Daily activity can give you a big boost on your way to your weight loss goal. Exercise keeps your body burning calories and fat while reducing your risk of heart disease and other ailments. It also keeps you awake during the day and ensures a better night’s sleep. Best of all, you don’t have to spend hours in the gym or jog for miles to take advantage of the activity. In fact, in just 10 minutes you can kickstart your metabolism and build your strength and endurance. You can even organize workouts into your other tasks.
Here, at Food system, we recommend 30 minutes of physical activity daily for best results. This is why we developed the My Daily 3 activity plan. This breaks the 30-minute recommendation into three short 10-minute activity sessions spread out throughout the day. This will help you reap the benefits of regular exercise without making a 30 minute commitment at a time.
Click here to learn more about My Daily 3>
Here are 10 quick workouts that won’t miss out on your busy day:
1. Go
Calories Burned: 49.7
Grab a friend, your dog, or your smartphone’s earbuds and go for a walk. For maximum benefit, walk as briskly as possible for 10 minutes – the faster you walk, the more calories you burn.
2. Climbing stairs
Calories Burned: 74.3
You can almost double the effect of walking by going up and down stairs. Either way will help strengthen your leg muscles and build your heart and lung strength, says Healthline. Would you like to get even more out of climbing stairs? Carry light hand weights when you are out and about.
3. Calisthenics
Calories Burned: 55.7
Do you remember the workouts you did in your gym class in high school? Jumping jacks, lunges, squats, crunches, and toe touches are still great ways to increase your fitness and tone your muscles. Do three sets of three repetitions for each exercise to begin with, then work up to three sets of five (and then 10) repetitions over the coming weeks as you get stronger.
4. HIIT
Calories Burned: Depending on the activity
Make the most of your running or cycling session with high-intensity interval training (HIIT). It’s not for people who are new to the sport. However, it’s a quick way to train for anyone with a basic fitness level. According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), HIIT consists of “repetitive attacks of short duration, high-intensity exercise intervals mixed with periods of lesser intensity of active recovery.” ACE states that you should exercise one minute every two to three minutes of recovery. Starting and stopping increases your heart rate and helps your body adapt to stress and recover quickly. ACE recommends no more than two days of HIIT per week due to the intensity.
5. Fitness in the playground
Calories Burned: 49.7
If you can get the children to burn off some energy on their own, you can train yourself. Do five dips on the parallel bars, five pull-ups, and five jumps on and off the bench. Then spin the kids on the carousel.
6. Jump rope
Calories Burned: 124
Children can sing and jump over the rope for hours. However, you will soon see why it is also part of professional boxer training programs. According to ACE, this exercise provides your legs with a real workout. They explain that it is a comfortable exercise that promotes coordination and cognitive function. Go it alone or make some friends and go the double-Dutch way.
7. Tai Chi
Calories Burned: 49.7
While this may look like karate in slow motion, tai chi exercise builds flexibility, balance, and strength. It’s also been shown to reduce stress and improve mental focus, says Healthline. The basic movements are easy to do for most ages and fitness levels. You can learn a simple tai chi routine from books, online videos, or in-person workshops.
8. Dancing
Calories Burned: Depends on the style
Who says exercise can’t be fun? Put together a playlist of melodies that will get your feet moving and your body swaying and rocking to the rhythm. Choose songs with a fast beat to get the most benefit.
9. Cleaning
Calories Burned: 55.7
You can do your workouts and tasks at the same time. Vacuuming, dusting, and scrubbing the sinks can boost your strength. Pick a room or area of your home and give it all for 10 minutes. The result: you are overall fitter and happier to be in a tidier room.
10. Gardening
Calories Burned: 57.3
Outdoor home maintenance is another way to get two things off your to-do list at the same time. Rake up the leaves or weed in a corner of your garden. You will feel a sense of achievement and give your body a real workout.
* All calories burned are calculated using data provided by Harvard Health. Values are based on a 155 pound person.
* Always talk to your doctor before starting any exercise routine.
