Power Monday #11 HIIT It!

And another week greets us yet again. I hope you had a nice weekend, productive, fun, or relaxing, it’s all beneficial. I had the TV on the other night and all of a sudden a the Party City Halloween commercial (with the people dancing around in costumes) came on. I was seriously confused and asked myself, “Why are they showing Halloween stuff already!?” But then I realized it is almost October…just two more weeks of September. I guess I am still living in the memories of Summer, but Fall is coming full force now. This just proves I am not mentally ready for this yet. Yes I love the Pumpkin, Sweaters, Scarves, and Warm Yummy Soups and Stews that Fall brings, but I just don’t feel like going through a whole year of school, work, and winter.

On a brighter note I got some new Foodie Finds to share with you! I won Brittany’s Health Warrior chia bar giveaway and they arrived on Friday. I have been wanted to try them forever! I have only tired the coffee so far and it was pretty good! I haven’t had coffee in years so I welcomed the true fresh coffee taste. It tasted like how Starbucks smells…you know…like strong coffee. But that is a good thing. I also loved the texture! Chewy with a bit of crunch from the chia. I can’t wait to try the others! I also received my Recent iHerb order! Love when these boxes come. It was a smaller order but I got some new things to try.

Drogheria & Alimentari’s Organic White Peppercorns Mill, Simply Organic’s Ground Cardamom, SweetLeaf’s Liquid Vanilla Creme Stevia, Erewhon’s Crispy Brown Rice No Salt Added Cereal, Now Foods Organic Raw Unsalted Sunflower Seeds, Now Foods Organic Raw Unsalted Cashews, and a free Sierra Bees Organic Tamanu & Tea Tree Beeswax Lip Balm. I have been dying to get some Cardamom and absolutely love the white peppercorns! P.S. Raw unsalted cashews taste like cake when eaten cold out of the fridge!
(Interested in iHerb? Use my coupon code, KNT152, for $10 off your first purchase of $40 or more OR $5 off your first order of less than $40! You can also see and click on my side bar widget.)

Now for today’s Power Monday!

Let’s talk cardio. Cardio is my least favorite aspect of fitness. I have had exercised induced asthma for years, but have finally been able to get over it by continually strengthening my lungs. Now I am not a runner so and running still seems to really bother my breathing but I do love to bike and cycle. I have taken the occasional Spin class (really fun and such a motivational group atmosphere) but to get my cardio in every week I do HIIT sessions on the recumbent bike we have at home. Because I am not a fan of cardio, I want to do it for the least amount of time possible, but still effectively work my cardiovascular system and strengthen my lungs. And that is where doing HIIT is the best choice.

(source)

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. It is a form of exercise where you perform at a period of high intensity followed by a period of lower intensity for anywhere form 15 to 30 minutes (and just 2 to 3 times a week). The intervals are short usually 30 seconds to 2 minutes depending. The goal is to increase endurance, energy use/efficiency, metabolism, your aerobic performance. It is proven to be way more beneficial than doing long 60-90 minutes of moderate cardio on say a treadmill or bike. That is why the HIIT method is becoming so popular. No need to waste you time doing hours of cardio when all you rally need is about 20 minutes of HIIT to get a crazy effective workout and long lasting after burn effect to help rid your body of fat.

(check out this infograph for even more great benefits/info!)

So for this Power Monday I want you to try doing some HIIT. It is a great way to get in an effective and efficient workout in minimal time. Even if you are rushing around for work, getting the kids ready for school, or have 50 errands to run, give you self 20-30 minutes for a workout. I am telling you these quick sessions always give me so much energy and I always feel so great, strong, and powerful afterwards! Plus if you do HIIT at least 2 times a week, you will see the benefits, and hey you only had to spend maybe an hour of your time!

Notes:

+ Listen to your body and always consult your medical provider before starting a new exercise regime! Stop if you feel faint, dizzy, or nauseous. You don’t want to hurt yourself when you are trying to help yourself!

+ I do a 30 minute HIIT workout twice a week. Never do more than 3 HIIT workouts in one week. Your heart and lungs are muscles and need time to rest!

So tell me:

Do you do HIIT?

What is your favorite form of cardio?

***(Celebrating 100 days of trich-free. Check out the blog tomorrow for an in-depth look at Trichotillomania.)***