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Training For Weight Loss: Aerobic vs Anaerobic
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High intensity interval training (HIIT) has long been utilized by top athletes and fitness professionals to improve athletic performance, lose body fat, and improve cardiovascular fitness, all in a relatively short amount of time. How does this style of training boast such a wide variety of results? It all has to do with your body’s response to the production of lactic acid.
Lactic acid is a byproduct of the body’s anaerobic metabolism which is activated during higher intensity exertions. When doing exercise at up to around 70% of your maximum heart rate your body obtains energy primarily through aerobic metabolism. Aerobic means in the presence of oxygen. Using this system, the body burns fat as the primary fuel source which is why many people mistakenly believe aerobic exercise to be the most effective way of decreasing body fat. However, as the body begins to work closer to its maximum heart rate, it becomes harder and harder to take in enough oxygen to keep up with the energy needs and the body is forced to shift to anaerobic metabolism, extracting energy from stored sugars in the form of glycogen. This process is able to occur without oxygen, but has a short shelf life because of the accumulation of lactic acid that results from burning glycogen. Repeatedly pushing your body to the point of having to use this system will ultimately result in a variety of metabolic adaptations that are greatly beneficial.
- Increased caloric expenditure of recovery: Unlike aerobic exercise, the caloric expenditure of anaerobic training extends well beyond the workout. Studies show that the excess post-workout oxygen consumption (EPOC) following anaerobic exercise is much greater. This means that your body is burning a higher amount of fat long after your workout is over. Not to mention the fact that if you included strength training exercises into your intervals your body has to expend calories rebuilding the muscle tissue.
- Hormonal response: One of the most important responses to lactic acid training is an increased production of growth hormone and testosterone. These hormones increase protein synthesis which builds muscle. This hormone response also results in increase of fat oxidative enzymes which helps burn more fat at rest.
- Maintaining lean tissue while dieting: One of the major draw backs to calorie restrictive dieting is that often times the weight lost can include certain amount of muscle or lean tissue. This ultimately serves to lower your daily metabolic rate because lean tissue burns an average of 35-50 calories per day. However, with the anabolic hormonal response to higher intensity anaerobic training, more of that muscle tissue is maintained even in a caloric deficit. Conversely, prolonged aerobic exercise puts your body in a catabolic state in which muscle tissue can be broken down for energy along with the fat.
All this adds up to the fact that if a leaner more athletic looking body is what you are after, then high intensity anaerobic interval training is your friend. Like putting money in a savings account, this style of training allows you to gain a kind of compound interest on the time that you invest into your workouts. However, this type of training is certainly not easy and should not be attempted with any preexisting heart conditions. Even healthy individuals should consult with a fitness professional to put together a workout plan with proper progression.
For more info or to contact Brian visit ttfitness.com
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