In recent times, High Intensity Interval Training (or HIIT) has been trending with a lot of the exercise-savvy collegiettes out there. Though HIIT definitely offers its benefits—Shape Magazine reports that it “helps you blast tons of calories in a short amount of time and boost your burn even after you stop exercising”—it turns out high intensity is definitely not the only way to go, according to a new study by Canadian researchers.
In this study, half of the participants were asked to perform high intensity workouts and half were asked to perform low intensity workouts. When the study ended 24 weeks later, “all participants experienced similar reductions in waist circumference.” Both groups burned similar amounts of calories from their exercises, and both shed similar amounts of belly fat after their workouts.
However, if you’re looking to reduce glucose levels, then high intensity workouts might be the way to go. According to this study, “only participants in the high intensity exercise group experienced reduction in two-hour glucose levels.”