Your answer is with HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). The HIIT principle is the best way to burn fat without doing long “steady-state” cardio. HIIT is a very effective training technique used to decrease body fat, increase speed, increase VO2 Max, and do all this in less than 35 minutes. The days of doing “steady-state” cardio to get more fit, burn fat and lose weight, are over. Adding in just 20-30 minutes of High Intensity Interval Training allows your body to stay out of the “steady-state” allowing you to burn more total calories in less time. This high intensity training raises your heart rate faster and raises your metabolism longer after your workout is done, then any “steady-state” cardio you are doing now.

Try this treadmill routine and I will guarantee you will start seeing improvements in your fitness and be more fit this month then last:

1. 3 minute warm up walking at 3.3 mph
2. :30 of work followed by :30 of rest set the treadmill to a fast pace for yourself, somewhere between 6.5 mph and 11.5 mph and kill it for 20-25 intervals that is 25 minutes total
3. 2-5 minute cool down walk at 3.5 and keep decreasing the speed

And there you have it Cross Training San Marco Treadmill Interval Blast get on it.

The High Intensity Interval Training does not have to always include a treadmill or bike, try a bodyweight cardio blast. These intervals need to include: a pushing movement (pushup, handstand pushup, etc.), a pulling movement (Pullup, Chinup, Body Row w/ Rings, etc.), a lower body exercise (Squat, Lunges, Hip Thrust, etc.), a core exercise (Plank, crunch), and a cardiovascular full body movement (Sprinting in place, Split Jumps, Jumping Jacks, Shadow Boxing, Mountain Climbers, Burpees, etc.) These routines can be even more beneficial because not only will you be hitting some serious cardio intervals but at the same time you will be building lean muscle through bodyweight strength training. When setting up your next HIIT program be sure to use multi-joint exercises also known as compound movements because they are proven time-efficient muscle builders that deliver more results than single joint exercises. Exercises like squats, pushups, pullups, burpees, and planks are using multiple joints and will guarantee you better results faster.

Try this full body HIIT workout:

Perform 6 Pushups, 4 Pullups (or Body Rows), 6 Squats, 4 Burpees, 6 Crunches every minute for 20 minutes. The first minute you go through the 5 exercises with correct form should take you under a minute, in which your remainder of time is rest, as soon as the clock hits the minute again you are back at it.

Try it and I’m sure you will be feeling it all over for the next few days. That is ok though, your body is now converting your body into a fat burning machine and building muscle!

Last word from your trainer, remember its all about intensity, keep the proper form, perform each exercise and workout to your full capacity this is the only way you are going to see great results. Get out of your comfort zone and Get On It!

They may think I’m trying to be funny, but it’s the truth. People say they want to lose weight, but what they really mean is they want to lose fat.

Weight loss does not equal fat loss. Weight loss has to do with the quantity of food you eat and how much exercise you do. Fat loss relates to the quality of food and the type of exercise you. Let me explain…

Weight loss is basically a mathematical equation. Your body burns X amount of calories at rest each day, which is your BMR or basal metabolic rate (also known as resting metabolic rate). To lose weight, you need to take in fewer calories and burn more calories. In other words, more exercise you do, the more calories you burn; the less food you eat, the less calories taken in, which in turn will ultimately make you lose weight.

Fat loss is different. To lose fat, you need to eat more food like lean meats, fruits, veggies and nuts (and drink lots of water) and do exercises that will keep burning fat even after your workout is over and, at the same time, raise your BMR.

At Cross Training San Marco, we can help you lose fat. Our personal trainers will advise you on the types of food you should be eating to help burn fat and create a personalized training program specifically for you. Our intense—but highly effective—workouts combine strength and resistance training with cardiovascular and core training and are guaranteed to raise your metabolism for 24-48 hours after your workout.

If you ask me, working out with personal trainers at Cross Training San Marco is a no-brainer. You’ll get rid of fat, lost weight, gain strength and boost your BMR. And it’s a lot less painful than cutting off a limb.