Train slowly and lose fat mass? Try LISS

LISS is a long, gentle form of cardio. The idea is that you maintain the effort for a long time and perform it in a consistent manner. Exactly the opposite of HIIT where you make a lot of effort in a short time. At LISS, think of walking, cycling and swimming, but other forms of cardio are also suitable. The term is new, but actually this form of training has been around for a long time.

Benefits of LISS training

Sport – and exercise in general – is healthy and has many benefits. For example, it improves blood circulation, reduces stress, reduces the risk of heart disease and is good for the functioning of your brain. If you participate in LISS, there are a number of specific advantages:

• It aids in fat burning and loss of fat mass. With low-intensity cardio, your body immediately uses fat as fuel, while during more intensive efforts glycogen – which is in your muscles – is first used.
• It is suitable for everyone as it is easy to perform and less stressful for the body.
• Your body recovers faster and easier from this training.
• It is an effective way to train for cycling, swimming or running competitions, for example. Long-term training at a lower intensity is in this case better than a more intensive training, because you put less strain on your heart and lungs.
• A LISS training is also very nice for recovery after a heavier training, for example the day after.
• You can do most LISS workouts anywhere. You need little for it.

Tips at LISS

Choose a cardio form that you like, because you have to be able to sustain your training for a longer period of time. For example, if you like to visit nature, go for a nice long walk at a constant pace. An average LISS workout takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Does that sound boring? Then make it fun for yourself: do it with someone or listen to your favorite podcast or music.

Also pay close attention to your heart rate. To get the most out of your workout, it’s important that you try to keep your heart rate at about 50 to 65 percent of your maximum heart rate. To give you an idea: with HIIT you train at 80 to 95 percent of your maximum heart rate. LISS is therefore really a lot quieter. You can calculate your maximum heart rate in the following way: 220 age. For example, 220-33 = 187 beats per minute. A sports watch can help with this. Do you find this difficult or do you not have a sports watch? Then keep to a pace that is right for you in terms of intensity. When walking, this can vary from five to eight kilometers per hour, depending on how fit you are.

How often do you do LISS per week?

That also depends on how fit you are:

• Are you a novice? Then try to do three LISS workouts a week.
• If you are intermediate or advanced, try incorporating LISS into your exercise routine once or twice a week (alongside your other workouts, such as HIIT or CrossFit).
• The following applies to all sport levels: combine LISS with strength training, at least two or three times a week.