Whole Foodie Fitness

High intensinty interval training or "HIIT" is by far my favorite form of cardio. You can burn a ton of calories in short amount of time and it doesn't get boring like tradition endurance based cardio. Many people have never heard of HIIT even though it has been aroung a long time and is one of the most effective methods for fat loss. The best part is you can get in a great workout in as little as 15 minutes! It is also ideal for those looking to build muscle since during an endurance workout our bodies sometimes use muscle for it's fuel.
To get started it is usually best to begin with the 60-30 program. This means you will be doing intervals of low to moderate intensity for 60 seconds (also known as the recovery period) and go all out for 30 seconds and keep repeating in this pattern for the duration of the workout. If you're a total begginer it is best to walk/job intervals (walk 60 seconds, jog 30 seconds). As your fitness levels improve you can progress to a jog/sprint interval routine and change the interval times. Jogging isn't the only option either, interval training can be performed on a bike, eliptical, with a jump rope, and even with weights.
Being that the workout is a higher intensity than others be sure to take a few precautions. Always be sure that your heart rate comes back down during the recovery period, if you don't feel like you can safely complete the higher intensity interval then don't. This form of exercise also may not be the best option for those with serious medical conditions expecially heart disease. As always be sure to warm up for 5-10 minutes and cool down and stretch and the end of your workout. Remember to fuel your body with a pre-workout snack to keep up energy levels and prevent your body from feeding off its muscle for energy.