The Reason Short Workouts Are Worlds Better Than None
Studying in college or university is an incredibly time-consuming thing. We all know that. So when students say they have no time to work out, it makes complete sense. It can be challenging to try and maintain proper health habits when you’re consumed with schoolwork like papers, studying, and exams. Of course, health is still so important, but a lot of students tend to put it aside and lower its priority simply because they don’t have an hour every day to dedicate to exercise. To lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle, however, you don’t have to go to the extreme and devote hours and hours to exercise a week. Instead, you can do short workouts and still stay on top of your health and fitness. It might sound somewhat counterintuitive, but studies have shown why short workouts – aka 10 minutes or less – can actually be more beneficial.
They Normalize Appetite
When someone works out for hours on end, their appetite will grow accordingly to make up for all that energy lost in the workouts. Additionally, they’ll be at risk for the ‘I deserve this’ attitude which can ruin all their weight loss goals. Recent studies have shown that HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workouts can actually suppress the appetite, as opposed to steady-state cardio that tends to increase it.
They Show Results Faster
Going for a few steady jogs a week won’t get you the same results as short intense workouts. HIIT has been shown to improve fitness levels in as little as two weeks and can help you get the same cardiovascular and muscular benefits as steady-state cardio in half to one-third the amount of time. That’s a huge difference! Short but tough HIIT workouts will also boost your metabolism, raise your body’s fat-burning abilities, and burn more calories in shorter periods of time. This is thanks to the muscle you gain through these workouts.
They Hold You Attention
Doing the same thing for an hour can get rather boring, wouldn’t you say? Running especially – eventually, you lose interest. However, short workouts don’t give you the chance to reach that state of mind. Since HIIT workouts have a lot of different movements that take focus, you won’t even realize how much you’ve done until it’s over. The movements are constantly varied and it’s all fast-paced, helping keep things interesting.
They Can Be Done Anywhere
One of the best parts about HIIT workouts is that they can be done just about anywhere and with no equipment. You don’t have to go to the gym or invest in some items to have in the house. All you need a small stretch of space on the floor and you’re good to go. There are so many different movements and exercises you can do, from classics like push-ups and crunches to things like jump squats and lunges.
They Improve Metal Focus
One positive side-effect of doing short HIIT workouts is the improvement of mental focus and concentration. After doing just 10 minutes of vigorous exercise, this benefit will be noticeable after a while. If you find you need to take a break during studying, do a quick workout to improve your focus.
