It’s known that doing at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least five times a week is good for overall health and is a great place to start if you’re looking to start a fitness routine as a part of your weight-loss goals.

Getting that amount of exercise regularly will be great for your body, but if you’re looking to trim down at the same time, you might need a little something extra to pick up the pace.

That’s where HIIT—high-intensity interval training—comes in. And no, it’s not just for athletes. Even those who are just getting started in a fitness regimen can incorporate some HIIT into their workout, which is great to burn fat. One study among women found that those who picked up the pace of their workouts burned as much as four-times the belly fat of those who just went at a moderate pace.

Richmond Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing has an outline of an HIIT workout to help get you started gradually.

What Is HIIT?

HIIT incorporates your usual workout—usually something cardio-related like running, biking, or even walking—and adds bursts of speed to work your muscles more and get your heart pumping a bit faster.

How to Do a HIIT Workout

You’ll first always want to warm up at a lower intensity. Take about five minutes to go at your usual pace, or even a tad bit slower as you start with HIIT.

After that five-minute period, go at a higher speed (you should be breathing hard but not so overworked that you’re gasping for breath) for 30-seconds. Then do one minute back at your initial pace, and repeat until you’ve done five more intense sessions. Then take two to three minutes to cool down.

Once you are doing well with 30-second intervals, you can bump them up to one minute of higher intensity.

To learn more about Richmond Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit http://richmond-center.facilities.centershealthcare.org.