As winter hibernation comes to a blissful end and beach season approaches, we all might find ourselves googling, “What is the best proven method for weight loss?”
You’ll most likely come across an array of fitness related answers, some being about copious amounts of cardio, heavy weightlifting or even crazy diet fads that are proven to work if you purchase a guide within the next 24-hours.
It’s hard to find real answers from health-related professionals about weight loss when legends as old time have always directed us towards hours of cardio as the primary way to shed fat. It’s hard to say exactly when this rumor came to light, however we have a feeling it might’ve started from the same individual who made claims that weight lifting makes women bulky.
Somehow, these false statements spread like wildfire, however at GRIT BOX Fitness we love proving them wrong by helping our members embrace multi-functional training and witnessing them achieve greatness in the process.
Weight loss doesn’t mean long hours on your least favorite elliptical machine, becoming an expert in long distance running, or biking the Tour de France. At GRIT BOX Fitness, we love to show others that losing weight can be an enjoyable experience and one that you even begin to look forward to.
We do this by combining weight training and cardio or short bursts of time, which is called HIIT training (High Intensity Interval Training). We combine this innovative type of training in both of our boot camp and kickboxing classes to give our members a balance of weight training and cardio vascular endurance.
Here is why we love a combination of weight training and cardio instead of primarily cardio for weight loss:
Burn Large Amounts of Calories Per Session–and Have Fun Doing It
Pure science says that the more you weigh, the more calories you burn–plain and simple. This means, the more muscle mass you obtain, the more calories you’re bound to burn. Think shorter workouts, with higher intensity and leave your days pedaling away on the elliptical in the past.
Workout in Half the Time
The point of HIIT circuit training is to burn a large amount of calories by giving your maximum effort in a short amount of time. This means you can burn close to the same amount of calories during an hour of cardio, in just a 45 minute boot camp class. See why we love circuit training?
Keep Burning Calories Long After You Workout
That’s right, circuit training allows you to keep burning those calories, even after you’re done working out–talk about time well spent. After you finish your kickboxing or boot camp class, your body is kicked into hyper-drive mode, allowing you to burn fat for the next 24-48 hours. It’s just science, folks.
Consume More Fuel
Burning calories throughout the day brings us to our next benefit of HIIT training and possibly one of our favorites. As you build muscle, your body is going to need proper fuel to keep energy levels high and recover properly, meaning you’ll have to make sure you’re eating enough. This means you don’t have to skip the carbohydrates and definitely don’t forget the extra protein. We have a feeling the FIT bar is calling your name.
Improve Cardiovascular While Getting Stronger
We certainly are not knocking those who choose primarily cardio as their workout of choice, however don’t think that HIIT training will take away from your cardiovascular efforts. Boot camp and kickboxing class work to build strength while increasing cardiovascular abilities. This makes HIIT training a great tool for those training for a long distance race.
If you are interested in seeing what circuit style training is all about, book your free boot camp or kickboxing class today.