We all know that doing some form of exercise is good for us. We even know that if it’s combined with improving our diet, we will feel loads better. More stamina, better muscle tone, weight loss, stress reduction… What a lot of people don’t know is that there is a form of exercise that can actually burn fat AND has a wealth of other benefits such as improving hormone balance, boosting brain power and reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
Intrigued? Let us introduce HIIT – High Impact Interval Training
HIIT is a form of exercise that is hard but done in very short bursts. Rather than going non-stop for a prolonged period of time (like a long run), you work-out at a high intensity for small sections of time, with short intervals of rest in between. It is tough (you should be out of breath and unable to hold a conversation for 30 seconds), but you only have to do it for a short length of time.
So why do we recommend HIIT as part of the Food Fit Body Reboot programme?
Carrie, our Personal Trainer, explains: “A recent study shows that an 11 minute HIIT session gives as much benefit as 1 hour of continuous activity. That is why the Food Fit Body Reboot programme includes daily 15 minute workouts. These are achievable, energising and can be done in the comfort of your own home at whatever time of day suits you best. HIIT training really gets results and fast. The feedback from our Reboot programmes
demonstrate that.
Carrie continues: ‘I have realised through working with lots of clients that fitness is only one part of the puzzle to being fit and healthy. Food and other lifestyle factors are equally as important. That is why the Food Fit Body 21-day Reboot programmes are so effective, as they combine achievable strength and HIIT workouts, delicious real food and daily support from the team, check out our porridge recipe opposite – a great start to the day and excellent fuel
for the body.”
Benefits of HIIT:
Burns More Fat: Not only do you burn more calories during a HIIT workout, but the effect of all that intense exertion kicks your body’s repair cycle into hyperdrive. That means you burn more calories and fat in the 24 hours after a HIIT workout than you do after running at a
steady pace.
Lose Fat Not Muscle: Strength training and HIIT workouts, combine weight training (the weight being your body) and effectively allows you to preserve and gain muscle whilst shedding weight. This is particularly important once we pass the age of 30 as we naturally begin to lose muscle mass.
Increase Your Metabolism: HIIT stimulates the production of the human growth hormone (HGH) by up to 450 percent during the 24 hours after the workout has finished. Great news as HGH is not only responsible for burning increased calories, it also slows down the ageing process!! Happy days!
Help Reverse Diabetes: New research has also shown that HIIT training improves glucose metabolism in muscles as well as insulin sensitivity and has been shown to be helpful in reversing type 2 diabetes.
Reduce Inflammation: Strength training and HIIT training can ‘switch off’ inflammation which means that they are a less ageing form of exercise and can actually reverse ageing at a cellular level
No Equipment Necessary: High knees, squats, lunges, press ups and fast feet work so well in getting your heart rate up which means with no equipment needed, you can do
it anywhere!
So, you can see why at Food Fit Body we are huge fans of HIIT! It’s an essential part of our 21-day fully guided, online food and fitness programme that supports people on their journey to sustainable weight loss, increased muscle mass and tone, more energy, better sleep, improved mood, glowing skin and generally better health.
RECIPE:
Gluten Free Oat & Buckwheat Porridge with Stewed Apples & Berries.
Prep: 1 min; Cooks: 3 mins; Portion: 1
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup GF oats
- 1/4 cup buckwheat flakes
- 240ml coconut milk (or almond)
- 1 dessertspoon ground flaxseed
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- 2 apples
- Handful of frozen berries
- Water
- Pumpkin & Sesame seeds
- 6 walnut halves
- Bee pollen (optional)
- Maple syrup (optional)
Method:
- Place the oats and buckwheat flakes in a small pan and add the milk, bring to low simmer for 3 mins
- Meanwhile peel the apples and cut into chunks. Put in a pan with enough water to just cover the bottom of the pan by about 2mm. Put the frozen berries on top of the apple, cover with lid, bring to boil and simmer for 2-3 mins until apple and berries are soft, then mash (do not drain any liquid)
- Spoon the cooked porridge into a bowl and stir in the flaxseed and cinnamon
- Top with half of the apple and berries, drizzle with maple syrup & top with a sprinkling of pumpkin and sesame seeds, the walnut halves and bee pollen. Enjoy!
The next 21-day Reboot kicks off on the 23rd April and we have an exclusive offer for House Readers. To receive a 10% discount off the normal price of £95, enter the code: HOUSE at checkout. Vegan and non-vegan plans available.
To find out more, visit www.foodfitbody.co.uk. For a free 3-day trial, download our ebook at www.foodfitbody.co.uk
Leave a Reply