It’s perfect for ALL body types! Even for my endomorph girls who can bulk up from HIIT workouts.

This workout will burn lots of calories and get you sweating, no jumping required. :)

Here’s today’s HIIT workout:

1. Mountain climbers
2. Straight punch with leg kicks
3. Advanced toe touches
4. Butt kicks
5. Tabletop to side kicks

How to Complete the Circuit

• Do each exercise for 40 seconds
• Rest for 20 seconds after each exercise
• Complete 3-5 rounds of this

Enjoy! xx

Watch the No Jumping HIIT Workout for Women Videos

The Exercises

1. Mountain Climbers

2. Straight Punches with Leg Kicks

3. Advanced toe touches

4. Butt Kicks

5. Tabletop to side kicks

If you have any other workout requests, let me know in the comments!

Love Rachael xx

The post No Jumping HIIT Workout for Women appeared first on Rachael Attard.

But these 2 types of workouts impact your body in different ways. It’s important to know how they work so that you can train in the best possible way for your body and goals!

In this blog post, I’ll explain more about how they work and how they can help you lose weight and burn fat.

WHAT IS HIIT?

HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. HIIT workouts are a type of circuit training in which you alternate between performing intense moves (like sprinting) and more mellow moves (like walking) to give your body a rest. You’ll be sweating a lot by the end!

Most HIIT workouts are just 10 to 30 minutes long. Remember, these workouts are pretty challenging, so most people couldn’t handle a HIIT workout that lasts much longer than half an hour.

This back-and-forth between extreme and low intensity can be really good for your body. Some of the best benefits of HIIT are:

• Burns a lot of calories in a short amount of time.
• Boosts your metabolism, which leads to calorie burn even after the workout is complete.
• Doing HIIT improves your cardiovascular system, which can help your body be more efficient at burning fat (more on this later!).
• HIIT workouts are convenient! They’re short and you can do them almost anywhere, including a hotel room or your living room.

However, HIIT isn’t something I recommend you do all the time, for several reasons.

• Too much HIIT is stressful on your body. This stress can raise your cortisol levels, which can lead to weight gain.
• HIIT workouts are often very focused on the lower body. Most of them involve exercises like squats, burpees, or sprinting. 2 out of 3 female body types will notice that this makes their lower body bulkier than they would prefer. :)
• Your body needs variety and time to recover between HIIT workouts.

WHAT IS LISS?

LISS stands for low-intensity steady state cardio. As you can probably already see from its name, LISS cardio is very different than HIIT. LISS is any type of cardio in which you maintain an even and low pace for a set amount of time.

Some examples of LISS include:

• Power walking (one of my favourite types of exercise!)
• Going for a hike
• Cycling at a steady pace
• Swimming at a steady pace

LISS technically is a walk in the park, but that doesn’t mean it is easy. :) It’s totally doable and you should be able to exercise for about an hour, but you should still feel your body working.

LISS might not be as challenging as HIIT, but it is still very important to include in a successful fitness routine. :)

Here are some of the reasons LISS is important:

• LISS is a great way to get into exercise! If you haven’t worked out in a while, a HIIT workout might feel impossible. LISS workouts will be doable for you!
• You can do LISS anywhere! Can you take a walk? If yes, you can do LISS!
• LISS is perfect for recovery. If you’ve recently done a hard HIIT workout or a tough session of resistance training, your body might need a break. LISS is a good way to stay active without overdoing it.
• Your body burns a lot of fat during LISS workouts. I’ll explain more about this later!

WHICH IS THE BEST FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

Both HIIT and LISS are super important for weight loss! But your body responds differently to LISS workouts versus HIIT workouts. They play different roles in helping you lose weight. Here’s how:

LISS BURNS FAT!

Your body needs energy. (Obviously!) And one of the amazing things that the human body does is that it converts the carbohydrates and fat we eat into energy.

