Harder. Better. Faster. Stronger.

When it comes to adopting a healthier lifestyle, I ask­ people two simple ques­tions: what are your goals, and what is stopping you from achieving them? 

The first and most important step is establishing a real­istic target. The only way you’ll be able to stay consistent with a plan is if you enjoy an approach which fits into your daily life. I’ve lost count how many times I hear the excuse: “I want to lose fat, but I’m too busy”. Yet what few of us realise is that it is more productive to eat better and exercise better, rather than to eat less and move more. It’s about quality over quantity. Having a goal weight isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but the prob­lem comes when you attach your happiness to a number on the scales. Remember to be kind to yourself and learn to enjoy the journey.

We at FORME hold HIIT (High Intensity Interval Train­ing) challenges to help the community stick to their goals. A HIIT workout mixes a cycle of exercise with a short period of rest, burning more calories in less time. With HIIT, you work to your maximum capacity while per­forming the exercise, hence the use of “high intensity” to describe these intervals. As you are pushing your limits, the workouts tend to be shorter, rarely surpassing 30 min­utes and the exercises can fit to match any fitness level. The best part is with interval workouts your body continues to burn calories long after your workout when compared to steady-paced ones.

As the whole point of HIIT is to increase your heart rate to the point where you burn fat, it is important to know how to check it (if you don’t own a fitness band). To do so, find your pulse by placing a finger on the thumb side of your wrist or on the carotid artery on the side of your neck toward your windpipe. Press firmly so that you can feel your pulse but not so forcefully that you inter­fere with the rhythm of it. 

Then count the number of beats you feel for 10 seconds and multiply this number by six to determine your heart rate. Never check your pulse with your thumb, as the pulse inside the thumb could interfere with your reading.

In our FORME fitness challenge, we also answer often overlooked questions regarding diet, which can help you to have a better relationship with food. Ask yourself: do you feel guilty or punish yourself when you consume specific foods? Do your healthy eat­ing habits get in the way of your social life? Are you eating when you feel emotional? If you answer yes, I’d suggest working with a coach to improve your understanding of healthy eating to suit your life. Remember that eating habits are individual and they should be per­sonalised for your body only. Your body works hard and it deserves respect.

So, instead of spending an hour on the treadmill, scan the QR below and give these HIIT workout videos a try. But, don’t let the simplicity of these exercises fool you, HIIT workouts increase your endurance, improve your cardiovascular health, choles­terol profile and even aid insulin sen­sitivity. Want to know more about creating a healthier lifestyle? Join our FORME Fitness Challenge by adding our WeChat (ID: formesportswear) to become part of a sup­portive, like-minded community.