HIIT has immense benefits, which range from helping improve your heart health to reducing belly and maintaining muscle mass
While it is good to exercise, it is also important to live an active lifestyle along with taking nutritious food, which lowers not only your blood pressure but also helps improve mental health and cognition and reduces the risk of various chronic diseases.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, all adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, or a combination of both, along with at least two days of strength training.
However, those who seek a more vigorous workout indulge actively in high-intensity interval training, or HIIT workouts, that are characterised by short bursts of intense exercise, followed by periods of recovery. HIIT has immense benefits, which range from helping improve your heart health to reducing belly fat and maintaining muscle mass, but it is also important not to overdo it.
What are the benefits of doing HIIT?
According to experts, HIIT workouts provide a lot of benefits for a wide range of people, and since they are extremely high in intensity, they can be performed in a shorter period of time, helping you save time as well.
HIIT workouts are also adaptable and can be done with any modality of exercise - cycling, running, swimming - and at any experience level. Experts say they are great for raising your heart rate and metabolism for a longer period even after your workout has ended, thereby helping you lose weight faster.
Should you do HIIT workouts daily?
Since they are extremely high in intensity, you must not do HIIT workouts daily. According to experts, it becomes a little difficult for your body to sustain that high intensity, physically and mentally, day after day.
Doctors also advise taking rest for at least 24 hours between HIIT sessions, as it can help in quick recovery since the exercise can lead to fatigue, prolonged soreness, fitness plateaus, and hormonal imbalances. Many experts recommend doing two to three days a week of 20 to 30-minute HIIT sessions, with 24 to 48-hour rest periods in between. It is also advisable to mix your exercise regime with adding days of taking a quick walk or doing yoga in between strength training.
Side effects of too much HIIT
If you do too many HIIT workouts, you can become overly tired, fatigued, and in some cases even injure yourself. According to experts, overdoing HIIT workouts can lead to fatigue and inefficient workouts.
And so, to reap the benefits of exercise, you must be able to do it consistently—by taking breaks and proper rest in between.
The cortisol released during HIIT workouts can also have some unwanted effects on the body. Having excess cortisol can cause fatigue, mood changes, sleep disturbances, and anxiety, and can even affect the immune system and increase the risk of illness.
