Exercise is an important part of getting healthier and losing weight. It speeds up weight loss and is a great confidence booster. But some of us may have trouble getting motivated to start a fitness program, or may not be seeing big results. Well what if you could get fit in minutes - not hours a week?

An article in The New York Times summarizes the results of a study completed at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. Two groups of healthy students completed different exercise programs. The first group rode a stationary bike for 90 - 120 minutes at a sustainable pace. The second group rode in high intensity intervals for 20 - 30 seconds, for four to six sets. Each group completed their exercises 3 times a week.

After two weeks both groups showed the same increase in endurance and had the same increase in their volume of mitochondria (cells in muscles that create energy). In addition, those that performed the high intensity intervals burned more calories longer after their workout than the other group. That’s right, the group that exercised for six minutes a week did just as good, and better in some cases, than the group that exercised for several hours a week.

So if you are currently slaving away at the gym and seeing minimal results, try high intensity interval training on the machines, or try it at home with a fitness video such as 30 Day Shred, by Jillian Michaels.  Just remember that the key to success with interval training is really pushing yourself as hard as you possibly can. You will be uncomfortable, but the results will be worth it!

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