Most of the time, your body uses a combination of both carbs and fat for energy. But, depending on the type of workout you do, it will choose to burn mostly fat or mostly carbs.

When do you LISS, you aren’t working out too hard. Your body is still getting plenty of oxygen, and it is more efficient for your body to use fat instead of carbohydrates for energy.

Harder workouts (like HIIT) make it harder for your body to get oxygen. So, your body opts to use carbs as a quick energy source instead of fat. LISS workouts, then, are great because they keep your body in the fat-burning zone.

If this is confusing, no worries! I have a very detailed blog post about how the fat-burning zone works. If you want to understand the zones in more depth, give it a read. :)

Otherwise, just remember this: LISS workouts keep your body in the ideal zone for fat burning. When you take a long walk or do other forms of low, steady-state cardio, your body chooses to use fat instead of carbs!

This is one of the reasons why walking is so wonderful at slimming down legs. It helps you burn fat!

HIIT INCREASES FITNESS LEVELS

HIIT workouts don’t keep your body in the fat burning zone. They mostly burn carbs. So why bother doing HIIT workouts?

Well, besides burning lots of calories and boosting your metabolism, HIIT also makes your heart stronger. HIIT improves your cardiovascular system, which helps you become fitter.

Doing HIIT workouts also boosts your anaerobic threshold, meaning that you’ll be able to stay in the fat-burning (or aerobic) zone for longer.

WHY IMPROVING FITNESS MATTERS FOR FAT LOSS

Think about it like this: We all know that going for an hour-long walk will burn more calories than a 20-minute walk will. We also know that walking at a faster pace for 30 minutes burns more calories than walking at a slow pace for 30 minutes.

The harder or longer you push yourself, the more calories you will burn.

And we also know that the fitter you are, the easier it is for you to do longer, harder exercises.

So, this means that a person who is fitter can stay in the fat-burning zone for longer while also doing exercises that burn more calories.

HIIT helps you become more fit. The fitter you are, the more your body will be able to rely on fat for energy, and not carbs.

JUST DON’T STRESS YOUR BODY OUT!

One thing to remember about doing HIIT is to pay attention to your stress levels. HIIT workouts can increase cortisol in your body. Cortisol is your stress hormone, and it can lead to weight gain!

Some women see that HIIT burns a lot of calories. They want to lose weight, so they do too much HIIT. Unfortunately, overdoing HIIT can actually have the opposite effect: it can cause you to gain weight, especially in the love handle area.

In my experience, stress can be a major hindrance to weight loss! It took me time to figure out, which is why I’m so vocal about sharing this information with women. If you haven’t read my story about hormones and weight loss, feel free to read it in this blog post. :)

Also, doing lots of HIIT can cause you to build a lot of muscle in your lower body. This means your legs will actually get bigger instead of smaller.

This is why I don’t recommend doing HIIT more than once or twice a week.

BOTH BURN CALORIES

HIIT workouts help you burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time. That’s one of the reasons I love HIIT. It’s efficient!

But you can still burn a lot of calories doing LISS. It might take you longer, but it is easier on your body. You can do longer sessions of LISS than HIIT and still get that sweet calorie burn.

Because both HIIT and LISS burn calories, they can both help with weight loss!

FOR BEST RESULTS, COMBINE HIIT AND LISS

The best way to lose weight is to combine low and high-intensity cardio. :)

If your goal is fat loss, I suggest doing LISS 5-6 times a week and 1-2 HIIT workouts a week.

Both LISS and HIIT can play super important rules in your fitness journey! Make sure you check out my 8-week lean legs program if you’re wanting more in-depth workout plans to help you lose fat. :)

And as always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask! xx

Love Rachael

The post HIIT vs LISS: Which Is Better for Fat Loss? appeared first on Rachael Attard.

It’s will take you only 15 minutes to do it but it will help you burn LOTS of calories (during and after your workout). No excuses, lovelies! 

