Lockdown causes massive slump in fitness studios - Workout at home for kids, teens and adults gains importance EIN News
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Tuesday, June 15, 2021
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Best for Fat Loss: HIIT or Endurance Training?
A series of short, intense cardio intervals provide similar fitness results as long efforts do, but in much less time.
It happens to just about everyone. They hop on the treadmill, elliptical or stairclimber, ready for an invigorating cardio workout but before the machine even gets warmed up, the would-be calorie cruncher is faced with that same old cardio menu option –“Intervals” or “Fat Burning?” Which one to choose? For some it’s a bigger dilemma than “paper or plastic.”
Choosing “Intervals” means hard efforts mixed with easy. Now that’s not a bad option for anyone who is in an aggressive mood and wants a challenge. But what about “Fat Burning?” Who does not want to burn fat? Isn’t “fat burning” one of the reasons a lot of people join the gym in the first place?
Which Program Is Best?
If you are like most people, you have asked the same question. But what is interval training? Or to be more specific, what is the buzz term “HIIT,” aka high-intensity interval training? And what is endurance training at lower intensity, aka “in the fat burning zone?”
The hype with HIIT is from studies that show that a series of short, intense cardio intervals provide similar fitness results as long efforts do, but in much less time. It’s like traveling across country on a jet – a few layovers will get you to your destination faster than one long road trip. For example, a 40-minute HIIT treadmill workout that includes eight three-minute maximum efforts mixed with two-minute recovery periods burns more calories than a long two-hour jog at 60 percent effort. So, simply, the appeal of HIIT is that interval training burns more calories in a shorter time.
While some might think HIIT is a relatively new idea, it’s actually been around for a century – seriously! According to research by Billat in 2001, Finnish long distance runner Hannes Kolehmainen was doing HIIT back in the early 1900s. The “Flying Finn” Kolehmainen must have been on to something because he tallied up four gold medals and one silver medal in the 1912, 1916 and 1920 Olympic Games.
Despite Kolehmainen’s successes 100 years ago, many people still consider the best way to improve performance, burn calories, drop weight and get fit is put in long slow hours in the “fat burning” zone.
Long-effort endurance training (or training in the “fat burning” zone) is typically defined as exercising for more than 20 minutes at a steady intensity. For example, a jog around the park, a recreational bike ride, or exercising at a consistent pace on stairclimber, elliptical, treadmill or any type of indoor machine found in the cardio section of most gyms is considered long-effort endurance training.
What Are the Benefits?
First of all, both endurance training and HIIT training are highly beneficial to cardiac health. Cardio exercise strengthens the heart, which helps push more oxygen-carrying blood to the muscles faster. Cardio exercise also strengthens the skeletal muscles that help return the blood back to the heart.
Typically, people who start a cardio program feel the benefits in a matter of weeks if not days. One way to think of it is this – as the body makes adaptations to the stress of the workouts and as the heart and skeletal muscles grow stronger, the blood circulates more efficiently and the body can handle more stress. So for example, someone who starts an exercise program that consists of jogging on a treadmill one mile, three times a week for two weeks would be more prepared to raise their distance to two miles a day, four times a week than someone of a similar fitness level who has not started an exercise program at all.
In addition to strengthening the heart, cardio also improves metabolism, increases the removal of metabolic waste and increases fat oxidation.
Which One Is Better?
According to studies, HIIT is shown to have similar benefits as endurance training, with less time working out. So for those of us who feel there’s not enough time to work out, the faster route tends to be the better route. In addition to less time in the gym, studies have shown that HIIT not only brought about faster improvements, it also elicited superior cardiovascular benefits than endurance training. Helgerud et al. found that performing four bouts of four-minute running efforts at 90 percent to 95 percent of maximum heart rate, separated by three minutes of active recovery at 70 percent of maximum heart rate three days a week for eight weeks, resulted in a 10 percent greater improvement in the amount of blood pumped from the heart than did endurance training. Slordahl et al. also showed that HIIT strengthened the heart 13 percent more than endurance training.
Research has also shown that HIIT is better than endurance training for improving the body’s maximal aerobic capacity or (VO2 max). Daussin et al. compared a group of men and women who trained for eight weeks doing HIIT to a group of men and women who only did endurance training. The study found that those doing HIIT increased their VO2 max 15 percent, while the group in the endurance training group only experienced VO2 max increase of 9 percent.
Are Low-Intensity Workouts a Waste of Time?
Not at all. Most fitness professionals would agree that presuming that low-intensity workouts are a waste of time is not a very good idea. In fact, many of the findings show that low-intensity workouts are the main foundation of training, and high-intensity interval workouts are not considered anything like the “cornerstone” of that training foundation.
Tips for Starting HIIT
• Before engaging in higher intensity workouts, it is important to have a strong base.
