Grunt, Groan and Push Your Way Through Exercise? You'll Lose More

I've been hearing for some time that short, fast spurts of exercise are the best way to lose weight and stay in shape.  You can jog eight miles but if it takes you a couple of hours (as it might, me), it's all for naught.  But run a mile in seven minutes and now you're talking.  It's not the quantity, it's the quality, or so they say.

Now a doctor is saying that "just 20 seconds of grunting, groaning and pushing your way through the pain, even in business attire will make you not only skinnier but healthier," according to ABC News Nightline. They're talking, of course, about high-intensity interval training.

I do zumba (ok, so it's in the pool and easier), but every other short set of exercise is high-intensity. You can do it as fast or as slow as you want but I try to keep my knees up in the jogging and kicking parts and when we "rocket" (jump to the ceiling), I try to go straight up, and fast.

But can one minute total three times a week really lead to remarkable medical changes? Dr. Michael Mosley, a doctor turned bestselling author, says it's an "aerobic fountain of youth," a shortcut to getting maximum benefits with minimum work. 

“This regime, doing short bursts of intense activity, seems to be much more effective not only for losing weight but also for improving your insulin sensitivity,” he told ABC News.

Mosley's ideas come from a growing body of science which suggests it's the stress and intensity of exercise, not the duration, that's beneficial for weight loss, reduced cancer risk and diabetes.