There’s no better time than now to start losing some of the pounds you may have put on in the last year. The methods we suggest may hurt a bit, but we guarantee they’re effective

Words: Leon Poultney

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY

HIIT isn’t just a buzz-phrase. Although the way it is sometimes promoted is closer to Scientology than science, a HIIT workout can have big positive effects and, by definition, it doesn’t take long. Be ready to get your heart rate pounding by any means necessary with this high intensity interval training guide for bikes, treadmills, skipping ropes… and anything else you can find.

No doubt your eyeballs have been pummelled into teary submission by all of the Instagram ads, email marketing campaigns and posters that urge everyone to get in shape after the festive season. The fact of the matter is, they tend to be a ploy to get you to sign up to a gym membership you’ll likely use a few times and then stuff into a sock drawer, or to purchase some overpriced shorts that feature a pocket for your phone.

Rejoice! You can actually torch belly fat without spending cash on any of the above simply by adding a good high intensity interval training (we’ll call it HIIT for short) programme to your weekly workout routine. It’s a great way to get into shape because, psychologically, it’s much easier to set your mind to, say, five or six sets of 40 seconds of intense exercise, as opposed to spending hours and hours pounding a treadmill.