I recently discovered my love of HIIT training, and have loved adding it into my training I love how you can do an intense workout which gets great results in such a short space of time. So I decided to ask Natalie Alexander who is the founding partner of The Cardio Guru and ambassador for BioSynergy and a HIIT expert to explain to The Nutritionista what exactly is HIIT. She has also been kind enough to share her recipe for the perfect pre HIIT snacks which look insane! I hope you enjoy what she has too say x

A quick and simple Introduction to HIIT –By Natalie Alexander

HIIT has been the Buzzword in the fitness industry for the past few years.

As a founder partner in The Cardio Guru, fitness and nutrition are something that I am extremely passionate about. I start each and every day by doing something active, that’s why I love HIIT training so much, as you only need as little as 7 minutes to perform a full workout. The HIIT GURU Fat HIITING APP which has been long awaited has taken over 2 years of intense research & development whilst utilises all of Scott Alexander’s 20 years worth of training. The app offers something for everyone no matter what your fitness level, it has been engineered to work you against your own fitness engine. There really is no time like today to begin something new and commit to a healthier, happier YOU, that’s why I was so excited to be invited to write a guest Article for The Nutritonista and share with you a quick and simple introduction to HIIT.

So what exactly is HIIT?

HIIT (high intensity interval training) is performed by the application of very intense timed bursts of speed that cannot be tolerated for more than 15-60 seconds (or 2-4 minutes by the fitter among us). These intense intervals can be referred to as “Push” intervals. During these ‘Push’ intervals our Heart rate is typically increased to 85%-95% of our Maximum heart rate and held for the duration of the push interval. Each timed  “Push” interval is then followed by a timed “Rest” interval, which is made up of a slower recovery phase where our Heart rate is lowered to around 40-60% of our Maximum heart rate. During these “rest’ intervals we can perform slow gentle motions or even come to a complete stand still to allow our body to recover before the next “Push” interval.

So what are the benefits of HIIT training?

After performing a HIIT workout the body goes through a process of “post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC)” Which basically refers to the after burn effects, you will continue to burn fat at a higher rate for up to 24 hours as your body fights to bring it back into its natural resting state. HIIT is also great for toning and adding lean muscle mass.

What Cardio equipment can you perform HIIT on?

My preferred piece of cardio equipment is the Watt Bike, but you can also use any popular pieces of cardio equipment including the cross trainer, rower, bike, ski-erg, running machine, or if you don’t have access to one of these pieces of equipment then, outdoor running, power walking or even running on the spot will do, anything that will raise your heart rate to 85%-95% of your maximum heart rate during those push intervals.

Do you need to use a heart rate monitor?

It’s defiantly something that is worth investing in to ensure you are in the correct training zones when performing HIIT and it’s a great way to monitor and continually progress your training.

For anyone who is new to HIIT I have included a popular workout from the up and coming ‘HIIT GURU Fat HIITTING APP’

This workout contains Audio Coaching, talking you through every push and rest interval.

https://soundcloud.com/thecardioguru/the-finisher-10-min-hiit

If you are new to HIIT I defiantly recommend performing this workout in a fed state. I have created a pre-hiit workout below, which is rich in essential fats and high in protein, providing you with the best source of fuel to get the most from your workout, whilst also keeping energy levels high and consistent throughout.

If you do not have time to make these little Pre-HIIT snacks, you could have a protein shake, (I recommend Bio-synergy’s Whey Better protein isolate) with a few squares of dark chocolate to give you the best fuel for your HIIT session.

Ingredients

Layer 1

50g oat bran

1 scoop Bio-Synergy Whey Better protein (banana flavour)

2 tablespoons Stevia or Xylitol

2 egg whites or 4 tablespoons liquid egg whites

Layer 2

1 small banana

60g smooth peanut butter

1 scoop Bio-Synergy Whey Better protein (banana flavour)

Layer 3

60g dark chocolate

30g flaked almonds

How to make me

Layer 1

~ Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4.

~ Place all the ingredients for layer one in a large mixing bowl and mix together until combined.

~ Now evenly distribute the mixture into a silicone muffin tray to make 6 pre hit workout snacks. Place into a preheated oven and cook for 5-6 minutes.

~ Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow the oat base to cool in the muffin tray for around 10 minutes.

Layer 2

~ Whilst the oat base cools, begin to prepare layer 2

~ Remove the peel from the banana and place into a large mixing bowl, using the back end of a fork, mash the banana up to create a lump free texture. Now combine the banana with the peanut butter.

~ Once mixed add the protein powder and mix together until a sticky dough has formed. Now evenly distribute the mixture into the silicone muffin tray on top of the 6 oat bases. Now place the muffin tray in a fridge and allow to set for a few minutes whilst you prepare layer 3.

Layer 3

~ In a microwave proof bowl break up the dark chocolate and place into the microwave (be careful chocolate burns very easily) cook the chocolate in 30-second intervals checking after each 30 seconds until the chocolate has almost melted. This should take no longer than a minute and a half. Once the chocolate has almost melted remove from the microwave and keep stirring to allow any un-melted pieces to continue to melt within the heat of the chocolate.

~ Once fully melted add the flaked almonds to the bowl and combine with the melted chocolate.

~ Now evenly distribute the chocolate almond mixture into the silicone muffin tray on top of each peanut banana snack, then place the muffin tray in a fridge and allow to set for a 15 minutes. Once set enjoy one banana snack before your HIIT training to fuel your session. You can store the remaining Hiit Snacks in the fridge for up to 7 days to ensure freshness.

For Natalie YouTube of her making these delicious snacks click here