Traditional cardio approaches to fat loss have focused solely on exercising in the “Fat Burning Zone” (FBZ), also known as the aerobic zone, by performing slow and steady exercise of low to moderate intensity for prolonged periods. However, aerobic exercise alone has not only FAILED to produce significant fat loss, it can actually cause you to store fat (think problem areas) and lose muscle. Not too sexy!

So what is the alternative? Exercising in the “Carb Burning Zone” (CBZ), also known as the anaerobic zone, to make your workouts dramatically shorter AND more effective. This is accomplished through interval training in which you alternate between bouts of high intensity sprints and periods of low to moderate intensity active recovery. The sprint portion of the interval quickly depletes your body’s glycogen tank (the stored form of carbohydrate, or sugar, in muscle) so that your body begins using fat (both dietary and stored body fat) as its main source of fuel. energy at all other times of the day. More specifically, sprints that last between 30 and 60 seconds have been scientifically shown to burn the most sugar in your body so you can quickly tap into unwanted fat stores.

For maximum fat loss, we recommend intervals consisting of a sprint followed by an active recovery period of greater or equal duration based on your current level of conditioning, with the exception of some elite level interval protocols where the recovery period is actually less than the sprint period (eg Tabatas). For example, if you’re using a 30-second sprint, here’s how you would select the appropriate active recovery period for your current fitness level to better customize your interval training workouts:

Level I – Beginner: Use a 1:3 work to rest ratio (30 s on, 90 s off)

Level II- Intermediate: Use a 1:2 work to rest ratio (30 s on, 60 s off)

Level III- Advanced: Use a 1:1 work to rest ratio (30 seconds on, 30 seconds off)

Plus, this form of training not only burns a ton of calories during the workout itself, but it also has a serious AFTERBURN effect that will have you burning more calories for hours on end after the workout is complete (some studies suggest anywhere from 12 to 24 years or more). hours). This phenomenon is known as excessive post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) and describes the energy expended by your body in returning your metabolic rate to pre-exercise levels. The best part about EPOC is that you control it, which means the harder you work during your workout, the more calories your body will burn BOTH during your workout AND for up to 24-48 hours after completing your workout!

So, what are you waiting for?

Start running to look better naked TODAY!