Why does interval training work so well for weight loss? It’s because it pushes your body to use more energy than a typical cardio workout. Interval training can be incorporated into just about any exercise by increasing the intensity for a set amount of time. This includes exercises such as running, swimming, walking, or bicycling.
A typical cardio workout would look something like this:
- warm-up
- start your workout (running, swimming, cycling, etc.)
- get your heart rate up
- feel the lactic acid build up
- get into a study pace
- stay in that pace for 30 minutes or more
- cool down
Sound familiar? Adding intervals will increase the intensity and burn more calories during and long after your workout. This in turn will help shed the pounds. Intervals do not need to be done everyday. Two to three times a week are sufficient along with regular cardio and strength training. Most importantly, don’t neglect your diet by eating a lot of processed foods. Try interval training in your regular cardio sessions and become a fat burning machine!
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Eartha,
From my time spent working in the accounting/financial world, I see a parallel between finances and intervals. Sounds like a stretch, I know, but hear me out:
Most people try to support themselves with a recurring income from a steady job. You get your paycheck every 2 weeks. For every hour you work, you get paid for that one hour.
Kinda like running in a typical cardio workout… for every minute spent, you burn a certain number of calories. Want to burn more? Run Longer.
But the people who truly learn to get rich take a different approach. They make an investment. The investment could be money in a fund that pays long-term dividends, or it could be time invested in creating a business… you get the idea.
You pay more upfront and get an even greater return over the long haul. That’s how intervals work too. They’re a heavy energy investment upfront that will pay (burn) for a longer term.
It’s an analogy that I can relate to
Keep up the blog!
I totally dig that analogy and look at intervals in the same way. They are intense but pay off in the long run. Thanks for sharing this Jason!