How Interval Workouts Help You Lose More Weight

This year, your exercise and weight loss program should be about working better not harder. Unless you like spending hours at the gym, you want your exercise routine to be as efficient as possible.

Did you know that ramping up the intensity of your workout - not increasing how much time you exercise - increases fitness, helps with weight loss, and elevates your metabolism? It's something to think about when you find that you're no longer losing weight or inches even though you're working out regularly and eating right.

Canadian researchers found that just two weeks of interval training boosted women’s ability to burn fat during exercise by 36 percent. British researchers found that sprinting on a stationary bike increased levels of human growth hormone, which helps build muscle and burn fat.

Interval sessions burn more calories than less intensive workouts. Plus, intense workouts get you fitter in less time because they target more of your muscles.

How to Do an Interval Workout

My stationary bike comes with an interval workout as do many exercise machines. But if you swim, walk or run, you can do an interval workout, too. An exercise session like this should take 20 to 25 minutes.

1. Warm up for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Start your first 30-second interval by running or increasing the treadmill to 3 to 6 percent. You should speed up enough to feel that you’re working hard. On a scale of 1 to 10, the effort should feel like an 8 to 10.
3. After 30 seconds, recover at a casual exercising pace for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
4. Repeat 8 times.
5. Do a 2 to 3 minute cool down.

Do interval workouts according to your fitness level. You should be challenging yourself, but not so hard that you feel dizzy or like you're going to throw up.  If you want to do more, go for it! If you can't do as many reps, do as much as you can then add a little more each week.

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