HIIT: High Intensity Interval Training

Dear Fitness Coach,

 I am a 24-year-old female who is about 15 pounds overweight. I have been working out since the first week in January, running on the treadmill for about an hour almost every day. I did lose a few pounds the first few weeks and expected this to continue, but it hasn’t. I am getting discouraged: the scale hasn’t budged. Help!

 Lisa T.

Dear Lisa,

 Walk into any gym, and you will see scores of women pounding it out on the treadmill. Stop in months later, and you will probably see the same women doing the same thing with very little outward change in their bodies. Here’s why: most people operate under the assumption that the more they run, the more weight they will lose. That’s true, but only to a point. Running does burn kcals (about 100 calories a mile), but the more you run, the more efficient your body becomes at running, and the fewer calories it burns. Yes, you will drop a few pounds in the beginning, but your progress will flatline as soon as your body adjusts to your exercise routine... usually within four to six weeks.

 The way to get beyond that inevitable plateau is through High-Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT. Interval training makes your body more efficient at burning fat, so you can burn more calories in a shorter period of time. This is what you should do: Instead of running at a steady pace of 5 mph for an hour, mix it up. You will have the same calorie burn in roughly half the time by doing this. To start, try 5 minutes at 4 mph, 10 minutes at  5 mph, 15 minutes at 6 mph, and 5 minutes at 7 mph. Once you’re used to the routine, mix and match short (1-2 minutes), medium (3-6 minutes), and long (7-10 minutes) intervals with the different speeds to keep your body guessing.

 HIIT is a win-win: You will need less total running time (which is kinder to your knees), and you will burn calories at an increased rate - even during the walking or jogging recovery periods. In fact, your body's metabolic rate will be elevated up to 24 hours after the interval session. So treat yourself, and go torch more calories in less time!

Got a question for the fitness coach? E-mail her at eross@goldsgym.net.

Estee Murray Ross is a Chelmsford resident. She is a AFAA certified Personal Trainer and AFAA/ACE certified Group Fitness Instructor and is CPR/AED certified through Red Cross. Drawing from her 20 plus years of cardiovascular and strength training experience, she is expert at evaluating and assessing nutrition and exercise routines and making the necessary changes in order to maximize efficiency and expedite weight loss. She currently works at Gold's Gym in Tewksbury.