We’ve all been there. Sometimes, the thought of planning your post exercise outfit is just enough to convince yourself that you can skip your workout this once. Extra planning and extra hassle equals extra ‘no can do.’
Good news is, you can dial down the time spent on your sweat sessions, while dialing up your fitness.
“If you really feel like you don’t have the time to hit the gym, doing something is always better than doing nothing. And, if you can fit in 10 minutes a day, you could notice small differences,” Lotti Gregory Maddox, head trainer at East London gym BLOK, told HuffPost UK.
Here’s her her speedy workouts to slot into your day.
Cycle to work
A switch up from your daily routine, such as cycling in to work one day a week and slowly building up to more from there, could be enough to make a difference to your wellbeing. A 2017 study, published in the British Medical Journal, found that: ‘Cycling to work is linked to a substantial decrease in the risk of developing and dying from cancer or heart disease’. Need extra motivation? Gregory Maddox recommends reminding yourself of the immediate gratification. “Remember how you feel at the end of a workout, when you’re finding the motivation to exercise. However hard it feels at the start, it will always feel amazing at the end!”
The dancing lizard
“For me, the great thing about fitness is the endorphin release. It will undoubtedly give you so much more energy in your day-to-day life,” says Gregory Maddox. Her go-to move, the dancing lizard, is easy to incorporate into your busy daily life. “Start in a plank position, then step your right foot to the outside of right hand and step back to plank. Repeat and alternate on the other side.” Set your phone timer for two minutes, and try it out.
Engage your core
A simple move that offers a quick and impactful workout for your lower
abdominals. “At your desk, hold either side of a stable chair and slowly lift and lower your bum off and on the seat,” she explains. “Repeat for five minutes and feel the flex.”
Try a quick core blast
Core exercises can help to stabilise your balance and improve your posture, so a speedy set of exercises could be well worth your while. “This routine can make day-to-day movement easier and more enjoyable, through increased core strength,” Gregory Maddox says.
Walkouts x 20: Begin standing, roll down through spine and place your hands on the floor. Walk your hands out to plank position, before walking your hands back to your feet and slowly roll up through your spine, back to standing. Repeat.
Leg lifts x 20: Lie on floor with your palms down, under you bum. Lift your legs up to a 90 degree angle, and then lower them, so you’re hovering just off the ground. Repeat.
Ab bikes x 40: Stay on the floor with your hands behind your head. Squeeze your right knee to try and touch your left elbow, switch sides and repeat as often as you can, until you hit 40 reps.
Take a lunchtime stroll
We know it’s tempting to eat and work through lunch during busy periods, but a proper break, including a walk, can help you to be more productive and enthusiastic in the afternoon - as well as helping you to wave ‘bye’ to the 4pm slump. As Gregory Maddox says: “If you have a very busy life, chances are, you’ll feel tired a lot. Exercise, among other key things such as sleep and good nutrition, can give you the energy you need to keep going, due to the endorphin release and increased blood flow.”
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