HIIT: I've read many times that you don't do this every day. It also has a supposed 24-hour residual burn effect, which is why it's so effective. I like HIIT and try to do it 2 or 3 times per week max. I like the elliptical, so what I do to start (when I'm not in top notch cardio shape, like right now) is 5 minutes moderate warmup, then every other minute (on minutes 5, 7, 9 etc.) I do 30 seconds all-out for the high intensity, then drop back to moderate till the next odd minute, and repeat. I start with about 8 to 10 of these high intensity segments, then drop back to moderate for the rest of the time I want to do, usually 20 to 30 minutes max, no more. I had a hard time accepting this, but with HIIT cardio, less really is more. I read that a 20 minute HIIT session was even more effective than 60 minutes of slower steady state cardio. With steady state cardio, you just have to keep doing more and more time as your body adapts. Not true with HIIT, which is obviously a better and more effective use of your time. Also, with steady state cardio what you burn is pretty much what you burn WHILE doing the cardio. As I mentioned before, HIIT has a residual burn from metabolism boost that can be as long as 24 hours.
Weights: Absolutely yes, a good and important thing. Especially as we women age, we are losing muscle and must rebuild and maintain it. Everything I read now says weights are far and away more important than cardio for health and weight loss. Increased muscle leads to a faster metabolism, which enables better weight loss if you are eating to lose, and helps maintain weight loss after you reach goal. Increased muscle mass burns some extra calories daily, whereas fat is inert, it burns nothing, it just sits there looking ugly! And of course, there is the very important side benefit of how weight exercise strengthens your bones.
I used to do Body for Life and have always liked its weight approach, especially how it splits upper body and lower body into two separate workout sessions. My workout goals are at least TWO weight workouts per week (one upper, one lower), and 2 or 3 cardio sessions, 2 of which would be HIIT type workouts. If I manage a 3rd cardio, it would be moderate and steady, not HIIT. I also do stretching after weights.
I used to just kill myself with intensive programs. Body for Life was 6 days a week: 3 weight workouts, 3 cardio sessions, plus the 6 meals a day thing. TOO MUCH! I'm learning that SOME moderate exercise is fantastic, you do not have to kill yourself to get results.
Last edited by CMCM : Sat, Oct-22-11 at 13:32.
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