Life can be hectic, but just 10 minutes of exercise can help burn calories. Calories burned can add up to pounds lost!
Keeping your heart rate up during exercise is the key to burning as many calories as possible in a short amount of time. Studies show intensity works better than steady exercising for calorie burning.[i]
Try any of the following heart-pumping exercises. Always remember to take the first few minutes to warm up before you begin exercising. It will reduce the chances of hurting yourself.
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- Burpee stairs. Run up a flight of stairs, do five to ten burpees, then run back down the stairs. Repeat this 3-4 times.
- Push it. This works great for a treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike. Warm up, then increase the intensity (resistance and speed) for a minute. Return to slower speed for a minute, then return to high intensity. Keep this up for 10 minutes.
- Weights. Pick dumbbells that match your fitness level (say 5–15 lbs in each hand). Hold the weights up near your ears and do squats or lunges. Follow each squat by pressing the weight to the ceiling. Repeat. This exercise works all major muscles in your body.
- Jump rope. There are few exercises that increase your heart rate as fast as jumping rope. Pick a pace that works for you, but try to increase the speed as you go and throughout the weeks.
- Step jump. Step aerobics are classes where you raise yourself on a platform, one foot at a time. You can do steps anywhere. Use stairs or anything you can step up on. Box jumps are the same type of exercise as step aerobics, but you jump with both feet onto steps or high boxes. These exercises work to build the major muscles in your legs and help to increase your metabolism. Be careful, because as you tire you are more prone to make mistakes (and hurt yourself).
- Push-ups. Do as many push-ups as you can for 30 seconds and then stop and rest for 20 seconds. Keep this going for 10 minutes.
- Jumping Jacks and squats. 3 sets, each comprising of 20 jumping jacks and 10 squats will help you get a quick and effective workout.
The great news about all these 100-calorie-burning exercises is that you can squeeze them into your day: before your shower, at lunch, or during a break…anytime. Add a little consistency, and you have the formula that can help lead to healthy weight loss.
Please check with your physician before starting a new exercise program.
[i] Kang J, Robertson RJ, Hagberg JM, Kelley DE, Goss FL, Dasilva SG, Suminski RR, Utter AC. Effect of exercise intensity on glucose and insulin metabolism in obese individuals and obese NIDDM patients. Diabetes care. 1996 Apr 1;19(4):341-9.
