10 minutes to lose weight
There have been hundreds of articles telling us to include 30 minutes to 1 hour of cardiovascular exercise in our daily lives. For many women, “it,” as they say, “just isn’t going to happen!” Between working long hours and taking care of the home and family, most women complain that they don’t have time to relax for a few minutes before falling asleep. The idea of ”finding” an extra hour every day is impossible.
But the good news is that any amount of physical activity will burn calories and help you lose weight. And 10 minutes here and there CAN make all the difference.
Here’s some more good news… “physical activity” in order to burn calories doesn’t HAVE to mean running or playing tennis. In fact, it doesn’t have to include leaving the house at all.
Bigger, stronger muscles burn more calories than underdeveloped ones. Muscle tone also makes us look better. So, we get a great reward from this. As we burn extra body fat, we make our muscles lean and strong – one activity can do both.
Once body fat is gone (or reduced), toned muscles are more visible, making you look even leaner. Now isn’t that a nice bonus?
There are ways to burn calories AND build muscle tone at the same time.
Like I said, I know that time is a rare commodity for all of us. So this is what we’re going to do. We’ll spend just 10 minutes moving and working a few muscles multiple times throughout the day. How will you find the 10 minutes? That is something you will have to decide for yourself. Here are some questions to help you do it:
* Do you have TV time built into your evening?
* How about meal prep and/or cleanup? Do you spend 10 minutes in the kitchen?
* Do you spend at least 10 minutes doing your hair and makeup in the morning?
* Do you work in a building that has a large parking lot?
* Do you have at least a 30-minute lunch break?
* Can you get up 10 minutes earlier?
Here is my TOP 10 list of what to do with those 10 minute blocks of time:
1. Play music while you dry your hair, get dressed, prepare food, etc. and just dance to the music. Who says Cameron Diaz is the only one who can dance in her underwear? I burned a lot of calories in the privacy of my own bathroom and bedroom. Remember, it doesn’t have to be pretty… just make it fun and get her heart rate up a little!
2. While watching TV, get up and walk in place.
3. While sitting, watching TV, etc., lift 1-3 pound hand weights into a bicep curl. Don’t have weights? No problem, just use canned vegetables.
4. While sitting, alternately lift your feet off the floor (using your thigh muscles). Make sure to contract your abs as you do this, and press your lower back into the chair or sofa so you don’t arch your back.
5. You’ve heard this before… park your car as far from the gate as possible and walk briskly (weather and safety conditions permitting, of course). BONUS: By the time you get to the office, your blood will be pumping and you’ll have more energy to tackle whatever falls on your desk. Just remember to bring a pair of walking shoes so you don’t try this in high heels!
6. Before sitting down for lunch, take a 10-minute walk around the building (either inside or out). BONUS: After a brisk walk, you’ll eat less.
7. Instead of opening the backyard gate to let the dog out, take him for a walk.
8. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. If this activity is too strenuous for you right now, just head downstairs. You’re not burning as many calories as going up, but a lot more than standing in an elevator. NOTE: many buildings only allow you to exit via the stairway on the ground floor, so plan accordingly. If you’re only prepared to go down a floor or two, don’t start on the 10th floor!
9. While attending your children’s (or grandchildren’s) sporting events, find an area where you can stand and walk instead of sitting in the bleachers.
10. Go shopping! Both the indoor and outdoor malls are a great place to walk. Just make sure you’re moving enough to get your heart rate up. And be sure to resist the urge to “reward” yourself with ice cream, cookies, or pretzels!
It is true that each of these activities only burns a few calories. But it’s a good start if you’ve been sedentary for a long time. By scheduling five or six 10-minute blocks of time into your day, EVERY DAY, you can burn an additional 100-200 calories. Combine that with a low calorie diet and you can easily lose a pound a week.
