Shutterstock.com/ Antonio Diaz
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You might find yourself at the end of the day without getting in your workout. Should you just decide to forget about exercising for that day? No way! You can have a great workout session that lasts only about as long as a television commercial. In case you’re still a bit skeptical, read this article to learn how to get the best out of a short workout.
Can you really get results out of a 5-minute workout?
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You might have never considered just working out for a very short period of time. But one study showed that vigorous exercise lasting at least 10 minutes can count towards the 150 minutes a week you should spend working out every week. But shorter periods of exercise can also help.
Some of the benefits you can get from short bursts of exercise include better sleep, weight loss, and more energy. Now researchers are busy considering whether these bursts of exercise can count toward the 150-minute mark of exercise a week.
What the research shows
One study showed that small bursts of exercise here and there can really add up. Brisk movement for a couple of minutes can really have some benefits. For example, research showed that when women incorporated small periods of brisk movement into their day, they experienced a reduction in their BMI as opposed to the control group. Male subjects saw similar results. After they exercised for brief periods of time, female subjects weighed about 0.5 pounds less than the subjects who were less active. For both the male and female subjects, the risks of obesity were actually decreased.
A research study that got published in the journal Obesity found that splitting up periods of exercise into chunks can help when it comes to controlling your appetite. One group exercised for an hour a day. The other group did 12 periods of 5-minute exercises a day. Both groups were able to control their appetites in similar ways. However, the group that did shorter bursts of exercise throughout the day reported feeling fuller throughout the day.
How to find time to exercise throughout the day
Many of us are really busy, so finding time to exercise for even a few minutes may be really difficult. However, getting fit in a few short bursts every day isn’t exactly impossible. For example, you could do jumping jacks, squats, or pushups during a commercial break and conclude when your show comes back on. Or when you brush your teeth in the morning, you could do lunges or calf raises.
If you’re at work, you could set reminders on your phone or online calendar to get some movement throughout the day. Those who are lucky enough to have an office to themselves can close the door and get in a few yoga stretches. You could also take a walk during your lunch break or even walk to and from your job on a really nice day. There are more than enough ways to fit in movement throughout your day. By getting creative, you could soon find yourself living a fitter lifestyle before long.
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