By Dr. Sharon Gurm BSc, ND, Naturopathic Physician, Clinic Founder & Clinical Director
Wanna burn more calories in less time? It just takes 20 minutes of cardio if you start doing interval training!
All the best trainers know that the key to burning calories and melting fat efficiently and effectively is to add interval training to your cardio routine. It’s a great way to get the ‘afterburn’ effect of exercise – meaning, the calories you burn after your workout and for the rest of the day. The only way to truly achieve this is with interval cardio training and resistance training such as pilates, advanced yoga or weight training.
Here’s an example of cardio interval training for beginners:
Start with a 3-5 min walk and stretching (5 minute warm-up routine). Walk for 1 minute, then pick up the pace for another minute (you should be walking at a pace that it would be difficult to carry a conversation), then jog for one minute. Repeat this cycle 4 times and work your way up to 7 repetitions (21 minutes).
For the more advanced:
Jog for 1 minute, run for 1 minute, then sprint (at about 75% max output) for 30 seconds. Jog for 1.5 minutes, run for 1 minute, then sprint for 30 seconds. Work your way up to 7 repetitions.
Try it today! You’ll start to see and feel the benefits within 2 weeks.
