If your goal is to get fit this year, hopefully, you've been reading our tips on how to motivate yourself to go to the gym, and being inspired by readers in our Fit Community. And now that you've gotten into a routine with your workouts, it's time to decide how you'll be switching it up to maximize your time in the gym or on the road.
Interval and high-intensity training are perfect ways to do just that, and are an important part of meeting your weight loss and fitness goals. Need more motivation for incorporating them into your weekly workout? Read on for three important reasons to add high-intensity training to your fitness sessions.
- It helps you get out of a fitness rut. Adding some high-intensity muscle reps once a week or adding interval training to your cardio routine will help you get past boredom during your workouts.
- It saves you time. You should be modifying your workout every two to three weeks, so upping the cardio intensity will mean you can fit in a fast, efficient workout into your busy schedule.
- It targets belly fat. Faster-paced workouts help your body release fat-burning hormones, which burn fat both during your workouts as well as long after you've showered off the sweat. In addition, intense workouts target the fat we store around our midsections especially, which is important in lowering the risk of certain diseases.
I'm psyched when the weekend rolls around because my schedule is wide open, so I can plan longer, more intense workouts than I'd be able to do Monday through Friday. I like to go for hikes with the fam, make dates with my running buddies to do lengthy runs, or go for hour-long bike rides with my hubby. What about you?
