HIIT Workouts for Weight Loss: A Fitness Guide for All Levels

According to the latest research, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) might help you lose weight faster, especially abdominal fat. Our quick guide will help you get started with HIIT workouts for weight loss.

HIIT is an exercise technique in which you switch between your maximum capacity and rest phase for a few seconds to minutes, followed by set repetitions 1. You can perform HIIT anywhere, any time without the use of any equipment. E.g., You could walk at your normal pace for 5 minutes, brisk walk for 2 minutes, and then slow down for 3 minutes. Repeat that five times for an intense HIIT workout.

According to nutrition and fitness coach Kim Raubenheimer, “HIIT is an effective strategy in addition to Nutrition for weight loss.” Emerging research also shows HIIT workouts can help with weight loss. Some studies have even found high-intensity interval workouts to be more effective for targeting belly fat

One study investigated the effectiveness of a 12-week HIIT program (3 per week) in 20 overweight/obese men. Results showed a significant reduction in their waist circumference, BMI, and fat mass percentage. They also found that HIIT reduced total cholesterol without affecting HDL (good) cholesterol 2.

In a 2017 study, 43 obese young women received either HIIT or prolonged MICT (moderate-intensity continuous training), or no training for 12 weeks. The study found that both groups had similar weight loss results; however, HIIT appeared to be the predominant strategy due to its time efficiency 3.

In another study, 27 middle-aged obese women completed 16 weeks of either low or high-intensity exercise training, and one was a control group. Results revealed that HIET significantly reduced abdominal fat while no significant changes were observed in the low intensity or control groups 4.

Health expert and best-selling author Lori Shemek, PhD, shares about the four health and fitness benefits of HIIT in a tweet:

4 Standout Benefits of Interval Training to Optimize Health & Fitness. #health #HIIT #exercise #weightloss pic.twitter.com/t5tvLMA8MK

— Lori Shemek, PhD (@LoriShemek) February 19, 2018

The best part about high-intensity interval training workouts is that you don’t need to go to the gym or need any fancy types of equipment for it. You only need to spend about 20-30 minutes working out to reap the same, if not better benefits you would than other aerobic exercises. Below are some example exercises for each level of HIIT.

As a beginner, your primary focus should be on warming up into HIIT workouts and experimenting with a variety of exercises to determine which one you enjoy the most. Here are a few beginner-friendly high-intensity interval training exercises.

All of the above can be considered as one set of HIIT. Repeat the routine 3-4 times. It might look easy, but you’ll likely feel the intensity of the workout before you even finish the first set. Feel free to extend the rest duration to 1 minute if you find it difficult in the beginning.

As stated earlier, you only have to focus on increasing the intensity, duration, and repetition of your exercises when you reach the intermediate and advanced stage of HIIT. With that in mind, here’s a sample routine you can practice.

Repeat the set 2-3 times for a powerful fat burning workout.

At this stage, you can focus on increasing the number of exercises or exercise duration and repetition. Aim for a 20-30 minute HIIT workout session.

Here’s a sample advanced HIIT workout:

Repeat the set 7 times and with a 2-minute rest between each set.

Here’s a 4-week plan to help you get started with the HIIT workouts for weight loss. This is an example guide, so feel free to swap exercises to suit your mood and circumstances.

IMPORTANT: Do a few minutes of warm-up exercises such as light jogging and stretching before doing HIIT exercises to prevent injury.

It’s important to start with a warm-up phase, especially if you’re a beginner to HIIT. Week 1 is all about training your body to become suitable for HIIT. Walking and running are two of the easiest ways to experiment with HIIT, which is why we’ve included them in the first two days of the week.

In week 2, you can start increasing the intensity of your HIIT workouts gradually.

At this stage, you’ll be increasing the duration and repetition of your HIIT exercises. Aim for a good 12-15 minutes workout.

At the advanced stage, you should aim for a total of 20-30 minute workout during each session. You’ll be increasing all three aspects of HIIT: types of exercises, duration, and repetition.

Research supports the claim that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts are great for fat loss, especially in the abdominal area. It’s also time efficient and produces the same, if not better results than regular aerobic exercises.

• HIIT is a type of exercise that requires short bursts of high intensity (your full potential) paired with short intervals (rests).
• HIIT has been proven to be useful for weight loss in the same, if not, a better rate than some regular aerobic exercises.
• If you have any medical conditions, please consult with your doctor first to determine if you’re healthy enough to practice HIIT.
• Start with a week or two of beginner-friendly exercises (short duration and repetition) before progressing to intermediate and advanced stages.