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.

Be aware of opportunities

Maybe you can't rearrange your schedule to accommodate your workout, but you can certainly change your exercise plans to fit into your day. Fitness professional Ann Grandjean says that getting off the sofa and working around the house is a great way to get in shape. Cleaning, gardening, and any other chores will burn calories and move you closer to your fitness goals.

Use Your Time Wisely

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 other experts say

In a groundbreaking study made in Virginia, Glenn Gaesser, an exercise physiologist, instructed the male and female participants to accomplish 15 sets of 10-minute exercises in one week. In less than a month, each participant's fitness level matched that of persons belonging to a much younger age group. Their endurance, strength and agility are comparable to those who are 20 years younger.

Splitting exercise into smaller blocks during your busy days can build your confidence, says time management consultant Harold Taylor. Missing out on regular gym sessions shoots down your momentum and motivation. You may surmise that fitness training isn't worth pursuing anymore because you just don't have the time for it. However, if you can manage to squeeze in some exercise opportunity any way you find it, however small it is, it somehow encourages you to hang in there and stay on.

Just a Supplement

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 5- or 10-minute walk down the street when you go out to pick up the morning paper or let the dog out.

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

* Set aside a few minutes to do jumping jacks. You can burn 90 calories in just 10 minutes this way.

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

* Shoot hoops with your kids or play baseball in the backyard.

* 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.

* Take your kid to baseball practice and walk around the field while you wait.

About the Author:

No comments:

Post a Comment