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Nutrition and fitness trends continue to come and go almost as frequently as the sun rises and sets. However, when a "trend" continues to appear year after year, not only in popular media outlets but also backed with science and research, is it still considered trendy?
According to an annual survey conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine, high-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT, ranks in the top five fitness trends.
This month I'm sharing why the HIIT trend is worth following and some nutrition tips to fuel your workout!
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| Why HIIT for Your Health? |
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What does high-intensity interval training (HIIT) mean?
Before diving into the reasons you should jump on board this trend, I'll first answer, "What exactly is HIIT?" Simply put, a HIIT workout consists of swift and intense bouts of exercise - ranging from 10 seconds to five minutes - followed by short recovery periods.
The key to doing an effective HIIT workout is to push yourself to your limit (without causing injury) for the interval length duration. So if your interval length is 20 seconds, you will probably be pushing yourself a lot harder than if your interval length is three to five minutes.
Your recovery period will depend on your goal as well as the intensity of the interval.
Benefits of HIIT Workouts:
Improves:
- Fitness performance
- VO2 max and peak aerobic power output
- Endurance performance
- Production of growth hormones
- Improves blood sugar control
- Improves cognitive function
- Mood regulation
- Metabolism
- Learning and memory function
Decreases:
- Insulin resistance
- Resting heart rate
- The amount of time you have to spend working out!
How to get started?
- Increase the intensity of your workout. Interval training is highly effective for burning more calories without adding more time. Add intervals to your activity, such as sprints or speed walking, for a more efficient, fat-burning workout.
- Increase the resistance and/or weight of your exercise.
- Increasing your workout resistance will increase your metabolic burn
A few ideas to get started with:
Divide your workout into 5-minute segments and after a 5 - 10 minute warmup, do a 15-60 second sprint, followed by recovery.
- 15 - 30 second sprint, followed by a light jog to recover.
- 30 - 60 seconds of speed walking, followed by a recovery walk.
- 30-60 second cycle sprint followed by a recovery pace.
- Increase the incline of your treadmill. Walking at an angle as fast as you can for 30 seconds, followed by a four and a half minute recovery period.
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| Fueling tips for your HIIT Workout |
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- Hydrate. Make sure you are drinking enough water before, during, and after your workout! Being dehydrated will impact performance and can increase the risk for injury.
- Fuel with a macronutrient balanced snack or meal three to four hours before your HIIT workout or exercise fasted in the morning for maximum fat burning.
- Recover with 25 grams of protein powder mixed with water with in 30 minutes of your HIIT workout. Your post-workout meal is also vital to restoring energy and repairing muscle tissue!
- Post workout meal ideas include: eggs, non-starchy vegetables, avocado and high fiber toast; a large multi vegetable/colorful salad with olives, avocado, chicken, black beans and olive oil based dressing; "meal" replacement shake of almond milk, protein powder, berries, spinach and avocado or almond butter or salmon with 2 cups of vegetables.
- Schedule a consult for a personalized nutrition plan. Nutrition and energy needs will vary depending on your individual needs, goals, and workout. To maximize your effort and performance, scheduling a consultation can ensure you are fueling for optimal performance.
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Featured Recipe
Mixed Berry Smoothie Bowl |
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Ingredients
- 1 cup plain Greek or nondairy yogurt
- 1 cup mixed berries, frozen
- 1/2 cup coconut water
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds
- Stevia or monk fruit if needed
Preparation: In a blender, combine all the ingredients. Blend until smooth.
Top with your favorite low sugar granola or nuts. Enjoy!
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"Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts."
- Winston S. Churchill
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