training into your routine. Not only will you lose weight, but you’ll also be improving your mental and physical health. Incorporating interval training into your regimen doesn’t have to be difficult. All you need is determination and a little bit of self-discipline.
How Can I Perform Interval Training?
The first step in performing interval training is to figure out how long each workout should be. You want to ensure that your work intervals are long enough to promote a beneficial effect but not so long that they become boring. Boredom is one of the main reasons people don’t maintain an exercise routine. If you find that your work intervals are too short, you won’t get the full effect.
As a general rule of thumb, you should be able to do at least four or five work intervals per session. To start, you might want to aim for three or four work intervals per session. As you get used to the routine, you can gradually increase the duration of your work intervals. When you reach six or seven work intervals per session, you’re in excellent shape and ready to take on the world. Just kidding. You’ll just have to take care of your health first.
To start the process of performing interval training, simply follow these steps: