Jillian Michaels Reveals How to Burn More Calories in Less Time at the Gym

Published on Aug 7, 2018 at 4:40 PM

POPSUGAR Photography | Kathryna Hancock

Jillian Michaels is a beast. The former Biggest Loser trainer, who now has her own fitness app called My Fitness by Jillian Michaels, shows off her intense workouts on Instagram, and her enviable abs speak for themselves. But for someone who's in as good of shape as Jillian is, you would think she spends half her day in the gym. In reality, she is a proponent of more efficient workouts, which means putting in the work but doing it in less time.

We asked Jillian how to be more efficient in the gym, and it should come as no surprise that she suggested people up the intensity of their workouts. "Intensity is key, but how you generate that intensity is what really matters," she told POPSUGAR.

To up your fitness game and get in the most efficient workout possible, Jillian suggests incorporating the three following techniques. Burn more calories and spend less time in the gym? Win-win.

Metabolic Circuit Training

Jillian recommends metabolic circuit training, which is performing exercises in succession with no rest in between moves. If you really need a rest, she said you can take a one-minute maximum break in between circuits. She also said to add a HIIT interval into each circuit.

Some examples of good exercises for metabolic circuit training include mountain climbers, burpees, and jumping rope.

Multiple Muscle Group Movements

Multiple muscle group movements, or compound exercises, are exercises that incorporate multiple muscle groups at the same time.

"Exercises that incorporate multiple muscle groups at the same time not only burn more calories because they are requiring more effort and energy to perform, but because they work different muscles at the same time, they kill two birds with one stone: You don't have to be in the gym as long," she said.

HIIT

"Interval training is always going to be extremely efficient because it gets the work done faster," Jillian explained. "You tax your body at 100 percent so it requires less time in the gym overall. Plus, it amps your calorie burn during the workout as well as your EPOC, or afterburn. And it accelerates how quickly you get fitter because of the intensified stress adaptation response."