Fat Burning Workouts: Interval Training for Me and You

Studies have shown that people doing high fat burning interval training workouts have lost significantly more body fat compared to people doing lower intensity workouts for a longer duration. Fat burns quicker with shorter high intensity training because you end up burning calories long after your work out is finished.

Here are the key benefits of high intensity interval training (HIIT):

HIIT burns a lot of calories during the workout and it causes your metabolic rate to be elevated for up to 24 hours after the workout is over. A higher metabolic rate causes your body to burn more calories, even when you are at rest. And the more calories you burn, the more body fat you'll lose. The increase in metabolic rate from HIIT is much higher than the increase from standard aerobic exercise.

When you begin interval training, you should determine intensity levels by monitoring your heart rate. Your heart rate at the lower intensity levels should range 50 - 60% of your maximum target heart rate. Maximum target heart rate can be measured by subtracting your age from 220. For example, a 40 year person would have a target heart rate of (220 - 40) = 180. At the higher intensity level your target heart rate should reach about 85%.

Here are a few pointers when performing all types of interval training:

- Warm up before starting any workout.

- Know your limits. When the intensity becomes too much, STOP!

- Don’t try to do too much too soon.

- Take breaks between bursts to let you heart rate to slow down.

- Cool down and stretch your muscles for several minutes following the workout.

As you can see, high intensity interval training has tremendous benefits, but it's not for everyone. Even though a HIIT workout doesn't last that long, it is demanding. It's not suitable for those who have never exercised before, or those with cardiovascular problems. You need to be in good cardiovascular condition before attempting HIIT.

Be sure to drink plenty of water or a sports drink before, during and after your workout. Staying properly hydrated will help optimize metabolism, lessen the chance of injury, and speed up your workout recovery. Consult with a physician if you are just starting an interval training exercise routine.

Greg Bachand is a busy husband & father of 2 kids, and thus a fan of time-efficient home fitness programs. He is an avid user of the Turbulence Training; weight training exercises that consists of short workouts for improving one's overall fitness level. Visit Turbulence Training Workouts to begin using these very effective home workout routines.