Sweatin' that Cardio: The benefits of Intervals

Tank completely soaked- there's a reason I didn't bother putting on makeup yet today.  

Only a few dry spots at the bottom of the shorts

This might sound weird or even gross to some (or most.. Ha), but I love that point in my workout when I'm dripping sweat.  There is just something about sweat dripping off your nose, chin, and eyelashes that feels good!  

Today I did the stair master. Its one of my favorite cardio workouts, and I try to fit it in once a week. One of the reasons I love it so much is because I sweat a lot, which always helps me feel like I got a great workout in. 

As sometimes cardio can get monotonous and feel like a drudgery, here is a HUGE tip: Do interval training. Not necessarily every time, but often. There's so many reasons why it will do your body good, but here are some of my favorites.

#1. It will keep you motivated and focused through your workout. Think of it like setting mini goals as you go along. 

#2.  It will improve your fitness. What's the best way to get in better shape? Push that limit multiple times in a workout. That limit is called your anaerobic threshold, and as it gets higher your fitness improves.

#3.  You will burn more calories. I'm not just talking about during your workout, but also after you are all done. This is called EPOC (exercise post oxygen consumption).  If you push your limit with some higher intensity cardio, you'll be burning a higher amount of calories per minute for the next hour or two after your done. 

#4 Intervals come in many varieties. Intervals can help you keep your workouts different and fresh! Do hills, long intervals (3-6 minutes), short intervals (30 seconds- 90 seconds). You can do them outside running or biking, or on any cardio equipment (bike, elliptical, stair master, treadmill, etc.)

So CHEERS (in the form of a large glass of ice water) to Intervals!!  Let's all embrace the SWEAT!