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*We are happy to present this guest post by freelance writer and proofreader, Mandy Sleight.*
Who doesn’t want to get fit and save money in the process??
There are so many different ways to get fit these days, from spending money on a gym membership that is rarely used, to becoming part of paid challenge groups on social media. For most busy women, it’s hard to find the time to dedicate to a fitness program that actually works in a small amount of time.
Look no further than HIIT training, a quick workout which can be done in as little as 10 minutes a day, using your own body weight, so no need for equipment to start and it can easily be done at home in your spare time or before the kids wake up or get home from school.
I’ve been using this method since earlier this year, and I’ve got to say, I love it! I don’t enjoy working out, so the thought of waking up, going to the gym, working out for 30-60 minutes, coming home to shower and get ready for work, or worse, having to get ready at the gym, was enough to deter me from going with any form of regularity. Once I found HIIT, I finally canceled the membership I rarely used, and now I look forward to my quick morning workout, which helps set a more positive and energizing tone to my day.
So, what is HIIT?
HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training, in which you do short bursts (typically 1 minute) of, you guessed it, high-intensity exercises followed by a longer period (typically 2-3 minutes) of low-intensity activities before you start the cycle over again.
You can use this high-intensity workout as a cardio workout plan, target specific body zones, or as a full body workout.
Bridges, squats, lunges, pushups, and burpees are all common exercises but are not for everyone. Keep reading to check out 5 women I’ve found who use various types of effective exercises to keep even the most bored fitness seekers coming back for more.
Why should I choose this type of workout?
If you need more of a reason that the small amount of time needed to effectively workout using this method, here are a few more benefits of interval training workouts: it increases calorie burn, your metabolic rate increases for hours after your done exercising, helps you lose weight and gain muscle, and can improve oxygen consumption, blood pressure and lower blood sugar levels.
Sounds great, now how can I get started?
There are various exercises that can be done, based on your fitness levels and goals. Once you get comfortable with the concept of HIIT, many exercises can be done using the combination of high-intensity bursts and low-intensity cooldowns.
In order to help you get started, I’ve created a list of 5 women I follow who use the HIIT workout format:
Natalie is one of the first women I followed once introduced to the world of high-intensity workouts. I really like her videos and think they are really easy to follow at home. Some of her exercises do require equipment, but she has plenty of videos that don’t. You can check out her website at www.nataliejillfitness.com and videos on her YouTube channel.
I’m not sure at what point in my fitness and eating healthy journey that I found Bree, but I’m glad I did. She offers a wide range of fitness workouts as well as some truly amazing recipes on her site, www.thebettyrocker.com. You can purchase meal and workout plans as well as coaching, but you can also see a lot of her videos and recipes for free on her site as well as social media.
I enjoy Emily’s videos, and they can pretty much all be done at home. She also has some great gym videos if you want to eventually get into things like deadlifting. Like the others, she offers workout plans if you need the accountability, but you can check out her website or her YouTube channel to get some great workouts for free.
I found Kaisa when her videos starting popping up on my Facebook newsfeed. I like that she does a lot of her videos right in her home, so you can see it is easy to grab a tool from home to adapt it in your exercise routine. Some of her videos are more for advanced workouts, but I still enjoy watching them and seeing what goals I can attain as my core gets tighter and I feel more confident in my fitness levels. Check her out on Facebook or her website.
I actually found Emi while scrolling through different videos on YouTube. I particularly enjoy her videos because they offer different combinations, which works great for people like me who tend to get bored with the same routine and exercises. She also goes through each video with you, which I know for some really works well with keeping accountability.
Everyone’s journey with fitness is as different as their goals, but I think most of us can agree that we could all use a little bit more exercise in our lives. I hope I’ve piqued your interest in HIIT workouts and that you’ve enjoyed the list I’ve put together of women in the industry who can help you get in great shape with a just a few minutes a day, and in your own home.