H.I.I.T. Exercise (HIIT): Short Spurts To Improve Your Heart, Mind, And Body
Exercise is one of the best ways to love your body. When we love our bodies, we improve our vibrations and we make better decisions. With a healthy and loved body (from head to toe), we have fewer health issues, better emotional and psychological health, and improved energy, resilience, immunity, and productivity.
Are you ready to take care of your body and LOVE your body?
Be honest: What is your main excuse for not getting your daily exercise? For many people, it’s that they don’t have time. With a HIIT exercise routine, you’ll no longer have that excuse! HIIT can help you feel peaceful, less stressed, more empowered – and it can help you take control of your self-development and wellness.
With HIIT, or “high-intensity interval training,” exercise can be invigorating and productive without being time-consuming or tedious.
As the new year begins, consider gifting yourself a new healthy resolution you can stick to beyond a few weeks: check out this guide to HIIT and how you can personalize it to your lifestyle and needs!
What Does a HIIT Workout Mean?
High-intensity interval training is a technique for exercise that combines short, intense sets of exercises with recovery periods. HIIT workouts take your cardio routines to the next level, turning up the heat on your body while still allowing it the time it needs to recover safely. Busy professionals or stressed parents love this technique because it delivers a powerful workout in a very short period so that it can fit it into even the tightest schedule.
HIIT workout routines are very safe and effective, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach, either! HIIT can look however you need it to look, whether you’re a beginner or an expert. If you aren’t used to exercising regularly or doing cardio, you can start with very short periods of intense exercise with a low-impact technique like the elliptical. If you’re already at an advanced stage in your exercise routines, you can push your body to endure much longer bursts of intensity with higher-level techniques.
No matter where you are currently on your exercise journey, HIIT is wonderful because it evolves with your needs at whatever pace makes you comfortable!
How Long Is A HIIT Workout?
Let’s get right into it. HIIT is a favorite technique for busy people because it can last as little as 20 minutes! If you like exercising in the morning before your shower, waking up just 20 minutes earlier to fit in your HIIT workout will start your day right.
If you can’t wake up earlier, try ending your workday with a quick session or burning off those dinner calories at night! Only have time for it on your lunch break? Why not take 20 minutes out of your hour lunch to give yourself that much-needed second wind for the afternoon?
Most HIIT lovers will keep their workouts to 20-30 minutes long. Many experts say that if you feel like your workout needs to go beyond half an hour, you aren’t working hard enough during your high-intensity intervals.
How Long Should HIIT Intervals Be?
HIIT workouts are highly customizable, so setting up your workout is entirely up to you and your abilities! If you’re just starting to explore this workout routine, you can try to keep intervals at just 30 seconds long. As your body warms up to this technique, you can lengthen your intervals to 3 minutes long.
For example, if you’re just starting with HIIT, you might want to try doing only a few high-intensity intervals throughout your workout. You can choose to make your intervals equal in length to each other or make your recovery intervals longer than your high-intensity intervals. No matter what you do, the idea is to push your body a little harder every time to improve your performance slowly.
Listen to your body! Do not cause yourself pain or any injury, as exercise should be a routine of slow improvement. Regardless of the exercise technique you choose, you’ll never see results right away. Exercise is a journey in which you check in with your body, pay close attention to your health, and build a relationship of respect and growth. By building a healthy relationship with your body and exercise, you’ll start seeing results without obsessing over achieving them.
Do I Need Equipment for HIIT?
No equipment is necessary! HIIT is about working with your body to build stamina and strength through interval training. You don’t need any fancy machines, a gym membership, or weights. Anything you choose to add to your workout is entirely up to you and your goals.
HIIT focuses on cardio, so it doesn’t necessarily help build muscle or improve flexibility. To focus on these goals, you’ll need to choose exercises for your high-intensity intervals that work on these areas.
For example, you can choose to add weights to your workout to build muscle. If you’re looking to improve your legs and glutes, you can choose to add cardio exercises that target those areas, such as stair-climbing. There are so many resources that will help you choose the right activities for your goals, but the main point is that almost anything can be achieved with your personalization of HIIT!
What are the Benefits of HIIT?
HIIT is high-intensity cardio training, so you can achieve the benefits of cardio workouts within a shorter time. Cardio exercises, especially HIIT, can help improve your oxygen consumption — your body’s ability to use oxygen.
Further, in many studies, HIIT has proven to help lower blood pressure and heart rate for overweight individuals. In addition, it can improve insulin resistance while lowering blood sugar. Including high-intensity intervals in your workout also boosts your overall metabolism and increases your metabolic rate for hours after your workout!
However, many people who begin working out in the New Year are most interested in how a workout can help them lose weight. Thankfully, HIIT can do just that! Along with the many health benefits above, HIIT has also proven to help people lose weight by reducing body fat and the waistline, even without any dietary changes.
Should I Do HIIT Every Day?
Ultimately, your workout routine depends on what feels right to you. HIIT is absolutely a routine you can institute daily, but it is also a routine that doesn’t demand daily commitment. If you haven’t previously followed a daily exercise routine, committing to HIIT every day might be too stressful. Start with a comfortable routine while still being consistent, such as three times a week.
For those who already exercise but are looking to improve their routine, doing HIIT every day can help boost your health and get results faster. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you need to listen to your body and only do what feels comfortable while still challenging!
Ring in the New Year with HIIT!
Ready to commit to your development and wellbeing? HIIT can help you see results in a few weeks, helping you to keep the exercise habit throughout the year rather than dropping it by March! It is also highly customizable and a great routine for any experience level, all while only needing 30 minutes or less.
Further, HIIT can be an incredible addition to your self-development journey. As you reflect on your goals and set intentions for the next year, keep this option for exercise in mind. You might even choose to add it to your meditation routine, allowing the repetitive intervals of physical exertion to help you delve deeper into your thoughts and prayers. You might also choose to use your yoga practice as a cool-down period after your HIIT workout. This routine could help increase flexibility and prevent muscle injury while you reflect on how your body feels. Get in touch with yourself as you stretch, breathe, and pray.
The opportunities for your self-improvement journey are endless!
REMEMBER!
You are a beautiful Living Being filled with light and love, born from stardust. You are unlimited potential in every direction. With a focus on discipline, virtue, and your own goodness, you can become as expanded and liberated as you desire.
Pray for others and the Universe prays for us.
