WORK OUT FASTER (AND SMARTER)

Don’t have time for long slogs in the gym? Us neither. But according to the experts, your workouts can be both effective and brief. Anna Bonet learns how…

How to exercise when time is of the essence

‘DON’T PUT PRESSURE ON YOURSELF’

For many of us, regular exercise can be the first thing to drop off the priority list when we’re juggling a hectic work schedule, family and a social life. And when it’s cold and dark outside, it doesn’t make it any easier to drag yourself out of bed for a long run or head to the gym for a gruelling session. So don’t. There’s no point in putting pressure on yourself to do something you don’t enjoy or, quite frankly, doesn’t fit into a busy life already at bursting point. However, there’s no doubt that exercise aids more than just your body. As wellness coach and motivational speaker Adrienne Herbert says: ‘It’s beneficial to both your physical and mental health for you to incorporate movement into your life.’ So, how do you reap the benefits of the workout without all that pressure? Easy – by keeping it short and sweet. ‘The fact is, when something is short and manageable it becomes a habit,’ explains Herbert. ‘When something becomes a habit, you’re more likely to do it for a long time. It’s far better to do less and always do it, than do loads once and never do it again.’ The good news is that research has shown that short bursts of exercise can be just as effective – if not more effective – as long sessions. There’s a reason that trainers everywhere love High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT. ‘It’s time efficient and very effective training,’ says Herbert, with sessions that can be just 10 to 20 minutes long. ‘Doing something is always better than doing nothing and you just need to work out around what you can do,’ continues Herbert. ‘Even if it’s 10 minutes of walking, 10 minutes of stretching or 10 minutes of strength training, it’s going to be beneficial to both your mind and your body.’ Time is one of our most precious resources, so use it well, and never, ever feel guilty for not doing more. We’re only human and there’s only so much we can do.