Hate running?
Me too.
Tired of the slow results that walking-only or cardio heavy workout plans provides you?
Ditto.
So what can you do?
Focus on high intensity interval training.
Before I lose you, hear me out.
Efficiency in the Fat Burning Zone
With high intensity interval training, you’re jacking your heart rate up for short bursts of time only.
This actually keeps you in the fat burning zone which, as you guessed it, helps you torch calories.
And these torching properties last for much longer than your workouts do. This means you’ll start shedding those unwanted pounds in no time.
Another plus to high intensity intervals is that they aren’t going to drain your energy levels like a bootcamp or long run would.
Instead, by focusing on a short burst of your maximum capacity, you won’t feel wiped out afterwards or starving for carbs and you’ll have a nice boost of energy.
Let’s talk about the details of this seemingly too good to be true workout.
My Favorite Workout for Burning 400+ Calories in 45 Minutes
Now, I can’t take credit for creating this workout.
After doing my homework on HIIT, I came across this and it’s been my go-to ever since.
First, you’ll run (read: sprint!!) as fast as you can for 15 seconds. Once that time is up, you’ll take it easy with a slow walk for 45 seconds. This is where you’ll recover from maxing yourself out. In total, you’ve done 1 minute.
Repeat this 10-15 more times (10-15 minutes total) to complete the high intensity portion of this workout.
After that, you’ll move on to walking at a moderate pace (i.e. go a little faster than usual) or a slow jog.
You’ll do this for another 15-20 minutes to finish off your workout.
The first time I tried this routine, I burned over 400 calories in less than 45 minutes–I used a heart rate monitor to determine this–which is awesome. When I compared this to my steady 3 mile runs, I burned almost 100 extra calories and I wasn’t nearly as miserable.
See, with this fat-burning route, your body is never playing in the complacent zone like it would with steady running. Sure, the run may feel anything but complacent to you. However, your body adjusts and adapts and towards the end you’re just running on autopilot.
But with this workout, your body never has a chance to adjust. By the time it does, you’re ready for your next interval.
And when your intervals are done, your heart rate remains elevated. So when you add a moderately paced walk afterwards, you’re keeping your body in this fat burning zone for much longer than you would with a traditional run.
As I mentioned earlier, these awesome effects won’t stop when your workout does.
Here’s What You’ll Need:
Strap on a good pair of running shoes (read: not expensive, just in good shape and not too worn out) and clothes that won’t weigh you down.
You need to be able to run in a full on sprint so baggy clothes or an unsupportive bra won’t do you any favors here.
Next, you’ll want to download this handy (and free) interval app. This does the clockwork for you so you can focus on running as fast as you can.
Create a new workout in that app and you’ll have this handy anytime you’re ready for it.
This workout is also great for traveling since you don’t need any equipment to get started.
Speaking of which, if you’re a newbie or hate running, start out with 10 minutes of intervals and 10 minutes of walking/jogging.
As you start to get used to this, move up to 15 minutes of intervals and 20 minutes of walking.
And if you’re a bit more advanced, bump up your intervals even more. Be sure to keep the walking/jogging portion of the routine too. I know it may seem like walking won’t do much but because you’re in a fat burning zone, it will make a huge difference.
Plus, most of us don’t walk enough as it is so walking for 20 minutes won’t hurt. It will even boost you cognitively too so it’s worth taking the time to do.
Have questions? Shoot me an email
If you have any questions or need any help, feel free to shoot me an email (devan@behappynothangry.com). I’d love to help!
If this article struck a chord with you, please spread the love and share it!