If your goal is to lose fat quickly, it's necessary to work exceptionally hard at high intensity interval training and circuits. The main issue is knowing exactly how hard to push yourself. There's an art to discovering your perfect workout intensity for interval training.

Fat Loss and Muscle Definition : A Strategy

Usually, I try to divide the strength training part of my workout from the fat loss part. If you're going for muscle definition, I suggest heavy weights, combined with brief, low volume strength training. This kind of exercise will give you defined, firm muscles. Strength training is usually the easy part. The calorie burning fat loss section of your workout is when workout intensity comes into play. At least three times every week, do an intense fat loss workout.Your workout cna be Your workout can be body weight circuits, high intensity interval training (HIIT), or a circuit or interval workout that you feel comfortable with.

Low Intensity Workouts and After Effects

Most of the time when I'm at the gym, I don't see people employing proper intensity with their fat loss workouts. If you're taking a break until your next interval, a treadmill is fine - but otherwise, it's a total waste of time. In all honesty, a low intensity cardio workout won't burn enough calories to make any real impact on your physical appearance.

High Intensity Workouts : Too High?

It's okay to workout hard, but if you're getting too intense, your body is more apt to overcompensate by needing far more rest, post-workout. For the optimal fat loss results, you should go about your day as if the workout didn't just happen, otherwise your body will waste time resting. Resting on the couch all day after a hard workout is a bad fat loss strategy - even if you're tired.

Is Your Fat Loss Workout the Right Intensity?

To judge if my workout is at the proper intensity, I look for the 'HGH Flush'. This is a good way to judge the effectiveness of your fat loss workout. The HGH Flush is when your skin becomes noticeably hot and slightly red, and when you are running short of breath post-workout. Do you recall your high school gym coach making you run laps and force you to keep going until you ran out of breath and you felt like you were on fire? Your body releases a higher amount of HGH, a fat burning hormone, than usual during this HGH flush, indicating that your metabolism is increased.

Working In Your Comfort Zone : The Edge

A common mistake I've witnessed is clients being pushed too hard, too soon by their personal trainers. Once, I was told that I was going to get a workout designed to 'kill me' by a personal trainer. No thank you. You should ideally work towards getting the HGH Flush, but not with so much intensity that your body requires a nap afterwards. This workout intensity is usually referred to the 'sweet spot'. As your body gets in shape, you can push it a little harder every time. You can always lower the intensity of your next workout if you've pushed yourself too far and need rest.