• Instead of getting rid of one training method for another, alternate workouts for more variety.
• Keep the workouts down to two or three per week.
• The effects of HIIT on physiology and performance are fairly rapid, but rapid plateau effects are seen as well. To keep from falling into a rut, increase training volume systematically.
• Keep easy workouts easy and hard workouts hard.
References:
HIIT vs. Continual Endurance Micah Zuhl, MS, and Len Kravitz, Ph.D. February 2012 IDEA Fitness Journal
Aerobic exercise bests resistance training at burning belly fat. Chris Slentz, Ph.D, Lori Bateman, M.S., Willia E. Kraus, M.D., Leslie H. Willis, M.S., A. M.S., Lucy W. Piner, M.S., Victoria H. Hawk, M.P.H., R.D., Michael J. Muehlbauer, Ph.D., Greg P. Samsa, Ph.D., Rendon C. Nelson, M.D., Kim M. Huffman M.D., Ph.D., Connie W. Bales, Ph.D., R.D. Duke University
Intervals, Thresholds, and Long Slow Distance: the Role of Intensity and Duration in Endurance Training. Stephen Seiler and Espen Tønnessen. Sportscience, 13, 32-53, 2009 (sportsci.org/2009/ss.htm)
The post Best for Fat Loss: HIIT or Endurance Training? first appeared on FitnessRX for Women.
* This article was originally published here
Saturday, June 12, 2021
10 Healthy Summer Smoothie Recipes
I’m sharing 10 delicious healthy smoothie recipes – from tart cherry smoothie bowls to tropical mango kiwi coolers – that make for a nutrient-dense snack or meal on a warm summer day.
We love smoothies in our house year-round, but especially during those scorching hot Arizona summer days. We usually have a back stock of Daily Harvest smoothies in our freezer, but there’s nothing like throwing a bunch of healthy ingredients into your blender and coming up with your own smoothie connection. Whether you’re in the mood for a bright berry smoothie, or you’re craving something citrusy, I’m sharing 10 delicious and nutritious healthy smoothie recipes from some of my fellow blogger friends – enjoy!
10 Healthy Summer Smoothie Recipes
I use tart cherry juice as the base for this hydrating and replenishing tart cherry smoothie bowl – it’s the perfect post-workout smoothie to help reduce muscle soreness.
Dairy-free and healthy, this homemade Orange Julius is a delicious and nutritious treat!
Strawberries, orange juice, soaked goji berries, a splash of lime juice, half a banana and a hefty pinch of cayenne make this citrus smoothie refreshing to sip!
4. Raspberry Orange Smoothie via The Almond Eater
This layered Raspberry Orange Smoothie is a healthy and delicious way to start the day! The entire smoothie requires just 5 ingredients, is packed with Vitamin C and an easy way to add fruit into your diet.
5. Refreshing Pineapple Kale Smoothie via Ambitious Kitchen
Refreshing pineapple kale smoothie made with five simple ingredients for a wonderful, easy breakfast or snack. Creamy coconut milk gives this vegan pineapple kale smoothie a delicious, tropical flavor you’ll love.
6. Summer Berry Smoothie via Minimalist Baker
Simple 5-ingredient smoothie that tastes like summer in a cup! Raspberries, frozen banana, 2 pure fruit juices, and creamy almond milk make the healthiest tart-sweet smoothie ever.
7. Golden Milk Smoothie via Eating Bird Food
This golden milk smoothie with fresh turmeric, ginger and mango is the perfect way to refuel after a workout. It has the protein and carbs your body needs along with anti-inflammation properties to help your body recover.
8. Happy Digestion Green Smoothie Packs via Making Thyme For Health
Happy Digestion Smoothie Packs are packed full of healthy enzymes and probiotics; they make it easy to start every day feeling great!
9. Mango Kiwi Coolers via Pinch of Yum
Mango Kiwi Coolers are the perfect summer treat. Colorful, sweet, fresh layers of kiwi and mango that also pack a nutritious punch.
10. Lemon Blueberry Smoothie via Running on Real Food
This lemon blueberry smoothie tastes a bit like blueberry pie but you know it’s loaded up with all kinds of nutrition. The recipe features antioxidant-rich berries, frozen banana, plant-based protein powder, chia seeds and cinnamon.
So, tell me, friends: what’s your all-time favorite smoothie combo or recipe?
xo
Gina
The post 10 Healthy Summer Smoothie Recipes appeared first on The Fitnessista.
* This article was originally published here
Tuesday, May 11, 2021
Weight Loss Tips: Japanese Flat Belly Tonic Melts 3 Pounds ...
Weight Loss Tips: This “Done for You” Japanese Tonic Melts 3 Pounds ...: A maverick Japanese doctor recently leaked the secret ingredients of an ancient Japanese Tonic that targets the root cause of deep belly f...
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