Let's face it: On the road to looking good, Exercise City is a must-stop destination. Regular exercise will strengthen your heart, improve your mood and keep you healthy. Find 30 minutes in your day for one of these simple plans. Most can even be broken into segments, for added ease in your hectic schedule.
Better Cardio, Less Time
Focus on high-intensity interval cardio training. Professional athlete David Draper suggests this method on his website to max out your time and your calorie burn. He prescribes a 12-minute plan where you focus on 30-second cardio "blasts" alternating with slower movement. Choose your cardio (you can run, bike, swim or Stairmaster, whatever gets your heart pumping) and perform his 12-minute routine twice. Ta-da! You're done for the day, with 36 minutes left in your lunch hour.
Keep it Fresh
Follow the Women's Health Magazine Triathlon Trainer suggestion: Mix it up by incorporating a 10-minute bike with a 10-minute run and 10-minute rowing machine blast. It's a great way to trick yourself into exercising; for days you're not in the mood to get off the couch promise that you will do "just one" of the three. Once you've gotten all the way to the gym you'll probably complete the whole routine.
The Seinfeld Routine
Keep weights and a jump rope near your TV and plan an exercise routine to fit your favorite half hour sitcom. Focus on weight training, sit-ups, squats and lunges during the program and alternate between jump rope, jumping jacks and running in place during the commercials for a cardio boost.
Couch Potato Crunch
Create an at-home exercise circuit. Try these simple routines, compiled using information from the Mayo Clinic and http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com:
Arms: 10 push-ups, 10 triceps dips (using the couch for a "weight bench," 10 bicep curls, 10 chest presses
Abs: 30 straight crunches, 30 oblique crunches, 10 "v-ups."
Legs: 10 lunges to the front with each leg, followed by 10 side lunges with each leg, then 10 squat jumps.
Repeat each routine two times. These programs can be performed in three 10-minute segments throughout the day, perhaps before or after each major meal.
Short Circuit at the Gym
Use the circuit training equipment at your gym. First, warm up with five to seven minutes of walking or light running on a treadmill. When you're ready to begin, set the weights heavy enough so your muscles are exhausted at the end of 12 reps. Cycle through the circuit twice. Focus on performing slow, controlled lifts and exhaling while you contract your muscles.
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