Interval Training: The Fat Burner

Ready to help your Body become a FAT burning machine?
 
If so, you'll want to add this Interval Training Protocol to your workout routines.
 
It's called The Fat Burner* and easiest to do it you have access to an indoor cycle.
 
It’s one of the tweaks I made earlier this year to support getting my Waist To Hip Ratio down and reducing the visceral fat that I noticed creeping up after Menopause. 
 
I made it a regular go to for my cardio workouts.
 
Here’s how you do it.
 
THE FAT BURNER WORKOUT*
 
Note- you'll need a timer or way to track the 8 seconds- on, 12 seconds- off format.

1. Warm up for 3 minutes.
2. Go hard at intensity of 6** for 8 seconds.
3. Rest for 12 seconds.
4. Repeat as tolerated to a max of 60 times or 20 minutes of intervals.
5. Cool down for 2 minutes.

 
At first it will seem difficult to pace yourself, but it gets easier. 
 
You’ll find a rhythm.

I like this one because the sprints are short and you’ve got options to build up intensity of them over time.
 
>>A 2012 Australian study using this protocol 3x/week for 12 weeks found that participants had:

• a 15% increase in cardiorespiratory fitness
• a 3.3 pound decrease in bodyweight 
• reduced their total fat mass by 4.4 pounds AND their abdominal fat decreased by 6.6% and trunk fat by 8.4%! 

 
>>A 15 week study out of the same lab found that when the sprint intensity was increased to 10+ (i.e. 8 seconds- on at intensity of 10 or all out) participants:

• decreased fat mass by 5.5 pounds
• improved cardiorespiratory fitness by 24% 

 
Can you see why it’s called the “Fat Burner?”
 
I tend to use this protocol when I’m super busy or having a flare up in my foot.
 
I got more intentional about using it when I started my fat burning quest earlier this year.

This Fat Burner protocol and the Interval Walking protocol are excellent ways to get started, get back on track, or increase the intensity of your cardio workouts. 
 
Which one will you test out this week?
 
Besides boosting your fat burning & energy levels, you’ll be building a foundation for the more advanced interval training protocols.
 
Grab your timer & get moving…
 
As always, make sure you take a recovery day between interval training days. 
 
Listen to your body. If it needs more rest time, add more rest.

P.S.  Ready to be active & agile at any age? Download your FREE Relaxed Body Toolkit to get started here.

*From the book: The One Minute Workout by Martin Gibala, Ph.D. 

**For intensity guidance, refer to the Modified Borg RPE (Rating of Perceived Exertion) Scale from 1 (extremely easy) -10 (extremely hard or max effort).