Do you want to be aware of the latest news in sports nutrition and fitness? So do we. Earlier this week, we have another summary of recent studies on fascinating topics, which can help you maximize your training results and improve your diet.
In this article, we will consider the merits of a 4-second workout and how exercise benefits fat metabolism.
Let’s dive into the details.
Is it possible to stay in shape in 4 seconds?
Working from home has made many people more sedentary than ever. We sit for hours straight in a chair, to the detriment of our health and physical well-being. However, according to a new study, the remedy is at hand. 1
The physiological differences between spending the day in a chair and breaking inactivity with very short bouts of high-intensity exercise were investigated. The exercises consisted of 4 seconds of high intensity exercise followed by 45 seconds of rest, repeated 5 times an hour for 8 hours of the day.
The morning after each test day, participants ate a breakfast rich in lipids, in the form of ice cream, and then tests were performed on their triglyceride (fat), glucose and insulin levels. There was a 31% increase in triglyceride levels when participants had spent the day just sitting, compared to the days on which the exercise rounds were performed.
There was also a 43% increase in fat oxidation throughout the body with the exercise group. No differences in glucose or insulin levels were detected.
Although the number of participants was small, and exercise accesses were short, this marked difference in the levels of fat and oxidation is certainly worth noting. Unfortunately, this does not mean that a 4-second workout is enough to stay in shape. But why not experiment and see if you notice any difference in yourself?
More exercise = Better fat metabolism?
As far as exercise is beneficial to our metabolism, it is not new; but does it also help convert food into energy and speed up fat burning? According to a recent study, this is exactly what happens. 2
Analyzing a group of 52 male soldiers before and after an 80-day training program, a group of researchers found quite significant changes in the 200 metabolites (substances produced in the course of metabolic processes) that were measured.
The observed changes suggest that consistent physical exercise not only encourages muscles to use more fuel, but specifically to use more fat. This change is much greater than the one previously detected, probably because the group of soldiers studied is very homogeneous in terms of their lifestyle, diet, sleep patterns and body mass indexes.
Although this study had a limited scope, involving only 52 participants, all of whom were young and in good physical shape, it is interesting to consider the hypothesis that exercise can affect more than our disposition and muscles.
Final Message
If you were in need of an excuse to move more, the pair of studies we presented this week couldn’t be more useful. Even though everyone is limited to some degree at this point in what they can do in terms of exercise, it is encouraging to find that interrupting the workday for a quick run is a worthwhile effort.
And, if you were looking for a good reason to maintain your isometric exercise routine, the effects on your metabolism seem to be a justification in their own right.
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