5 tips to easily get 30 minutes of activity every day so you lose weight faster and feel better
When you hear someone tell you to exercise more, it’s easy to feel a bit frustrated.
You know you’re supposed to exercise. But the people who say that seem to just have more time on their hands and an easier time of it.
It seems impossible to gather up the willpower, summon enough energy, or even find something you enjoy enough to make a regular part of your routine.
And then there’s the time factor. Who has time to set aside an hour or more every day for exercise?
But the good thing is that you don’t need that much time for a good workout. It only takes 30 minutes of activity each day to get you on the right path to a more active lifestyle, a healthier weight, and a happier life.
The recommended amount of exercise is 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. Or 75 minutes of intense activity each week.
And when you break those numbers down it’s really not that much activity being recommended at all. 150 minutes, when broken down into more a more manageable chunk, can come to five 30-minute workout sessions per week.
It might sound too good to be true, that 30 minutes of activity is enough to get meaningful results from exercise. So let’s first dig into why it is.
Can 30 minutes of activity really be enough?
It might sound too good to be true, that 30 minutes is enough to get meaningful results from exercise. But you can do more in 30 minutes than you think. And get plenty out of it. Here are just some of the benefits of getting 30 minutes of activity every day:
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Mood boost
The post-exercise endorphin rush is a real thing. And it’s why you can feel so fabulous after a run or a great lift.
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Reduce stress
Norepinephrine is a chemical that moderates and improves our response to stressful situations. Exercise increases the amount of norepinephrine produced in our bodies–giving you the ability to better manage stress.
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Improve energy levels
You might assume that exercise just makes you tired. But making exercise a habit actually improves your energy levels every day. Exercise delivers more oxygen to your brain, circulates nutrients to your muscle tissue, and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. This especially helps your body maintain high energy levels with less effort.
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Improve self-confidence
Fitting a bit of movement into your day is one of the best ways to feel stronger and more capable on those days you feel a bit off. It’s easy to want to just zone out in front of the TV when you hit a snag you want to ignore. But going for a walk, a jog, or breaking out the yoga mat can get you back on track and feeling great about yourself.
5 tips to easily get 30 minutes of activity each day
So how can you make sure to get 30 minutes each day? If you’re busy or any exercise at all seems daunting to you–that’s okay. The key is to start slow and celebrate every win you have along the way.
You’ll have to try a few things before you discover what works best for you. So here are 5 common solutions that help others find time for exercise and be excited about it.
1. Break it up
Don’t have 30 minutes straight on some days? That’s okay.
While 30 minutes is a pretty short workout, with busy schedules even that amount of time can feel impossible.
So instead, make time for 15 minutes of movement in the morning and another 15 in the evening. Even shorter time chunks like that are even easier to squeeze in.
Making time to move your muscles and get your heart pumping at all is better than not doing it.
You can also take a few minutes at your work desk. Do stretches in 5-minute chunks. That does wonders for your back and neck muscles that grow tense as we hunch over computer screens all day. It also helps you get the blood flowing to your legs and activates your muscles.
So on those super busy days, you can still find a few minutes here and there to get activity in. And over the course of the day, it’ll all add up.
2. Mix it up and tailor your workouts to your busy schedule
There are plenty of reasons to mix up your training routine. Some of those reasons have to do with building your well-rounded and overall health and fitness. But it’s also helpful so you can adapt to the busiest days of your week.
Some days are busier and you’ll feel more motivated to do yoga than you would be for a run. There might be days of the week that a workout class is open, while it isn’t on other days.
When you adjust your workouts to your routine and build in variety, you’re more likely to commit to the exercise you have planned.
3. Make it part of your commute
If you can ride your bike to work, that covers your exercise requirement and takes care of the practical necessity of getting to work.
4. Set up active outings with friends and family and partners
Making exercise a group activity is one of the best ways to make exercise enjoyable and to hold yourself accountable.
It’s easy to do a lot of activities with others–any team sport, tennis, swimming, hiking, or dancing. Doing exercise with people you enjoy makes it more fun and gives you the added joy of making time to spend with the people who are important to you.
5. Do activities you like
Doing exercise that you truly enjoy is the most important piece of advice on this list.
Forget anyone telling you that you must do a specific exercise if you want to lose weight. Or that there are good and bad workouts depending on how hard you exercise, how fast you can move, or how heavy you can lift.
The important thing is doing something you love. Whatever brings you the most joy and gets you moving–do that the most.
Are there benefits to doing a mix of cardio and strength training? Yes. That’s why any personal trainer will recommend you do a mix of both.
But any movement is more important than doing the most specialized exercise out there.
If you aren’t sure what you enjoy yet, take some time to find what you enjoy. It could be swimming, hiking, walking, jogging, yoga, or playing basketball, tennis, or soccer. You might find that you love weight lifting.
Just get out there and try a few things and when you find something you love, keep doing it.
Not Sure Where to Begin?
Any amount of exercise is easier when you have a support system.
And if you need that support network and expert guidance about how to pair exercise with a diet to get the best weight loss results, we’re here to help.
Reach out to our experts to learn more about your weight loss options and how we can help you achieve your goals.
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