Like many women, I tend to carry most of my extra weight in my stomach. Always have and pretty much assumed that I always would. But then I read an article about this High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) study that was done by a Professor in Australia. He took 45 obese women and separated them into two groups:
- Group A did three 20 minute cardio interval sessions a week in which they worked at full aerobic capacity for 8 seconds, followed by 12 seconds of recovery.
- Group B also did three 20 minute cardio sessions a week, but at a slow, steady pace for 40 minutes.
Neither group altered their diet and yet after 15 weeks, Group A had lost 3 times as much fat as Group B, mostly from their belly. Why? No one knows for sure, but the adrenaline produced by intermittent sprinting seems to be the key. It not only breaks down and burns stored fat, but can also decrease appetite.
Ahhh, but does HIIT really work?
Well, I decided to give it a try. The women in the study worked out on an exercise bike, but I prefer to exercise at home. So, I started off by walking for 5 minutes to warm up. Then, I ran in place at full speed for 8 seconds, making me feel like Rocky, and paced for 12. I did this for 20 minutes, and then cooled down with another 5 minutes of walking. Even though I have worked out regularly and hard for years, this HIIT killed me. But, slowly, I got better at it and increased my interval times so that now, I do a full 30 minutes. And the results have been pretty phenomenal. My upper abs and waist (never my strong suit, particularly now that I’ve hit menopause) have shrunk dramatically and my lower abs are the flattest that they’ve been since my 20’s.
So, if you are struggling with belly fat, give the HIIT workout a try. If you are a gym goer, both the stationary bike and rowing machine work well. Stay away from the treadmill as it takes too much time to adjust the speed. And if, like me, you like to roll out of bed and workout at home, try my running in place. It’s simple, requires no special equipment other than good sneakers and a kitchen timer, travels easily and, most importantly, it really does work.
What an enjoyable article this was! It’s clear that you are passionate about this subject, which is a refreshing change from most authors. I bet your content will soon get picked up by a major syndicate. Thank you for bringing this information out, it’s much appreciated!
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