When we finally decided to take the plunge and burn the fat that protrudes from our belly or buttocks, we usually promise to go to the gym regularly and some to a healthy, balanced diet. Several researches have shown that no need to spend hours on the treadmill or lifting weights to achieve our goals. A few minutes of short, intense exercise can be as effective as a long walk.
The latest findings suggest that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises can reduce accumulated fat in much less time than if we opt for softer ones. Of course, as the saying goes, “Whoever wants something, it costs him something,” and if you want to see those michelins disappear as quickly as possible get ready because you’re going to sweat.
The difference in weight loss between those who performed HIIT or resistance was one pound
“Most HIIT workouts require less than half an hour of duration,” he explains Gretchen Reynolds, a prestigious columnist for ‘The New York Times’ and a highly successful author for her book ‘The 20 Minutes’. “It usually takes a few seconds or minutes to strenuous effort followed by a period of rest and repetition of the sequence several times “.
This type of physical activity can improve aerobic condition, lower blood sugar or balance blood pressure. But when it comes to burning fat, the debate is still hot: Are HIITs better or a simple resistance exercise like going for a walk or running? Most of the studies published to date are small and short-lived, but according to Reynolds, without HIIT coming out better.
It’s a minimal difference, but a long plan can mean a lot
This is evidenced by an academic study published in ‘The British Journal of Sports Medicine’, conducted by researchers in Brazil and Britain to clear the doubts before this issue and gather as much data as possible from all existing studies. Like this, allaron 36 of them that included randomized experiments sometimes from surveys or epidemiological data and comparing the effects of resistance with intervals.
Moderate exercise sequences consisted of walking, running, cycling, or swimming for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, the HIITs lasted much less, even less than ten minutes, and they consisted of push-ups, squats, burpees or jumps. There were also one-minute sprints with three-second consecutive breaks, up to three sets, which in this case resulted in an exercise of less than five minutes.
The researchers then compared the loss of mass between the subjects. The results were that those who engaged in intervals had a significant reduction in their body much greater than those of endurance. In all, the former lost 1.58 kilos of medium, compared to the seconds that only dropped their fat by 0.58. “It simply came to our notice then“,” says Gretchen, “but that in the long run can mean a lot.”
In fact, the main conclusion to be drawn from the study is that “there may be flexibility in choice due to the similarity of the results“, according to the acknowledgment James Steele, a professor at Solent University in Southampton, England, and one of the study’s lead authors, in ‘The New York Times’. Therefore, it is best to alternate both types of training. It will be the most efficient.
You can start with a tied gait to improve endurance, and after a few minutes, start doing sprints. Or also climb stairs at a brisk pace with half-minute breaks in each repetition. The key is to finally get down to work and above all you stay away from the sedentary lifestyle, otherwise it will be impossible to lose weight.