"I don't have enough time." That's one of the top excuses people give for not working out.
Well, new research shows that you just need seven minutes a day to start seeing real change in your body.
Yes, only seven minutes. That's less than the time you wait in line for your Starbucks.
Researchers took nearly 30 adults (who did not exercise regularly) and split them into two groups.
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Half of the subjects completed a fitness program, while the remaining half didn’t work out at all. All of the participants maintained their regular diets.
The fitness group participated in a seven-minute training session every day for six weeks, performing bodyweight exercises such as jumping jacks, crunches, push-ups, and squats; between each exercise, the participants rested for 10 seconds.
The final data revealed that just seven minutes of training a day can do wonders for the body, specifically your mid-section.
In fact, those who participated in the training sessions lost around 4 pounds of fat and shed about an inch of belly fat around their waists. Their body fat dropped by an average of 2.1 percent, too.
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The researchers say that resistance exercises can boost your lean body mass while simultaneously burning fat. There’s just one catch, these exercises are more likely to work for those who don’t already hit the gym regularly. In order to see progress, you’ll have to increase the intensity of your workouts as time goes on. Otherwise, this form of light, brief exercise could eventually cause you to reach a plateau.
Here's how to start off for the first 30 days:
Jumping jacks
Do jumping jacks for 2 minutes.
(rest for 10 seconds)
Side lunge
Step right leg out to side and bend knee to 90 degrees, reaching hands down on either side of right foot.
Push off right foot to return to standing with right foot directly in front of left foot, arms sweeping up with palms facing in.
Repeat on left side with left foot stepping behind right as you return to center; that’s 1 rep. Do 24 reps (roughly one minute) then switch lead legs and repeat.
(rest for 10 seconds)
Flutter Kicks
Lie faceup with legs extended, toes pointed, and hands tucked underneath glutes to support lower back. Lift both legs off the floor a few inches and alternately kick legs up and down.
(rest for 10 seconds)
Plank
Lie facedown on the floor with feet together and forearms on the ground. Draw abs in and tighten glutes.
Then, lift entire body off the ground until it forms a straight line from head to toe, resting on forearms and toes. Hold. Slowly return body to the ground, keeping chin tucked and back flat.
(rest for 10 seconds)
Helicopters
Lie faceup with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, arms extended out to sides, palms down. Contract core, take a deep breath in, and draw knees into chest.
Exhale, pressing lower back into floor as you extend feet toward the ceiling. (Upper torso and lower body will form a 90-degree angle with feet pressed together.)
Keep core contracted, flex toes toward the floor, and begin circling legs clockwise, keeping legs fully extended and hips resting firmly on the floor.
You can create more of a challenge by flipping palms up to face the ceiling. This will decrease stability while increasing core activity.
