You’ve heard of it, you’ve found out what it is, and now you want to know why you should actually try HIIT to lose weight. After all, high intensity interval training is getting a very good reputation, but at the same time, it does sound like it’s pretty challenging. Is it worth it and is it actually as great as everyone says?

The first thing you should know about using HIIT to lose weight is that it is not a miracle pill. Nothing is going to make you see long term results if you use it only very rarely, inconsistently or if you stop after a certain time. Regardless of what fitness strategy you use, progress will be gradual; however, it’s important to think of that as a good thing. Weight lost gradually will be less likely to be regained quickly, because you’ll be designing a body that is resistant to it.

The key to using HIIT to lose weight is more about efficiency than speed. You can accomplish more in less time, which is fantastic for anyone who hates exercising or who wants to be able to get more out of every minute. One study showed that fifteen minutes of high intensity interval jogging brought the equivalent results to one hour of traditional jogging.

Consider the following while you think about starting this type of fitness strategy:

It burns more fat in less time – this type of training uses short bursts of maximum effort followed by longer periods of rest or recovery. Therefore, the key is to truly push yourself during the intense intervals, with a goal of filling each of those periods with at least 90 percent of your top possible performance. That forces your body into anaerobic mode, which improves the efficiency of energy production and usage. The outcome of that is more opportunity to burn fat and, therefore, greater weight loss potential.

It produces a greater after-burn effect – after any cardio workout, your body continues to burn calories and fats. However, when using HIIT, that effect is greater than it would be using a more traditional steady workout. This means that even after you’re done, you’ll enjoy a greater impact from the workout.

You need to do it right – regardless of whether you’re doing cardio or strength training, focus on making sure your form, motions and technique are as close to perfect as possible. This is not only vital to getting the most out of workouts, but it also greatly reduces the risk of injury while you’re pushing yourself as hard as you can. It’s better to do it right than to achieve greater intensity.