07 May Burn More Calories in Less Time!
Getting in shape for summer can be done faster than you think. And Flex is here to help.
How? We suggest start with focusing your weight loss work outs on effective, short bursts of calorie burning. Then, you don’t waste precious time – and won’t become frustrated with slow results.
As Flex director Heather Thomas Shalabi reminds her clients, long periods spent on only one kind of exercise is not the best way to torch extra weight and keep it off long-term.
“High interval intensity training (HIIT) burns more calories in a shorter space of time than running for an hour,” says Heather. “A focused challenge is a great way to start. You get quick results and once you see and feel the benefits, that’s a great motivator to keep going.”
And it’s backed up by ongoing scientific findings. In February, the British Journal of Sports Medicine reported that bursts of HIIT may be more effective for weight loss than longer less intense workouts.
The study analysed results from 36 earlier studies, and although all the participants lost weight, those doing HIIT saw a 28.5 per cent greater weight loss.
How interval training works is this: it combines short, high-intensity bursts of speed (from 10 seconds to three minutes) regularly paused with slow recovery phases. Both fast and slow intervals are repeated throughout.
From a weight loss perspective, just ask Insta star and fitness guru Joe Wicks, who has been quoted as saying: “It’s basically a means of getting a whole lot of exercise done fast. It’s one of the most effective training methods for burning fat.”
From a weight loss perspective, how it works is simple. If you push yourself hard for a short period of time, your body will keep on burning calories for some hours afterwards. In other words, a little amount of time can go a long way.
As Heather explains: “This effect (also known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) results from the body working hard to again find its natural resting state, thereby replacing oxygen you have used during your workout”.
There are said to be other health benefits to HIIT (also known as Tabata, named after Japanese scientist, Izumi Tabata, who undertook studies on this form of exercise for the national skating team) including research from the Journal of Sports Science that said HIIT stimulates production of human growth hormone (HG) by up to 450 per cent.
This effect can last up to 24 hours following HIIT training, speeding the repair of tissues, improving muscle and skin tone, and building lean muscle mass.
So what’s not to like? Less time, more fat burn and a quicker route to a healthier summer.
Need help? The FLEXtreme Challenge is here! All throughout this month, take 10/15 classes in our unique FLEXTreme method – utilizing the effective HIIT method – and see what we’re talking about. Upon entering, you will receive a goody bag with fantastic gifts from sponsors such as Sense of Touch and Veda. Upon completion, you will also automatically be entered to win an amazing prize!
Book now at [email protected] or visit www.flexhk.com