There’s Always Time For Exercise

We’ve all been there; you get really busy with work, you have too many family commitments, or you just completely burn out. There are genuine reasons why you haven’t been to the gym in months or gone for a run in several weeks. When your exhaustion levels are at an all time high, the lure of your sofa is more tempting than a tough workout. However, you made a promise to lose weight for a reason, and getting off track isn’t going to do you any good in the long run. Ditch the excuses and fit these quick, but effective, workouts into your busy schedule.

Yoga

The beauty of yoga is that you don’t need to do an hour-long workout for it to be effective. Even a ten or fifteen minute routine can greatly improve your agility, balance, and strength. There are plenty of yoga videos on YouTube that you can select based on your free time and which body part you’d like to target during your workout. Even if you’re not in the mood for exercise, a ten minute meditation or gentle yoga sequence can do wonders for your stress relief.

Isometric exercises

While cardio is an important part of any workout, you can’t neglect to train your muscles; this is what will help you add tone and definition to your body once you’ve shrunk your waistline. Performing a series of isometric exercises for ten minutes will tone and strengthen your muscles, and they’re a good supplement to any cardio workout. These are exercises that workout your muscles while you stay completely still; some great examples are plank, glute bridges, or sitting squats.

Skipping

It’s amazing how some of the most effective bursts of exercise are linked to our childhood activities. Jump rope burns more calories than running (an estimated 1300 calories per hour) and it’s easy to just stick some music on and skip for the duration of three or four songs. As it’s a bodyweight exercise, jump rope does help improve muscle tone, but it also targets the thighs, shins, and calf muscles, while simultaneously working on the abs and arms. It’s also easier on your knees and ankles because it’s a low impact workout. The best part is you can do it anywhere; if the weather is nice you could take your workout to the garden, the beach, or the woods. You could even opt for a cordless skipping rope if you’re worried about breaking things in your house.

Dancing

If you really need is to move a little more, then stick some music on and dance. A thirty minute workout can burn as many calories as jogging. But dancing is also a creative outlet; you can make up your own moves, learn established steps, and choose your own music. In addition to helping you lose weight, dancing is also a fantastic way to relieve stress, reduce depression, and boost your energy. Put on your favorite song and dance like nobody’s watching for as long as you can.