Want to Get Heart Healthy? Try HIIT Training

January has come and gone, quickly I might add. We are now into one of my favorite months – February.

This month is known as Body Awareness and Heart Disease Awareness Month. The two go hand-in-hand.

When you’re more aware of your body and how it functions (or doesn’t function) then you can be more intentional about practicing smart food and activity choices for a healthier body and heart. Listening to the signals of your body is key, but don’t let your body talk you out of movement. That’s NOT your body talking – it’s your mind. Unless of course, you are listening due to an injury. Think smart. Since thoughts usually lead to action, you’ll want to focus on fueling the mind with healthy, positive thoughts….often!

A great way to activate your heart is by doing high-intensity interval training. This type of training naturally increases the body’s production of human growth hormone, otherwise known as HGH. This awesome hormone promotes muscle and burns calories and excessive fat in minimal time.

You don’t have to get “fancy” with your HIIT training for it to be effective. In fact, a few of my favorite HIIT moves are basic – jump squats, burpees, high-knees, mountain climbers, and push-ups.

Do as many repetitions as you can of each exercise for only 45 seconds with a 15 second rest in between each one. Repeat all five of these moves (or HIIT moves that YOU choose) 3 times. Remember: modify each exercise according to YOUR ability. Believe me, your heart and body will get an awesome workout in less than 15 minutes and your heart will thank you for giving it some love in the form of movement.