WATCH THE 15 MINUTE HIIT WORKOUT VIDEO

HOW TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT

• Complete each exercise for 40 seconds and rest for 20 seconds.
• Do 3 rounds (or more if you’re feeling up to it). 

PS exercise 4 really gets your heart rate up!

Let me know if you give it a try!

THE EXERCISES

WHY YOU SHOULD TRY HIIT TRAINING

HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training. This means that you do an intense type of exercise for a short period and then rest.

This type of training is quick (10-30 minutes) and super effective. If you do 20 minute HIIT workout, you will burn the same number of calories as if you were running for 40 minutes.

ome types of HIIT can cause your thighs to get bigger, especially if you are an endomorph body type, but as with all of my workouts, this one shouldn’t cause any bulkiness.

Let me know if you try this one out! And for more workouts, click here or follow me o Instagram :)

Love Rachael xx

The post 15 Minute HIIT Workout appeared first on Rachael Attard.

Some of you may already know that a couple of years ago I got into weightlifting and that I was going to the gym regularly.

My gym sessions would always be at least an hour, not including the time it took me to get there and to get back home. 

But then I started to travel a lot and getting access to the gym was sometimes really hard. Also, I started getting too muscular for my own liking.

So eventually I stopped lifting heavy weights and started doing quick home workouts.

You see, the length of your workout isn’t always what makes it a good and intense workout. In fact, it’s what you do during your workout that makes it effective. And that’s why I love to incorporate HIIT into my weekly fitness routine.

WHAT IS HIIT?

HIIT stands for high intensity interval training and the average workouts take between 10 and 30 minutes. This makes them ideal if you have a busy schedule.

But what makes HIIT different from other short workouts is the intensity of each exercise you perform. During a HIIT circuit, you’ll do one type of exercise for a short period of time as hard as you can. 

After that, you’ll rest, walk in place, or jog to keep yourself moving and give your heart rate a chance to calm down. Then, you’ll repeat the high-intensity exercise again. 

This cycle lasts for up to 30 minutes and can be done literally anywhere. The only thing you need is enough room to exercise.

But aside from giving you a quality workout in less time than your average gym session, HIIT workouts pack a ton of other benefits. Here’s what you need to know. 

1. BURNS TONS OF CALORIES IN A TINY AMOUNT OF TIME

The common way of thinking about workouts is that the longer you push yourself, the more calories you’ll burn. And, to an extent, this can be true.

But with HIIT, you’ll be able to burn just as many calories as with a steady cardio session but a lot quicker. For example, if I run for 40 minutes and you do HIIT for 20 minutes, we’ll likely burn the same number of calories! 

RELATED BLOG POST: HOW TO GET SKINNY LEGS: HIIT FOR FAT BURNING

2. HELPS YOU KEEP BURNING CALORIES EVEN AFTER THE WORKOUT

HIIT workouts help your body burn calories even after the workout is over. This type of training increases your metabolism during the workout but also after you’re done exercising.

This study shows that two minutes of sprinting and 30 minutes of running will lead to the same increase of your metabolism that will last for more than 24h! 

The more amped up your metabolism is, the more calories you’ll burn. So if losing weight is one of your fitness goals, HIIT may help you to lose weight more quickly.

3. HELPS WITH FAT BURNING

HIIT will help you increase your general cardiovascular fitness and your anaerobic threshold. 

This means that during exercise your body will remain in the aerobic (fat burning) zone for longer, before switching to the anaerobic pathway.

The result? You’ll be able to exercise for longer and at a higher intensity and still burn fat.

4. CAN REDUCE YOUR BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS AND LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

High blood pressure increases your risk of stroke, heart disease, and countless other health problems. And while regular exercise can help you lower blood pressure, it’s not always enough. 

Sure, medication is always an option, but HIIT workouts help you give your body the tools it needs to lower it on its own. 

