You aren’t too busy to get healthy!
Many of us think that we need at least 45 minutes in a gym in for the workout to be “worth it”, but is this true? Maybe that’s why many of us skip exercise altogether; we have had the aforementioned drilled into our heads. Who isn’t pinched for time these days and how could you possibly find a free 45 minutes every day to exercise between work and your home life?
THE WAY WE THINK LEADS TO LESS EXERCISE
How could a measly 20 minutes of exercise be worth it? When you combine that mentality of scarcity and your busy day, then you are bound to skip workout after workout. Maybe that’s why 36 percent of U.S. adults are not physically active during their free time. I’m looking at you couch potato! This is telling us that an astonishing one-third of us don’t do anything active at all when we aren’t working. Do the math in a nation of almost 320 million people. But did you know that being active during your leisure time can add as many as 4.5 years to your life? That’s what a research by the National Cancer Institute found, so there’s still time to get healthy!
A LITTLE EXERCISE CAN DO WONDERS
What if it only took 20 minutes to really get a great workout in? Studies have found that simply walking at a brisk pace for only 20 minutes can significantly reduce your risk of early death and risk of heart attack by as much as 40 percent.
But what if you want to do more than walk? Let’s put this into action by creating a quick, at-home heart-pumping, circuit workout! Alternate between strength training and cardio exercises to get your heart pumping, calories burning and you building muscle! Pick 6-8 exercises that work your entire body and perform them in a timed fashion (30 seconds each exercise), doing as many reps as possible, for 3 total sets (more if you have time). You can blow through a quick workout like this in less than 15-20 minutes.
Note: Make sure you consult your doctor before beginning an exercise program.
Here’s an example circuit you can try anywhere:
1. Incline pushups
2. Burpees
3. Squat with shoulder press
4. Jumping jacks
5. Bicycle crunches
6. High knees
WRAP-UP
No, this quick bodyweight workout won’t have you building massive biceps in weeks, or help you squat 300 pounds, but it will help you crush calories and get your heart rate elevated. That’s better than sitting on the couch smashing junk food, right?