To get the most bang for his buck, Abel opts for high-intensity interval training (HIIT) over steady-state cardio. His favorite: bike sprints. Here’s the workout: Get on a stationary bike and do 30 seconds of all-out sprinting—“Trying to kill yourself for those 30 seconds,” says Abel. Then rest for 90 seconds. Repeat for a total of 10 rounds. Do this twice per week.
“When you do HIIT, the calorie burn goes on afterward,” says Abel. “You might not be burning as many calories during the workout, but your metabolism is boosted the rest of the day. With HIIT cardio, you can maintain more of that hard-earned muscle mass.”
Other good cardio activities: hill sprints, track sprints, and “deadmill” sprints (running on a turned-off treadmill at the highest incline).
