The word alone is enough to instill procrastination in even the most motivated gym-goer.
Luckily, research has given us a multitude of legitimate excuses to finally escape the clutches of steady-state cardio.
Cardio raises cortisol levels.
Cortisol, also referred to as the “stress hormone,” tends to garner a lot of confusion.
Namely, high circulating levels signal the body to store fat, especially around the abdomen.
Why and how do we end up with high cortisol levels?
One word: stress.
Which brings us to the kicker: Steady-state cardio has been proven to increaselevels of cortisol.
Cardio lowers an important thyroid hormone.
Thyroid hormones are directly responsible for the state of our metabolism and weight.
Prolonged, intense cardio sessions do just this by decreasing T3 output and potentially impairing future hormonal responses.
Overall, cardio is less effective at burning fat.
Steady-state cardio also lacks the “afterburn” effect that HIIT offers.
This results in more calories burned not only during the exercise but up to 48 hours afterward as well.
So, what should you do instead?
Need ideas for how to structure a HIIT workout?
Your body will thank you for it.
