marieclaire.com.aumarieclaire.com.au 181181SLOW BURN
A recent study by the University of Bath found LISS can be
just as effective as HIIT for weight loss. Researchers asked people
to exercise five times a week at different intensities – with half the
group working out intensely and the other half moderately. After
three weeks, both groups had lost the same amount of weight.
“What really matters is how many calories were used up by
exercising in total,” says study author Dr Jean-Philippe Walhin.
This certainly rings true for me. My toe pain is AWOL and
I haven’t piled on the kilos.
A HIIT session for me used
to involve running until my
heart felt like exploding,
then taking a break before
revving back up. My LISS
sessions require longer,
continuous effort but
I go at an enjoyable pace,
and my 5km race time
remains similar to when I was
HIIT training – perhaps
because my muscles aren’t
sore and full of lactic acid.
My weekly HIIT class has
been replaced by Pilates
for strengthening.“Lower-intensity workouts such
as walking or swimming improve
mood, satisfaction and happiness”- Dr Rhonda Cohen, sports psychologist
THE LONG WAY
While you can achieve
serious results from moderate
exercise, you may need to
spend a little longer doing it.
“LISS exercise should last at
least 40 to 60 minutes in order
to get the benefits one might
expect from a high-intensity
session,” explains Dr Holloway.
Fitness guru Kayla Itsines
has extolled the virtues of
LISS sessions to her 7.1 million
Instagram followers. No
wonder, then, that the hashtag
#LISScardio trended on social
media. “If you are looking to
build up your fitness or haven’t
exercised in a while, LISS
is a great way to do this.
This is because [it] doesn’t
place a lot of strain on your
body, meaning it may be
done several times per
week,” Itsines has said.
NO FEAR FACTOR
“LISS is definitely a good way
to help people coming back
from an injury or to get into
fitness,” says personal trainer,
Dr Allie Park-Crowne. “People
can be scared off by the ‘no
pain, no gain’ attitude.”
Sports psychologist
Dr Rhonda Cohen says
LISS can also be more
beneficial for long-term
health. “High-intensity
exercise can be a barrier for
so many people,” she says.
“By participating in lower-
intensity exercise, you can
increase your motivation and
enhance your psychological
health. Lower-intensity
workouts such as walking or
swimming are beneficial for
improving mood, satisfaction
and happiness.” Enjoyable,
easygoing and effective?
Sign us up for a state of LISS.LISS CALCULATOR
Find Your Optimum Heart Rate
To establish your optimum LISS
heart rate, subtract your age from- Your LISS heart rate will be
60 to 70 per cent of this figure.
69
per cent
of Australian
females are
sedentary or
engage in low
levels of exercise*WELLNESS