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Working out is one of the most important factors in promoting healthy weight loss, making it easier to maintain a calorie deficit while building muscle which will ultimately speed up your metabolism. There are any number of workout forms you could integrate into your routine which will help you achieve visible results in your body, but some exercises are naturally more effective than others in boosting calorie burn and expediting your weight loss success.
One such workout is Tabata, or a variant of high intensity interval training which requires you to work for 20 seconds at a time with a 10 second break in between each set for about 8 rounds. Shorter in duration than a weight training workout, Tabata is a quick and effective workout that torches calories as you max out your effort during the exercise period, making it an asset in increasing your metabolism over time.
Tabata is particularly beneficial for days when you’re short on time but are looking for a workout that will increase your heart rate and challenge your muscles with the time that you do have. “Tabata combines max intensity exercise for a short period of time with a rest period of an even shorter period of time. Typically Tabata is a form of exercise that can work on developing your VO2 max (a metric we use to assess cardiovascular ability),” explains Andrew Blakey, CPT specialist.
“By utilizing higher intensity exercises for shorter periods of time, you will find that your heart rate quickly increases and slowly goes down without really ever getting to your baseline resting rate,” he explains. Keeping your heart rate higher will naturally burn more calories even at rest as your body stays in a state of heightened intensity for longer than a traditional weight training workout which offers more rest.
This quick and intense workout is increasingly effective for weight loss due to the level at which it challenges your body, so it’s important to max out your energy output within each 20 second work period in order to get the most out of your workout. “You are pushing yourself harder for short intervals, as opposed to steady state cardio (such as jogging or running at the same pace on the treadmill),” explains CPT Maria Sogard. “With higher intensities, you are able to achieve results in a shorter period of time. This makes Tabata training an efficient workout for those looking to improve body composition.”
While it’s important to integrate strength training into your workout routine as well in order to create a balanced physique and build your muscles, Tabata will help to lose any excess fat your body may be holding onto, revealing the muscle underneath.
Much like HIIT, or high intensity interval training, Tabata can include any number of exercises from jumping jacks to pushups which you can complete quickly to boost your heart rate within the 20 second work span. While Tabata is typically a more advanced workout, it can be easily adjusted to meet all levels of fitness.
“Progressions of exercises can be as follows: someone just starting working out can use a simple march in place and use this timing to get started. Then once they feel comfortable they can increase the intensity of their march and use bigger arms. From there, the march can become a jog in class, and finally can go to a full out high knees,” notes Sogard.
Finding exercises that you enjoy is one of the best ways to ensure that you’ll stick to your workout routine, and Tabata allows you to create a sequence of exercises that you feel good doing that also strengthen your body.
Great for boosting your metabolism and increasing fat burn while simultaneously building up your muscles, Tabata is one of the quickest, most efficient workouts for weight loss in combination with a balanced diet. Allowing your body to continue to burn calories even after you finish working out, Tabata can help to increase your overall wellness so you can lose weight with ease and feel strong and confident in your skin. Speeding up your metabolism can be done with the foods you eat, but doubling down with a fat burning exercise routine can also help to achieve faster results for a healthier lifestyle.
