Can you really get fit in just minutes a day?
Getting regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental health.
We all know this, but why do so many of us dread exercise?
Time and lack of it can be a contributing factor.
It’s common knowledge that every workout has to be at least an hour to have any positive impact.
Right?
Not quite.
Recent studies have shown a 10-minute workout can have the same benefits as a longer moderate-intensity workout.
Researchers split 462 postmenopausal women, none of whom were exercising, into four groups.
With each group asked to do varying workout lengths.
The researchers found that the light workout group increased their peak oxygen consumption levels by 4.2%.
They also reported feeling better and breathing easier.
5 benefits of a 10-minute workout
1 - Power in positive thinking.
The power of positive thinking is remarkable.
Picture yourself going to bed at night knowing that you've taken steps towards a healthier version of yourself.
And then imagine waking up the next day and doing more of the same.
How does that make you feel?
Small, sustainable workouts do more for your mental and physical health than sporadic lengthy sessions that feel a chore.
2 - Energise your day.
The first step is always the most difficult.
That first squat is the hardest.
You will have a million reasons not to get started right now.
But once you do, you'll feel the benefits immediately.
Your mind will be sharper, you’ll have more energy, feel happier, your skin will glow, you will like yourself that little more every time.
Try it today.
Get up from your desk and do 50 squats.
I promise you’ll smile and glow afterwards (after you've caught your breath).
3 - You build momentum.
Small steps, taken every day, will build into an unstoppable force.
Daily progress will increase your motivation and energy.
You'll feel a commitment to yourself, to keep that process going.
If you rarely exercise now, start by taking 10 minutes out of your day to go for a walk.
10-minute walks are less of an extreme jump and more sustainable and less daunting than diving into hour-long sessions in the gym.
4 - You don’t need the gym.
Some love the gym and some don’t. Either way, going to the gym isn’t vital to get in shape.
Some of the healthiest people in the world don’t go to the gym or run marathons or lift weights.
Instead, they live in an environment where they move every day.
Try doing an at-home 10-minute workout, along with aiming to move 10,000 steps a day.
If the thought of going to a gym terrifies you, it’s not
the be-all and end-all.
You can live a healthy, fit life without ever stepping foot inside of one.
5 - Take 10 for yourself.
How many times a day do you say or think “I don’t have enough time”?
How often do you find that you’ve been sat at your desk for hours without so much as a standing break?
Life is busy, I get it.
All the more reason to book 10 minutes into your day.
Your future self will thank you for it
Taking 10 minutes a day can help you stay healthy, boost your energy, improve your sleep, relieve stress and tension and lighten your mood.
Your 10 minutes could include a variety of things that work to make you feel good.
These include meditation, journaling, reading or doing something you love.
Who knew that 10 minutes could be so powerful!
Ben Yates is a personal trainer based at Places Gym Hinckley and Hinckley Leisure Centre in Leicestershire.
To book your free personal training consultation click here
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