Too busy to exercise? It’s easy to think you’re too busy. There’s a lot of things competing for your attention…work, family, hobbies, entertainment. And there’s only so many hours in the day…right?
So you skip a workout. You stop taking daily walks. You don’t go to the gym anymore. And pretty soon, 
other things fill your schedule. That ever happen?
At first, it doesn’t seem like a big deal. But things start to change in tiny increments…
- You gain a little weight.
- It’s harder to walk up stairs without breathing heavily.
- Your risk for chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity go up.
- Or maybe you just start to feel sluggish?
Sound familiar?
Find a little time for fitness
An estimated 77 percent of all adults don’t get enough exercise. But it doesn’t have to be that way, even if you’re short on time. Here’s what you need to do:
- Check your calendar.
- Check your schedule.
- Check your to-do list.
- Or just grab your phone.
- And look for 10 to 30-minute blocks of time.
If you’ve got a half-hour window of time or less available, you can get fit in just minutes a day. And you don’t even need to hit the gym, buy equipment, or hire a trainer.
13 benefits of shorter workouts
You already know the number one excuse for not exercising: “I don’t have time.”
That ends now. Even 10 to 20-minute sessions of exercise can make a difference.1
But saving time isn’t the only benefit to shorter workouts. Exercising in shorter intervals can also help you:
- Lose weight or maintain a healthy weight
- Reduce body fat
- Build muscle
- Lower blood pressure
- Reduce risk factors for heart disease
- Control blood sugar levels
- Cut the risk for certain types of cancer
- Improve cholesterol levels
- Build stronger bones
- Improve mood and brain function
- Increase mobility
- Prevent injuries
- Live longer
Give these 4 fast workouts a try
Want to lose weight, get stronger, reduce your risk for chronic diseases, and improve your health?
Ten to 20-minute exercise sessions can help.2 All you need to do is pick an activity where you can exercise in short bursts, rest a little, and repeat, like this:
Walk it off
Go for a walk in your neighborhood, the store, the park, or in the mall.
- Take a couple minutes to warm up.
- Then walk as fast as you can for 1 to 2 minutes. You should still be able to have a conversation, but you’ll be breathing heavier.
- Slow down for 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat, until you’ve completed your walk
Hustle at home
Want to work out at home? Maybe between commercials, early in the morning, or when you have 10-20 minutes of free time.
Pick a group of exercises. Perform each exercise for 1 minute. Rest briefly and repeat for 1-2 rounds. Here’s some exercises you can do at home:
- Jumping Jacks
- Burpees
- Push-Ups
- Curl-Ups
- Bodyweight Squats
- Jump Squats
- Jogging in place
- Plank
- Mountain Climbers
- Lunges
Hit the gym
If you like working out at the gym, you don’t have to sweat there for hours. Get in and get out with a quick workout. Try the:
- Treadmill
- Cycle
- Elliptical trainer
- Rowing machine
- Or take a fitness class
Warm up. Hustle for 1 to 2 minutes. Rest briefly, and repeat, until you hit 20 minutes.
Exercise anytime, anywhere
If you’ve been making excuses about not having time to exercise, those days are over. You can exercise anytime, anywhere. The gym is great. But your living room, hotel, office, garage, or backyard will work just fine, too. Ready…set…GO!