Kick-start weight loss with this 10-minute beginners HIIT routine

For years, diets have been seen as the key driver of weight loss. If you wanted to shed pounds, you'd be told to go on a calorie-restrictive food plan. Although some people would get results, they wouldn't always last. These days, this form of weight loss is deemed unsustainable and harmful for our overall health.

Instead, it's best to couple a healthy, balanced diet with some of the best exercises for weight loss. Once you schedule these exercises, it's clear that High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) plays a crucial role in getting slimmer and fitter. If you're new to this style of workout, this 10-minute beginners HIIT routine is a great place to start. 

The aim is to elevate your heart rate throughout the session, with brief periods of about 30 to 40 seconds of hard work, followed by 10 or 20 seconds of rest before the next move. By keeping the intensity high throughout, you're able to achieve fat-burning results in a short space of time, feeling the weight loss benefits throughout the day.

Watch Jillian Michaels' 10-minute beginner HIIT workout

This short introduction to high-intensity exercise comes courtesy of Jillian Michaels, an American personal trainer best known for her work on the reality TV show The Biggest Loser. However, Michaels' career goes back to 1993, when she was awarded her first personal training certifications. 

Like many famous fitness experts, she has expanded beyond social media and launched The Fitness App, available for Android and iPhone, which offers subscribers customized workouts meal plans to help you achieve your goals. If you enjoyed the short workout here, you could select routines between 10 and 45 minutes in the app too. 

Although these cardio-focused routines are a great way to start reducing body fat, it's also worth coupling them with some strength-based moves as well. Investing in a set of the best adjustable dumbbells is an affordable and space-saving way to work weights in your routine. 

If you've not lifted before, it's vital to focus on your form first before increasing the number of reps you complete of each move. Learning how to lift weights not only helps you avoid injury but also improves the muscle-building potential of the exercise, allowing you to achieve the most in the time available.