Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Get In Shape in 10 Minutes

By Benedict Hunter

Health experts advocate working out for about 30 minutes to 60 minutes a day to benefit from your fitness program. However, if you are the workaholic type, you probably don't have the luxury to spend 30 minutes to a full hour a day exclusively for workouts.

Identify New Opportunities

If your schedule doesn't allow you a big chunk of time in which to work out every day, you will have to make do with several smaller chunks. The good news is that there is always time to get in shape, even if it simply means moving around more in your spare time and on your day off. Use household chores as a chance to exercise and get your home clean at the same time! Gardening and walking the dog around the block are great everyday activities that need to be done anyway. And they all count as exercise.

Every stolen moment counts

You might think that several short forays into an exercise routine throughout the day won't add up to much, but you might be surprised. In a recent clinical study, researchers found that participants who exercised in 10-minute increments throughout the day are more likely to exercise on a regular basis. They also managed to lose more weight than their counterparts who exercised for an hour at a time.

What the Professionals Have to Say

Exercise physiologist Glenn Gaesser's recent study conducted in Virginia involved men and women who exercised for 10 minutes at a time. The startling results showed that these men and women were able to dramatically improve their overall health by conducting 15 of these 10-minute sessions per week for one month. At the end of that time, Gaesser found his subjects as fit as men and women who were 20 years younger.

Split up your normal hour-long routine into more manageable periods in order to feel more confident and motivated, advises time management consultant Harold Taylor. It's easy to give up if you never have time to make it to the gym, but a quick workout, however small, will keep your doubts in check and your motivation strong.

Not a replacement

Breaking up your workout into more manageable blocks is a great idea, but it can't replace a solid, comprehensive exercise routine. For those who find it difficult to make time for a regular trip to the gym, try some of the following to give yourself a more thorough workout. Remember, what's important is that you do it regularly.

* Take a quick walk to the corner and back, about 5 to 10 minutes of your time, first thing in the morning.

* If you're stuck at home to care for a sick child, work on the exercise bike or Stairwalker while your "patient" is asleep.

* Jump rope or do jumping jacks. This burns as much as 90 calories in 10 minutes.

* Do a few sets of upright push-ups while standing at the kitchen counter. This works your arms and shoulders.

* Go outside and shoot some baskets or play tag with your children after dinner.

* Take a hint from exercise instructor Sheila Cluff, who stores dumbbells in her bathroom so she can do a few sets before bedtime. Cluff is a professional fitness expert at The Palms in Palm Springs, CA.

* Walk around the field while your son has a baseball practice.

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