It’s an excuse probably familiar to many of us. “I just don’t have time to exercise,” is the plaintive cry. Well, that old chestnut won’t be getting trotted out for much longer if new research is to be believed.
A Danish study has revealed that working out for half the time at more intensive levels will help you lose more weight. The 13-week trial involved three groups of young men, all of whom were overweight and all whom led sedentary lifestyles with little or no exercise. Surprisingly, the results of the trial showed that burning fewer calories in a more intensive workout actually helped participants lose more weight compared to those doing a program that burned more calories.
The most successful weight loss came for the group who exercised for 30 minutes every day, burning 300 calories. By the end of the 13 weeks, they had lost an average 7lbs. The group doing hour-long workouts burned 600 calories per session but only showed an average weight loss of 5lbs by the time the trial ended.
The Danish researchers discovered that those exercising for an hour at a time actually ate more after their exercise, while the 30-minute workout group reported a rise in energy levels and said they were less sedentary between workouts.
The results of the study suggest that more intensive exercise, often known as high intensive interval training (HIIT), can be an effective way to lose weight. HIIT programs can range from 5 minutes to 15-minute workouts. Many people who take part in HIIT wear a heart rate monitor that counts the heart rate, ensuring they are not overdoing the exercise, and also counts the number of calories burned.
The results of this trial suggest fewer of us will be able to make the excuse that we haven’t got time for a workout.
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