DO TABATA
The most common excuse I hear from clients about NOT exercising is… “I have don’t have enough time to exercise!”
After what I will explain below… you can NO longer use that as an excuse because… TABATA will only take you 4-mins (actually only 2 mins & 40 secs of intense exercise).
TABATA (by Japanese scientist Izumi Tabata in 1996) is HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (HIIT) and when done correctly can help move your Gut Microbiome from a dysbiotic (imbalanced) state to a eubiotic (balanced) state. It can also…
Influence the composition of the Gut Microbiome by altering the intestinal immune system when activated.
Significantly reduce subcutaneous fat, especially abdominal fat, as well as total body mass. Interestingly, in a 2008 study, fat loss significantly increases with continued practice of HIIT, while in the ‘Continuous Moderate Physical Activity’ group (versus controls) there was no change in fat loss. Reason being is that HIIT increases post-physical activity fat oxidation and energy expenditure in comparison with Continued moderate physical activity (e.g. 30-mins of fast-paced walking).
Drive the biodiversity in the Gut Microbiota increasing the abundance of health-promoting bacteria when it is moving into a new steady state. It has further beneficial effects in that it attenuates (reduces) the negative effects on the Gut Microbiome by PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and POPs released during fat (adipose) loss.
Improve VO2 which is the maximum amount of oxygen a person can utilize during intense physical activity (a marker of physical fitness). However, if you are asthmatic you should seek advice with your GP before undertaking.
Assist in decreasing total Cholesterol and LDL-Cholesterol, while increasing good HDL-Cholesterol.
Improve insulin sensitivity and glucose regulation, especially useful for those working to reverse Type II Diabetes.
Induce very similar metabolic effects to that elicited by endurance exercise training, including improvements in insulin sensitivity, without ‘heating’ the body like endurance training.
Overcome a distinct subset of the changes in the distal gut and faecal microbiota caused by High Fat Diet-induced obesity, independently of changes in body mass or fat mass.
Increase the proportion of fast-twitch muscle fibres (vs slow-twitch). These influence your strength, agility and speed.
Assist in improving overall muscle tone and builds functional muscle mass. Both HIIT and resistance training have been identified as being far superior in retaining some of the training-induced adaptions even if unfit beforehand.
Can enlarge and strengthen bones. Since bone mass and bone strength are increased by mechanical strains to the bones, HIIT is useful part of your movement routine for the prevention of osteoporosis.
Improve in endothelial function, VO2 max, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, blood pressure and glucose regulation, more than a individuals who received dietary, psychological advice and performed Continuous Moderate Physical Activity.
How to do…
✅ Download a smart phone App that has a dedicated HIIT timer for a 4-minute routine. The APP tells you when to start and stop without having to look at a timer/watch.
✅ Choose whether you are going to jump rope, do star jumps, run up and down stairs, jog on the spot, sprint etc. NOTE… As a beginner, perform the intense exercise intervals at a moderate intensity and gradually increase to a high-intensity level.
✅ Start your HIIT timer… which will take you through 20-seconds of vigorous activity (one of the above) with 10-seconds rest time. You will repeat this sequence 8 times ONLY!
✅ After your 4-min HIIT… do 5-mins of ‘Grounding’… Relax, sit or stand, barefoot on the grass. Grounding after HIIT is helpful in the speed of recovery. Research shows improved immune function, less pain and less inflammatory markers. Studies show that ‘Grounding’ speeds recovery from Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).
What NOT to do…
🚫 Do NOT do longer than 4-mins, or perform a double session, as this becomes detrimental to your health. Research shows the best benefits for overall health are 4-min sessions as the post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) extends the benefits for your metabolism. In fact, just 4-mins has better ‘fat-burning’ effects than a 60-minute aerobic workout!! AND… just one 4-min HIIT session is ONE of the MOST energetically effective high-intensity intermittent training methods!
🚫 Do NOT continue with any jumping HIIT if experiencing pain, instead choose ‘walking fast in the pool’ where your joints and muscles are supported.
*Injuries are a concern when beginning any movement program (particularly one such as HIIT), especially if you have been sedentary for some time. Please listen to YOUR body and adjust the intensity or style if necessary.
If you want to know more about my programs that are designed to IMPROVE your Gut Health then head HERE or if you want to eat your way back to health — one meal at a time — check out my Gut Health Recipe Compendium. Nat xx