But that’s not all it does—HIIT can help you lower your blood sugar levels consistently. If you’re struggling with insulin resistance or have struggled to lose weight, this is great news! Your body can start to right itself and function the way it’s supposed to.

SHOULD I DO HIIT?

So, by now you’re probably wondering if HIIT workouts are the answer you’ve been looking for. After all, they’re short, they’re effective, and they’re fun. But they’re not the only thing you need to do to start losing weight.

You still need to eat a good diet rich in lean proteins, fruits, vegetables and avoid processed foods and sugars whenever possible. Exercise is only one component of weight loss. But by combining HIIT workouts and a healthy diet, you’ll see results quickly. 

Also, if you build muscles easily (especially on your legs) and you want to slim down your lower body, you need to make sure you’re doing the right type of HIIT. 

As I said, HIIT is great but routines that have a lot of burpees, squats and lunges may add bulkiness to your legs.

I have a lot of full body HIIT workouts that will help you burn lots of calories without adding bulk. Here are some of my favourite HIIT routines:

• HIIT for a slim and toned body
• Full body HIIT workout that won’t add bulk
• HIIT ab workout
• 15 minute HIIT ab workout

Hope you found this blog post helpful and if you have any questions, feel free to ask :)

Love Rachael xx

The post HIIT Benefits – Reasons To Try HIIT appeared first on Rachael Attard.

I’m a big fan of HIIT!

This type of training is super quick and it burns lots of calories.  For example, if your friend runs for 40 minutes and you do a HIIT workout for 20 minutes, you and your friend will burn the same number of calories.

It’s great if you don’t have a lot of time on your hands ;)

Also, studies have shown that HIIT increases your metabolism and keeps it that way for hours. This means you’ll continue to burn calories after your workout.

Enjoy :) xx

WATCH THE FULL BODY HIIT WORKOUT VIDEO

HOW TO COMPLETE THE WORKOUT

• Complete each exercise for 40 seconds then rest for 20 seconds.
• Do 3-5 rounds. 

1. BENCH HOPS

2. TRICEP DIPS

3. IN AND OUT SNAP JUMPS

4. BICYCLE CRUNCHES

5. ECCENTRIC PUSH UPS

Hope you liked this workout!

If you like this style of training you might like my 3 Steps to Lean Legs Program. It is designed to help you get leans and toned legs.

My program includes full body workouts similar to these ones here, cardio training and an 8-week meal plan. This way you can be sure you’re eating healthy :)

Love Rachael Xx

The post Full Body HIIT Workout For A Slim And Toned Body appeared first on Rachael Attard.

It burns lots of calories in a short amount of time, it even burns calories AFTER you’re done working out and it helps you build muscle tone.

But if your HIIT routine includes exercises like squats, burpees and lunges, it may increase the size of your thighs like it did in my case.

I prefer a leaner and slimmer look but I still want to do HIIT since I know it has a lot of amazing benefits.

That’s why I create HIIT routines that will not cause any bulkiness.

This is a HIIT workout for a slim body that will help you tone up without bulking. And it will help you burn those extra calories (both during AND after exercising). 

Enjoy! :)

WATCH THE HIIT WORKOUT FOR A SLIM BODY VIDEO

HOW TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT

• Complete each exercise for 30 seconds and then rest for 30 seconds.
• If you want to work a little harder, you can do 45 seconds on and 15 seconds rest.
• Do 3-5 rounds.

1. PUNCHES (hand weights optional)

2. SNAP JUMP + 4 MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS 

3. HIGH KNEE RUNS (resistance band optional)

4. AB TUCKS

5. TAP RUNS 

Let me know if you have any workout requests in the comments below!

I hope you liked this workout and if you did you might like my 3 Steps To Lean Legs Program which is designed to help you get lean and toned legs. It includes FULL body workouts similar to these.

So if you like this style of training, you might want to try it out. :)

Love Rachael Xx

The post HIIT Workout for A Slim and Toned Body appeared first on Rachael Attard.