One way to boost your metabolism is to incorporate high-intensity interval training (HIIT) into your workouts. This form of exercise alternates short periods of all-out effort and longer recovery periods. A typical HIIT session lasts 20 to 30 minutes, but there are no set rules on how long you should work out. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) explains that HIIT boasts excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), increasing calorie burn during and after exercise.
Due to its intensity, HIIT burns more calories per minute than steady-state cardio, certified strength and conditioning specialist Noam Tamir toldSelf. He recommends training as hard as you can for about 20 seconds and then slowing down for up to 60 seconds. “The rest periods are needed to prep the body and enable it to truly perform at its max during the high-intensity spurts,” exercise physiologist Franci Cohen told Self.
In the long run, this training method can improve body composition, or fat-to-muscle ratio, while increasing explosive power. Moreover, it may reduce waist circumference and total cholesterol (per the Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation). As far as exercise selection goes, you can opt for free weights, plyometrics, or machine work. For example, you could run on the treadmill for 20 seconds, walk for 40 seconds, run for another 20 seconds, and so on. Warm up at the beginning of each session and increase workout intensity gradually — especially if you are new to exercise.