HIIT: Boost Your Metabolism and Burn Fat in 20 Minutes

HIIT High Intensity Interval Training

Benefits of HIIT Over Other Exercise Programs 

• Done in 15 to 20 Minutes
• Done Anywhere
• Done with Your Body-weight (no equipment needed)
• Best for Raising Metabolism
• Best for Burning Fat
• Best for "After-Burn" Continues to Burn Fat after Exercise
• Builds Muscle Mass and Strength
• Intensity Is Modified for Your Fitness Level

Discovering the ease and effectiveness of HIIT coupled with the key dietary principle of 50% of your diet as vegetables is the main reason I started this blog.  If I can succeed as a post-menopausal 60 year old woman, base fitness level minimal and 60 pounds overweight----you can too. After 15 months, I'm now down 52 pounds--eight to go! Really---it isn't that hard! Hows that?

Allow me to review the two secrets I've learned along the journey to reduce your learning curve during this adventure.  
1st - A new lifestyle eating preference for eating vegetables in place of carbohydrates ... its the key to weight-loss and sustaining it.
2nd - HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) ... an approach to exercise that revs up metabolism and burns fat.

The last several blogs have covered new approaches to your eating habits.  This blog will add the exercise component to your adventure.

Don't be discouraged or intimated by the name of High Intensity Interval Training. You can easily modify the exercise intensity according to your age, weight, and initial overall fitness level. The exercises are done in "intervals" of time counted in seconds.  The intervals usually range from 20 to 40 seconds per exercise followed by a 10 to 20 seconds of rest. Your intensity level at the beginning most likely will be low or moderate and not high as the title states, and most exercise videos offer low impact versions of all exercises in case your joints need some protection.

If you have not exercised in a long time it is best to start at a low intensity of 50 to 60% of your maximum target heart rate. This 

•  maintains current muscle tone, as energy expenditure will draw on fat, not muscle,  
•  improves the functions of the cardiovascular system, and 
•  strengthens the heart. 

Gradually work yourself up to the 70% moderate intensity range, which still burns fat better than higher intensity levels.  High intensity exercise is 80 to 90% of your maximum target heart rate, and should not be done by beginners of HIIT.  Only after a year of doing this program did I begin to exercise in this range. Train for 20 minutes per day, three to five times per week.

Your desired intensity level is determined by calculating your target heart rate. See the below chart and this American Heart Association link for information on how to determine your target heart rate: 
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/Target-Heart-Rates_UCM_434341_Article.jsp#.Vp3vylkuPIU

Source:  www.jumpstarthealthchallenge.com                                                           

This is critical as it can be dangerous to exercise outside of the your own target heart rate. The formula is 220--minus your age and then multiply this number by .5 (for low intensity) to .7 (moderate intensity), which is the best range for weight reduction. 

If you are a beginner, older, overweight and out of shape--I caution you to avoid trying to keep up with experienced instructor/trainers.  Stay within your target heart rate. Don't be discouraged by the "model-like" HIIT trainers.  Your goal doesn't have to be to look like them---since they are most likely 20 to 30 years younger and they exercise hours a day for a living.  Our goal is better health and fitness.

Many sources as a general guideline state to move at an accelerated level that still allows you to carry on a conversation.  Relax--just keep moving--go at your own pace and ignore ranting trainers, whether they are leading a HIIT session at a health club or on a DVD or a YouTube video, when they instruct to pick up the pace---at most likely their own high intensity pace.  And don't despair--your fitness level will change as you implement the dietary changes and HIIT.  In fact, my husband recently stated, "If you loose anymore weight you'll need a butt implant."  And a new acquaintance who didn't know me before my weight loss, calculated I had the necessary fitness to hike a difficult trail. I share these compliments as hope and proof to you that these methods do work. Absolute music to my ears--and the tape keeps rewinding with these rewarding compliments providing continued motivation. Be sure to listen to your personal cheerleaders who compliment and encourage you to keep at it. Remember to keep replaying the encouragement tapes--over and over--they will provide wondrous music to your life.

The two main elements to remember with HIIT is to move and modify as needed during each interval. My experience, revealed if you are overweight, older and haven't been regularly exercising, it doesn't take much movement to elevate your pulse rate.  For example, if the exercise is to jog, you likely can start just by raising your legs to high knees and circling your arms, and if the exercise calls for a hop or jump--a toe-tap, or toe-raise up, may be adequate in raising your heart rate to the level of 50% to 60% for "fat burning."  So modify the exercise movement to your fitness profile and health status, which will also prevents injuries and will influence the sustainability of a  HIIT routine in your daily life.

Where to exercise? A self-assessment on your exercise preferences can assist you in determining the best place to do your HIIT routine. The two major factors are time and individual preference to either exercise alone or in a group. If your time is limited you may choose to do the HIIT routines at home.   Since a routine only takes 15 to 20 minutes, perhaps you could be done in the time it takes you drive to and back from a health club.  Or are you too self-conscious to move in a group? Do you have the self-motivation to do the routine on your own? Do you enjoy the social component of groups or does the group chatter drive you crazy? Does exercising in a group at a fitness center make it more fun and motivating?  There is no right or wrong to the exercise place; however your success will likely be influenced by an honest self-assessment on your preferences to exercise alone, in a group, at a fitness center or at home.

Source:  www.FitYay.com    Also has other great information on HIIT.

If your decision is to exercise at home, or for the times you need to because of time or travel, it is good to have some available resources to do so.  I would recommend finding some free video routines on the internet, at least prior to buying DVD's.  This will allow you to further determine if exercising at home is truly a sustainable behavior, prior to purchasing DVD's.

There are endless sources on the internet, but to get you started, try the following YouTube video links. For beginners this link (skip the advertisement) has great description:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2jill_Lf0Y&list=PL5lPziO_t_ViN5Mu1b17pTIGHfHgXf_Bi&index=14

This link has provides directions for different intensity levels:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSYF37zDhiE 
For your use at home or hotel while traveling, this HIIT link provides numerous routines: http://greatist.com/move/free-interval-workouts-youtube   

For a great lower body HIIT workout with a man leading the exercises:              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4tiWhsQhQg&list=PL5lPziO_t_ViN5Mu1b17pTIGHfHgXf_Bi

These sources provide routines with visual pictures and written instructions on proper techniques for beginners, but has no video.
http://dailyburn.com/life/db/hiit-workouts-for-beginners/   

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/11/beginner-hiit-workouts_n_6655926.html?ir=Australia

These HIIT workouts, but with no video, begin at 10 minutes and progresses to 20 and 30 minute sessions.      http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/hiit-workout  

Your skill development for the coming weeks and months is to determine your target heart rate and implement HIIT for beginners at the low to moderate (50 to 70% of your maximum heart rate) intensity level.

The next post will have more helpful tips on HIIT and some of the DVD's that assisted me in my weight loss.