What if we told you that you could get all the better-body benefits of a half-hour workout in just 8 minutes? Sound too good to be true? We thought so, too, until we talked to the experts. The secret is supercharged, high-intensity interval training—a shorter but revved-up version of typical interval workouts.

YOUR WORKOUT

Why Intervals Slim Faster

Introducing short bouts of vigorous activity can speed up weight loss and cut your workout time by half or more. Aussie researchers found that women who alternated just 8 seconds of high-intensity exercise with 12 seconds of low-intensity activity for 20 minutes, 3 times a week, slimmed down faster than steady-paced exercisers who worked out for twice as long. Those who did intervals lost as much as 8 kg, shrank their bellies and their thighs, and gained, on average, 700 g of metabolism-revving muscle in 4 months. Intervals not only increase kilojoule burn, but also may work on a biochemical level. Vigorous activity normally produces lactate, a by-product of the breakdown of carbs for energy, which inhibits fat burning, says Gail Trapp, PhD, from The University of New South Wales. It appears that doing supershort bouts of exercise reduces lactate production, blasting fat more effectively.

A Canadian study put adults on stationary bikes for four 30-second sprints (that’s just 2 minutes of intense exercise!) with easy pedalling in between, 3 days a week. Incredibly, results showed that they doubled their fitness capacity after 6 weeks and reported feeling more energetic in just 2. Our 8-minute workout, based on this study, delivers the same powerful 2 minutes of vigorous activity but in shorter bouts—15 seconds each—so you can really give it your all for faster results.

Interval training is the smartest way to slim down and tone up for summer. If you liked our 8-minute energy booster, you’ll find a varied interval-based walking program in our new Walk Off Weight book—order your FREE 14-day-trial copy today!

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