Get Fit In 20 Minutes A Day

Exercise isn't just about losing weight (albeit a great bonus). Your physical fitness level can negatively or positively affect all aspects of your daily life. Who wouldn't like more strength and energy in their day to perform better at work and home? Improved fitness can allow you to power through each day with enough stamina left over to enjoy the other things in life that we normally don't seem to have energy for. Exercise decreases stress, makes us feel happy, improves our health and quality of life.

But the big question is – “How do we find the time to exercise”

When many people think of exercise its hours spent at an expensive gym early mornings. What many don't realise is, all you need is to fit 20 minutes of exercise into your daily routine to increase your fitness level. A study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that 15 minutes of resistance training was just as effective at boosting participants’ metabolism as 35 minutes of resistance training. Also, we are more likely to stick to a routine if we know it will be only take 20 minutes a day.

So how to find your 20 minutes?

In one day how many minutes do you spend on facebook, surfing ebay or emailing? A study found people spend about 7 hours a month just on facebook alone. Work that out per day and there is 15 minutes. Of course our cyber world is part of life, but like anything, moderation is the key.

How organised are you? Just by planning your day the night before, setting out your exercise clothes so you ready to go, you will be more motivated to exercise for 20 minutes.

Saying no! Whether it be to those extra hours overtime, or that pair of expensive shoes that you didn't really need. Just by spending your money wisely you can buy 20 minutes a day. Do the math, paying to have your clothes ironed for you can give you sometimes hours per week.

Of course, one of the easiest ways to find 20 minutes is to get up 20 minutes earlier. However you do it, the effort for better body, mind and health is worth it.

What to do in your 20 minutes a day?

Make you exercise time count. For instance, try interval training. Start by walking at a moderate pace for 3 minutes, then run for 3 minutes, jog for 3 minutes, sprint, walk, run. By alternating the intensity of each interval you will be working your heart and lungs to their capacity, burning fat and giving your metabolism a huge fire up much more than walking or jogging at a continual pace can do.

Multitask. Cardiovascular and strength training are both equally important for an all over fitness level. Lift weights while walking, doing squats or other intense leg exercises. Do some research to find out what exercises use more than one set of muscle groups at a time. A great example of this type of exercise is the burpee. The burpee is the ultimate full body exercise as it uses chest, arms, thighs, hamstrings and abs, while having a extremely high aerobic intensity.

Alternate exercises – pilates, yoga, dancing, stretching are all great exercises for our all over health and well being and can easily be done in 20 minutes a day. Along with your exercise fitness routine, eating right, getting enough sleep and rest all contribute to a healthy fit body. Our bodies are quick to adapt to exercise. In 20 minute intervals, 4 – 6 times a week you can improve your fitness level and get the body that you want

Female For Life is an Australian owned and operated manufacturer and retailer of high quality womens activewear and sports clothing. Female For Life has a wide range of sports clothes from yoga wear, to gym, so come and explore the ranges at www.femaleforlife.com.au.