If a person knew how much time it took to burn off lunch, would it make a difference in the type of exercise he or she chose? The difference in time to burn calories between various popular exercises may surprise you.
Highlands Ranch, Colo., April 22, 2016 (Newswire.com) - You’re driving down the road and you are starving. You pull into the drive-thru and order a big burger, fries and a soda. Problem solved, right? Well, guess what? To burn off the 1,330 calories you’ve just consumed, it will take six hours and 16 minutes of strength training, 2.5 hours of running, or two hours and 21 minutes on a cardio machine. Who has time for that? Life would be so much easier if you could burn those calories in less time. Fortunately, we do have choices.
The Department of Health and Human Services says adults should aim for 30 minutes of daily exercise. If you want to step up your fitness level and lose weight, you are likely thinking you will have to do even more. Well, luckily for you, there is something called high intensity interval training (HIIT). When weighing the options between HIIT and working out at a big box gym—doing a mix of cardio machines and weight lifting—you will find that HIIT allows you to burn calories in about half the time of a normal workout at the gym. Isn’t the choice pretty obvious then?
HIIT studios such as FIT36®, a full body 36-minute class that focuses on strength, cardio, flexibility and stamina, can accomplish exactly the type of efficiency we are talking about. In a study at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, participants performed a 20-minute workout very similar to the ones applied in a FIT36 routine. The workout included pushups, burpees, squats and lunges. In between each exercise, individuals were given a short recovery period. They found that on average, participants burned 15 calories per minute, practically doubling that of a standard long run.
In general, people burn 350-600 calories in just 36 minutes with high intensity interval training like the one at FIT36. That’s anywhere between 9.7 and 16.7 calories per minute. The average person can burn up to 500 calories, and burn more fat, in 30-36 minutes of HIIT training. It’s an eye opener when compared to other workouts. A 155-pound person burns on average:
• Stair step machine: 223 calories
• Stationary bike, vigorous: 391 calories
• Running, 12 min./mile: 298 calories
• Running, 8 min/mile: 465 calories
• Elliptical trainer: 335 calories
• Swimming laps, vigorous: 372 calories
• Rowing, stationary, vigorous: 316 calories
All of the numbers are based on 30 minutes of exercise, and unlike HIIT, most of these exercises target specific muscle groups and limits the overall effectiveness, as opposed to a full body workout.
We live in a busy world that prioritizes efficiency and effectiveness. If you are looking to shave off some time exercising, but want maximum results, a HIIT workout can help. Places like FIT36 allow their members to get in and out of the door in 45 minutes or less and be a part of an engaging group atmosphere. They leave having burned calories, gained lean muscle and improved their stamina.
Additionally, HIIT workouts have proved to allow for additional post-training calorie burn at a higher rate than most workouts. So you can burn more calories in less time during a HIIT workout, and burn more calories on your couch after a HIIT workout.
The choice on what type of training to take on really isn’t that difficult after all.
Source: FIT36
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