You probably already know that the best metabolic workout routines are intense and have very little rest in between exercises, and that they promote an increased metabolic rate during and after the workout. But, what else do you really know about them? Keep reading to learn 6 things that you may have not heard before.

1. Reduce Your Risk Of Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is defined as a cluster of abnormalities that are associated with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease development. There are a few different factors that affect your risk for getting metabolic syndrome, including consuming a diet high in carbs, putting on too much excess fat, and not getting enough physical activity. Researchers have found that people who participate in very vigorous exercise can reduce their risk of developing metabolic syndrome by up to two-thirds compared to people who don’t exercise.

2. A 7 Workout Is Okay, But More Is Better

The whole point of doing high intensity training is that you don’t have to work out for a long time. However, even though the popular 7-minute workout with 12 different exercises is as a great high intensity workout that can improve cardiovascular and muscular health, doing more than 7 minutes will produce even greater benefits.

In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine, recommends repeating the workout at least three times for a combined 20 minutes to receive benefits. According to researchers, 7 minutes may not be enough time to burn enough calories to get metabolic benefits.

3. Meet Federal Guidelines For Being Active

Researchers have found that people who engage in an active lifestyle approach, and participate in short periods of exercise for 10 minutes a day (multiple times a day), meet the federal guidelines for being active, which recommends getting 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.

Therefore, if you want to do the 7-minute workout a few times a day (say morning, noon, and night, for example), you are giving yourself the health benefits that people who do long bouts of moderate exercise receive, plus boosting your metabolism.

4. It Can Become An Easy Part Of Life

Many people find that they have a hard time starting out with an intense workout routine, even if it is short. However, most people report that it becomes an easy addition to their daily routine, and doing a quick metabolic workout before leaving the house becomes something that they naturally do to increase energy and get them set for the day.

5. Lose More Body Fat

Sure, you want to rev up your metabolism by doing high intensity workouts; however, there is another benefit to it. By doing a 20-minute high intensity workout, you can lose up to six times more body fat than following a 40-minute program of steady cardio.

“…a group of females who followed a 20-minute HIIT program consisting of eight-second sprints followed by 12 seconds of rest lost an amazing six times more bodyfat than a group that followed a 40-minute cardio program performed at a constant intensity of 60% MHR” – Simply Shredded

6. Lose Weight And Retain Muscle

Many people take up a diet and exercise routine and end up losing muscle along with their fat. This is not desirable, but it can happen with a steady state of long cardio sessions, such as running. However, studies show that high intensity training, combined with weight training, ensures that most of the weight loss comes from fat and not muscle.