By Rachel Gallego 

Health Columnist

A newly fitting alternative to prolonged cardio training is known as high intensity interval training, or HIIT.

For those of you who think that there is not enough time to exercise in the day, then this short-duration exercise may be the answer.

HIIT consists of 10-30 second repeated bouts of near maximal or supramaximal effort, separated with periods of recovery. There are a variety of ways to approach HIIT with many different exercises, number of intervals and length of time. Surprisingly, improvements have been shown in as low as 3 repetitions of 20 seconds each, with a total workout session being only one minute. It has been shown to improve cardiovascular fitness and alter muscle metabolism by increasing fat use as fuel.

An improvement in VO2max (maximal oxygen uptake) is another benefit from HIIT. According to CSUSM Kinesiology professor Dr. Astorino, this indicates an integration of cardiorespiratory and muscle function to deliver and use oxygen during exercise. It is considered to be one of the most important indicators of cardiorespiratory fitness. Basically the higher your VO2max is, the less of a risk you have for premature death and disease.

This form of exercise might just be what you are looking for during the holidays. When you are eating those holiday cookies you can feel a little less guilty now with these quick workouts.