Most gym goers interested in fat loss will spend hours slogging away on a treadmill or elliptical week in and week out. They’re often surprised when they don’t see many changes after so much exercise. The truth is, if your goal is to melt fat and get lean, you don’t need this much endless cardio.
If you want to spend less time in the gym but still reap the benefits, high-intensity interval training is your answer. Interval training involves alternating periods of very intense work and rest. This type of training is nothing new. It’s been around for quite sometime, but it’s incredibly effective.
A study done in 2008, showed how 3, 20-minute interval sessions per week was enough to create substantial changes in body composition in only 15 weeks (1).
The researchers took 45 women and divided them into 3 separate groups.The 1st was the high-intensity exercise (interval) group, the 2nd was the steady-state (cardio) group, and the 3rd was the control group. Each group was asked to maintain their current diet, so no specific changes were made.
The high-intensity group performed intervals for 20 minutes on a stationary bike three times per week. They pedaled as fast as they could for 8 seconds then stopped cycling for 12 seconds. They repeated this protocol for 60 reps.
The steady-state group began with 10-20 minutes of continuous cycling but increased it to 40 minutes three times per week at 60% of their VO2 max. This equates to a moderate intensity.
The results were quite telling. The high-intensity group lost 11.2% body fat, while the cardio group experienced no fat loss. The interval group also decreased abdominal fat by 9.5%, while the steady-state group had a 10.5% increase. Another interesting fact was the high-intensity group increased lean muscle mass in their legs and abs.
All this occurred in just 1 hour of exercise per week! The researchers noted that there may be several reasons why interval training works so well.
1. High-intensity exercise seems to suppress appetite. This would help to prevent you from overeating.
2. Interval training may result in increased lipid utilization. This basically means you would burn more fat for energy while exercising.
Though these two are extremely important, one change that took place may have had the greatest effect. This was a hormonal change. The interval group experienced a 31% decrease in fasting insulin levels compared to 9% in the cardio group.
Insulin is big player in the fat loss game. When resting insulin levels are high, your body tends to store more nutrients as fat. It also prevents fat from being used for energy. This is one of the primary problems for those with diabetes or obesity.
Normalizing hormones can have a huge impact on weight loss. This area isn’t thought about often. Many people think about food and exercise, but not necessarily what’s going on inside their body.
Interval training seems to impact all of these factors. Long duration cardiovascular exercise, on the other hand, doesn’t. This is why cardio isn’t the best choice when the goal is fat loss.
Most don’t have the time to spend several hours in the gym each week. This is another reason why intervals are a superior choice. They’re more time efficient.
So, how can you make this work for you?
The research shows 3 sessions of 20 minutes is enough to see reductions in body fat. Using the above protocol of 8 seconds of cycling and 12 seconds of rest, is a perfect starting point.
You can do this on any exercise bike in the gym. The intensity should be high throughout the entire interval. The 8 second work period should feel like a 9 out of 10 with 10 equaling the most intense form of exercise.
The participants in the study were told to continue eating as they normally would. Making a nutritional change can only help to improve your results. Begin by focusing on lean protein, veggies and fruits, and low/no calories drinks.
Most wouldn’t bat an eye to give up 1 hour of their time per week if it produced the desired results. Interval training can do this and save countless hours in the gym. Complete this simple routine and you’ll be surprised with how much you can achieve in so little time.
References:
1. Trapp EG. et al. The effects of high-intensity intermittent exercise training on fat loss and fasting insulin levels of young women. Int J Obes (Lond). 2008 Apr;32(4):684-91.
Photo Credit:
1. http://livehealthy.chron.com/
