At-home workouts, especially HIIT workouts (otherwise known as high-intensity interval training workout) are AWESOME options for busy mums.

Not only are they fast and effective, but ideal for slotting in around the kids as they can be completed in less than 30 minutes.

The Healthy Mummy fitness plans, including the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge, focus on HIIT training as it’s been shown to be one of the best ways to burn calories and lose body fat.

After all, who doesn’t want to get fit…. FAST!!!

Why are HIIT workout so effective?

HIIT is the best workout to burn calories and SHRED! Healthy Mummy trainer Wendy explains how these workouts can help lose weight.

“HIIT is an acronym for High-Intensity Interval Training. It is an easy way to gain results quickly as you’re working out for less time and achieving more. This is a great option to go the ‘extra mile’ in summer,” Wendy says.

In fact, HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise alternated with low-intensity recovery periods. This type of training gets and keeps your heart rate up and burns more fat in less time. As such it is one of the most effective ways to exercise.

Our HIIT workout range from 10 to 30 minutes in duration. Despite how short the workout is, it can produce health benefits similar to twice as much moderate-intensity exercise.

In addition, there is a great and surprising range of other benefits which show that high intensity interval training is the way to go for busy mums who are especially short on time.

HIIT the spot:  The benefits of interval training

Burn a lot more calories in a shorter amount of time:

✔ Your metabolic rate is higher long after you have finished your workout
✔ You burn more fat in one HIIT workout than in other types of physical activity
✔ Helps to reduce heart rate and blood pressure
✔ You can do it anywhere
✔ Great for all fitness levels

HIIT workouts can help you shred over 500 calories

Do you want to get into that bikini you’ve always wanted to this summer? Incorporating HIIT workouts can help you achieve that.

Wendy recommends setting a date as a meet point, such as your birthday, your child’s birthday, Christmas Day, or even a dinner party can make you more focused and motivated to get your workouts in.

“Set mini goal dates that are easy to meet. Do one 5 minute HIIT workout every second day and rest on the weekend, then the following month do two 5 minute HIIT workouts from Monday to Friday and rest on the weekend,” Wendy says.

Try this easy to follow HIIT workout to easily burn over 500 calories.  You can do these easy HIIT exercises at home, at the park, or pretty much anywhere.

Perform six rounds of this workout routines to burn approximately 510 calories, this 30 minute workout is the perfect at home workout to add to your regular workout routine.

The best HIIT workouts

Bicycles – 90 seconds

Lay on your back with your legs in your air moving them like you are riding a bike. These will work your lower body and build muscles in your legs whilst getting your heart rate up.

Jumping jacks with narrow squats – 90 seconds

You will perform jumping jacks but when you return your legs to the middle you do a narrow squat before returning to the ‘jack’ stance. The jumping jacks is a whole-body workout but in particular works your glutes and quadriceps whilst the squats will work on your inner quads, inner thighs and inner hamstrings.

Bridge with Reverse Fly – 90 seconds

While holding bridge pose and with weights, if you don’t have actual weights use some cans of food or other packet food that weighs the appropriate amount (this will depend on your fitness), have your arms straight out from your shoulders and raise your arms up straight and bring your hands together. Repeat these movements.

Holding bridge pose will isolate and strengthen your gluteus and hamstring muscles whilst also enhancing your core and abdominal muscles. Whilst the raising your arms with the weights will build your upper body strength as well as working your triceps and upper arms.

Reverse crunch – 90 seconds

Laying flat on your back raise your legs in the air with your hands by your side, raise your legs back towards your head lifting your butt off the floor just slightly.

This will work your lower body as well as strengthening your core muscle groups and works toward toning your abdominal muscles.

For more at home workouts that not only help you with weight loss but also work the total body and help you with toning your full-body, check out these 5 easy at home butt and thigh toning exercises.

HIIT workouts you can do at home

1. Burpees

These can be tricky at first, but they really do give your body an all-over workout. Lots of mums on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge use them as a way to measure their fitness.

For instance, mum Melanie found that once she joined the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge and started the exercise program, she could do things that weren’t possible for her 6-7 months ago.

“I now can successfully run 5km without stopping, do push us on my toes, do more than 10 burpees in a row and run multiple laps of the basketball court. I cannot wait to see what my body is capable of in another 6-7 months,” says Melanie.

Read Melanie’s story HERE.

2. Box jumps

Box jumps are great to get your heart rate up and are a full body exercise.

It doesn’t matter if you can only jump 20cm, or if you can jump upwards of 60cm. Every box jump gives you a sense of accomplishment. Keep your eyes on your landing area, squat down and propel yourself up onto the box/step with your arms. Perform 15 reps, 3 times.

WORKOUT TIP: All the workouts, like the box jumps above, from the 28 Weight Loss Challenge can be done at home with things you can easily find around the house.

3. Curtsy lunge

Curtsy lunges are one of Healthy Mummy Stephanie’s favourite exercises. They target your outer and inner thigh muscles, as well as your butt. Take your time, control the movement, and don’t forget to brace your core to keep you balanced.

4. Pause Squats

Pause Squats are a booty burner for sure. Take a normal squat stance, feet just past hip width, squat down, squeeze your glutes, and pause for 3 seconds.

Drive back up to the starting position. Perform 20 reps, 3 times. Use a resistance band to make sure you’re activating your glutes.

5. Walking weighted lunges

Walking weighted lunges are just that. Grab yourself some weights, brace that core, and slowly perform walking lunges. Do 20 lunges in total, 3 times over.

Read more of Stephanie’s exercise tips HERE.

BUDGET TIP: You don’t have to go out and buy weights you have things around the house that work as weights, look in the pantry for some canned goods or fill up some bottles with water and use them. Or even pick up your kid and use their extra weight.

Amazing booty results after HIIT workouts!

Who doesn’t want a nice booty? We have thousands of mums join our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge with the goal of transforming their butt, thighs and belly! And boy, have these mums seen incredible results!

Julia Meadows

Just check out Julia’s incredible before and after pics!

Julia says: “I loved the daily exercises and meal plans. Four challenges completed and I’ve 7kgs* lost so far. I never thought I would be happy and confident in my own skin this summer but thanks to the Healthy Mummy I totally am.”

To see more incredible butt transformations click here.

***Disclaimer: This information is to be used as a guide only. Know your own body and if constant bloating persists, we recommend you visit a physician or dietician to investigate the issue further.***