Obesity Discussion Forums

[beautiful256]

Can anyone give me some good ideas for getting cardio in when you have very little time. I am a small business owner and spend 14 - 16 hours a day devoted to my business 7 days a week. I do not over eat, and I enjoy healthy eating. I just cant find the time to balance work and proper eating/exercise and be consistent.

[Obesity Discussion]

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is a great option, only 20 minutes of working out and it burns more fat than an hour or normal paced cardio.

[alohanema]

Thanks for your suggest, I find HIIT is a great exercise stragety for people have very little time. A HIIT session involves a warmup period, several short, maximum-intensity efforts separated by moderate recovery intervals, and a cooldown period. The period of alternating effort and recovery intervals typically lasts a total of 15 minutes.

[carinna]

Get on your exercise bike for 30 minutes every morning.
1) first 5 minutes should be warm-up - 60-65 rpm
2) then 5 minutes at 80-85 rpm
3) then 5 minutes at 90-100 rpm
4) go back to 80-85 rpm for 5 minutes
5) go back up to 90-100 rpm for another 5 minutes
6) last 5 minutes cool down to 65-70 rpm

This high-intensity workout will help you burn throughout the day. Let us know what you decide to do.

[tammiem]

Try doing a Google (or whatever search engine you love) search for "Work out at your desk". They were on Good Moring America the other day doing some things you can do while sitting at your desk. Have a great week.

[FinallyReady]

14-16 hours a day is a lot. every few hours (like 3) make yourself take a breather, and take a walk around the building, up and down some stairs, whatever. Getting outside is even better. 15, 20 minutes at a time. Not only will these breaks help you get your exercise in, but especially now the cold air will help refresh your mind for what you are working on.

[TBA]

I am a programmer that spends a lot of time at my desk and time tends to disappear on me. I try to drink a ton of water (which means frequent trips to the restroom!) and then I use the restroom on the floor 2 flights above me. So 3-5 times a day, I am going up 54 stairs, across the building, down 54 stairs to my desk. Breaking up the day like that gets my circulation going, keeps me more awake at work, and only takes a few minutes more than a regular bathroom break. I notice a difference when I don't do it.

[Fluffymomma]

I think I would pee myself if I had that plan, TBA! LOL

Seriously though, that's a great idea. I work all day at a desk but at home. So I do take a breather, do "something" even if it's to go get the mail just to move. Otherwise, I feel really sluggish.

[littleriddick]

Originally Posted by Obesity Discussion

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is a great option, only 20 minutes of working out and it burns more fat than an hour or normal paced cardio.

Agreed...The best bang for your buck...Also, you can try going for a walk during work...A lot of work buddies take a walk around the block to get some exercise...even if it's -10 outside... now that's dedication!

Also, don't forget about sleep....Sleep is very important when losing weight.. Make sure you get at least 7 hours of shut eye.... 8 hours is preferred, but I've been getting away with 7..

[matt007]

It only works if you're in a walkable area but walking to close errands or work or whatever isn't too far adds some exercise and doesn't take much extra time. I walk anywhere within a mile or two because it only adds a couple minutes and I get some free exercise. But I'm in the city, it probably wouldn't work if you're in the country. If you're within a couple miles biking is often faster than driving.

[littleriddick]

Originally Posted by matt007

It only works if you're in a walkable area but walking to close errands or work or whatever isn't too far adds some exercise and doesn't take much extra time. I walk anywhere within a mile or two because it only adds a couple minutes and I get some free exercise. But I'm in the city, it probably wouldn't work if you're in the country. If you're within a couple miles biking is often faster than driving.

Good point. This is part of the lifestyle changes that need to be included in our daily lives.

As an example, I used to take the car to all my destinations that were less than a 5 to 10 min drive. Nowadays, I take a walk, rollerblade(in the spring/summer), and use the local transit more often. Not only am I getting good exercise, but I'm also helping the environment...everyone wins..

It's the healthy lifestyle changes that we make in our current lives that will make a difference in the long run. It doesn't stop when we lose 5 lbs or 50 lbs....it's for life.... It's a lifestyle change.