This 4-Second Workout Can Help Lose Fat While Sitting At Home All Day

Needless to say, physical inactivity is one of the main reasons for weight gain. Technically speaking, prolonged sitting elevates postprandial (after eating) fat metabolism which is one of the major risk factors for heart diseases.

Performing a simple trick can help prevent this impairment from postprandial fat metabolism from physical inactivity, pointed out recent research.

Several studies have demonstrated the importance of stretching your body throughout the day. And during this COVID-19 crisis, especially during the period of remote working, it can be the perfect time to get into a routine of healthy practices including simple tricks like giving short breaks from prolonged sitting.

The researchers from the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education at the University of Texas at Austin have come up with some amazing news for everyone who remains seated all day at their desks while working from home.

The magic trick that improves fat metabolism: Four-second sprints done five times every hour

The research team demonstrated that performing 5 sets of four-second sprints every hour while remaining seated helped individuals improve fat metabolism as well as lower triglyceride levels in their bloodstream.

“The key thing with fat metabolism is that you have to activate your muscles; you can’t let them be too inactive for very long. These sprints are just a very effective way of doing that,” Dr. Edward F. Coyle, study author, and professor in the department of kinesiology and health education at the University of Texas Austin told Healthline.

The study:

The researchers sought to find out if the interruption of prolonged sitting with hourly cycling sprints of 4 seconds duration per hour improved postprandial plasma lipids. The study included four men and four women participants who were asked to sit for an eight-hour period- the length of a typical day at work.

The only exercise they were allowed to perform during those eight hours was a four-second sprint five times every hour. The participants did 20 seconds of exercise per hour or less than 3 minutes of physical activity during the entire day.

They conducted the sprints on specialized exercise bikes called the ‘power cycle’ that let these participants hit maximal energy exertion quickly.

Key findings of the study:

• Sprints displayed a 31% decrease in plasma triglycerides and a 43% increase in whole-body fat oxidation compared to prolonged sitting.
• Hourly short bouts of maximal intensity cycle sprints interrupting prolonged sitting can significantly reduce the next day’s postprandial plasma triglyceride response.
• Intermittent exercise throughout a workday could be more beneficial than workout sessions before you start work or after you finish.