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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    Interval training to lose weight?

    Related Topic
    Weight Management
    I have heard that it simply isn't enough to jog or run at a steady pace to lose weight… but that it's necessary to do interval training (jog with sprints in between). Is this true? Is this the best way to burn calories and lose weight?
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  • Luke Delvecchio

    Diabetes Educator, Exercise Physiologist, Nutritionist

    Specializing in the assessment and treatment of metabolism related weight disorders. View Profile

    Dr Gail Trapp and colleagues published an excellent study (2008. The effects of high-intensity intermittent exercise training on fat loss and fasting insulin levels of young women. International Journal of obesity) that provides some insights as to why interval training may well be a more effective training method for weight loss.  Dr Trapp found that short intense intervals ( 8 seconds of high intensity effort with 12 seconds active recovery) increased adrenaline levels and it is well known that adrenaline is a potent fat burning hormone, one of the key functions of adrenaline is to break down and burn fat.  It was reported in this study that “Some” of the group members who did around eight seconds of sprinting on a bike, followed by 12 seconds of exercising lightly for twenty minutes, lost three times as much fat as other women, who exercised at a continuous, regular pace for 40 minutes.”  
     
    So I think this plus other emerging research (S.Boucher. 2010. High Intensity Intermittent Exercise & Fat Loss) support the notion that interval or as it is also known (High Intensity Intermittent Exercise) may well be a more effective way to exercise when the goal is to lose weight.

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