Friday, August 22, 2008

How to fit in exercise if you don’t have the time

These days it is hard to find the time to exercise if you work outside the home and have a family. It seems as though your time is always accounted for in some way. So how can we fit it in with all of our demands? If you are pressed for time, try fitting in a 10 minute work out or walk for 10 minutes every day. It will help burn calories and be the equivalent of a 20 minute workout 3 times/week. As you begin to exercise you will feel better, have greater energy and relieve your stress. Then you can try increasing your workout by one extra minute on the days when you have time. That way you are in the habit of doing something everyday, burn calories and you can improve your cardiovascular health.

To burn more calories, a new study from the University of New South Wales found that running intervals, or sprints with intermittent rest periods will burn three times as much fat as running at slow, consistent speeds. If you are a runner or jogger, head to a track, football field, or other measured area with room to run. Sprint for 45 seconds and record your distance. Rest for 60 seconds, then sprint again for 45 seconds trying to increase your distance by 10% in the same time frame. You can also do this on an elliptical machine or treadmill at a gym.

If you have some time at home in the evening, try to lift light dumb bells while you are watching TV, reading or even checking your email. Resistance training will increase muscle mass, tighten the skin and increase metabolism. Using weights 3-4 days per week, skipping a day in between can be very helpful to weight loss efforts and you will see the results if you stick with it.

2 comments:

Robin said...

I will be the first to comment on this and say this is what help boost my weight loss while on the program. Linda suggested the weights a few weeks back and as soon as I got home I went on the internet and found a couple 3-5 lb weights at a reasonable price. I use them after I have my dinner and I get that itch to veg out in front of the tv...now my "vegging out" is much more productive :)

Also, being in the DC area, we have some of the most BEAUTIFUL trails (Burke Lake is not far from Dr. Posner's office, for example). I live in Ballston, so I enjoy going on the Custis Trail, and taking in the scenery (along with some "nice" views of 66 West at 5pm!!!).

As mentioned in this blog about working out in intervals, my husband (who is quite the athlete) told me a while back to "Run/Sprint for 30 Seconds and Walk 1 minute" for 10 minutes. When you start, 10 minutes "feel like 10 hours" but after 2-3 times you will be shocked at something so simple-not to mention quick, has such greater results than running 10 minutes at the same pace alone...From this routine on my local trail and cooling off to walk home I realized how quickly I could go through 3 miles!!!

The last 2 visits have been my best at Dr. Posner's office because I have managed lose the second most amount of weight since I started the program (the most being that first week of Phase One- which I was told is common to anyone who has been in the program). And I have the weights and interval routine to thank because without adding them, my success would be a much slower one!!!

Robin said...

I will be the first to comment on this and say this is what help boost my weight loss while on the program. Linda suggested the weights a few weeks back and as soon as I got home I went on the internet and found a couple 3-5 lb weights at a reasonable price. I use them after I have my dinner and I get that itch to veg out in front of the tv...now my "vegging out" is much more productive :)

Also, being in the DC area, we have some of the most BEAUTIFUL trails (Burke Lake is not far from Dr. Posner's office, for example). I live in Ballston, so I enjoy going on the Custis Trail, and taking in the scenery (along with some "nice" views of 66 West at 5pm!!!).

As mentioned in this blog about working out in intervals, my husband (who is quite the athlete) told me a while back to "Run/Sprint for 30 Seconds and Walk 1 minute" for 10 minutes. When you start, 10 minutes "feel like 10 hours" but after 2-3 times you will be shocked at something so simple-not to mention quick, has such greater results than running 10 minutes at the same pace alone...From this routine on my local trail and cooling off to walk home I realized how quickly I could go through 3 miles!!!

The last 2 visits have been my best at Dr. Posner's office because I have managed lose the second most amount of weight since I started the program (the most being that first week of Phase One- which I was told is common to anyone who has been in the program). And I have the weights and interval routine to thank because without adding them, my success would be a much slower one!!!