For parents with little or no time to themselves, fitting in a workout is often a really low priority. We are busier than ever, gaining weight, losing strength and spending too much time feeling guilty. Is there a real honest no BS answer to this modern dilemma? A way to be healthy and in shape without needing to find two hours to get to a gym, change and shower?
We all learned that long workouts are best for burning calories, right? But logic dictates that you can exercise at a higher level for five or ten minutes than you can for thirty and that harder exercise burns more energy – also known as calories. So what’s up? Is it better to work out a long time at a lower level or for a short time at a higher level?
The answer? Both. A long walk, a hike, a bike ride are all great ways to be healthy. But our bodies are built for many things besides long bouts of activity. As a general rule we are built to expend energy throughout the day in small bursts - to run from a predator, to climb a tree and retrieve nuts or fruit and to rest in between.
So our idea that to be in shape means to spend hours in the gym every day may be fundamentally flawed. And it may partly explain the number of injuries we are seeing in gyms these days and the high levels of obesity. We seem to be exercising in an all or nothing fashion these days, if we can’t fit in the class we planned to go to we just don’t do anything. As a personal trainer I see so many people driving and taking the elevator to the gym. We need to rethink our methods.
A lifestyle of mini workouts is one answer. Try separating your work out into two 10 minute sessions distributed throughout the day. One session can be a cardio routine: Three minute warm up at a lower level, then a one or two minute sprint as fast as you can go (which means you shouldn’t be able to talk at all during your sprint), then a lower level again to cool down.
The second ten minute session can be five minutes of abs and five minutes of yoga, pilates, machines (1 set each of 3 or 4 exercises or 3 sets of each of 2 exercises) or whatever feels good. I always recommend things that strengthen posture - balance work, planking, pushups done with a strong lower back and a relaxed neck.
I didn’t even think about this stuff until I had my son and went from training almost every day to almost never. And when my friend who even after having three babies in five years still ran ten miles a day and could never lose weight, abruptly switched to 3 miles a few times per week and opted to get a little more sleep, subsequently lost 30 lbs in a few months, I began researching the possibilities.
My friend was likely overtaxing her body. Mom’s in particular need sleep. If you don’t sleep enough you are also likely to eat more. Our bodies seem to balance energy needs primarily between sleep and food. Though my friend’s results may not be typical, it pushes us to open our minds and shows us how things like mood and balance of food and sleep play a part in weight loss as well. It shows us that moderation is still that unsung hero.
Go forth and mix your favorite (or least hated) exercise elements into brief, simple and no longer boring training sessions. For busy parents and people on the go, the idea of doing two 5 minute bouts of exercise per day is like the holy grail. And if you only get one of the two in, be thrilled with what you did do. You’ll find that the satisfaction of getting in even a small work out is better encouragement than all the guilt in the world. And a lot healthier! And, if your office is on the 15th floor, don’t take the elevator and go to the gym later. Those stairs are better than the fake version at the gym. Climb them. And if you only do those 15 floors give yourself credit, 15 floors per day may take you further you ever dreamed.
Here's a roundup of related articles to get you started:
Two Experiments In Exercise Minimalism by Dr. John Berardi
Most people assume that getting in shape – or staying in shape – requires hours of weekly exercise and rigid meal planning. Not true. This article offers an example workout routine.
30-Minute Workouts with Big Results, by By The Editors of Huffington Post Healthy Living
Optimize your workout to burn more calories in less time. “Researchers found that, all else controlled for, the men who exercised for 30 minutes lost an average eight pounds, while the 60-minute men lost only six pounds on average.”
Why Quick Workouts Can Be Better Than Longer Ones, by Arturo Fioribello– “Efficiency is the key to fitting a workout in your schedule and getting the most out of it. You don’t even need to leave home to get a workout most of the time, so scheduling a workout will no longer be your problem.”
Exercise Less, Lose More Weight? What’s the Minimum Effective Dose? by Jennifer Koslo
Current guidelines recommend 60 minutes of exercise a day for weight loss. But recent research suggests that, when it comes to aerobic activity, shorter periods of exercise may actually be better.
Bottom line: Work out for 15 (or even 10 minutes) twice a day because you know you can fit that in. You’ll be a happier, fitter new you even without long workouts at the gym.