You can cook a meal in 90 seconds in a microwave, you can get access to anything in the world in .80 seconds on the internet, you can try to find your husband or wife by dating 25 eligible men and women at once with speed dating, so it is no wonder that our workouts are getting shorter and shorter in this new age we live in. I have been teaching in the fitness industry for 18 years and let me tell you…things have changed! It used to be about going to the gym after work and taking a “few” aerobics classes, lifting weights, doing cardio, and that might have been a light day. The workout classes used to be an hour, sometimes even 2 hours. I used to teach a 2 hour class on Saturdays and Sundays at Nautilus Plus in Studio City for about 100 people per class. Who has that kind of time now? Those were the ‘80’s, before digital-camera-internet-computer cell phones and 60 second mystic tanning.

Since most of the classes in town were always 60-90 minutes the question now is, can you get a good workout and change your body in 30 minutes a day? The answer is yes! If you eat well, and often, so your blood sugar doesn’t drop (I believe in the 40/30/30) and get all the necessary elements of wellness, such as: plenty of water, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, sufficient lean protein, complex carbohydrates and enough sleep, then you can definitely benefit from 30 minutes a day of physical activity. The activity itself doesn’t matter, as long as it is anything that raises your heart rate to its fat burning level, which is 60-85% of your maximum heart rate. (220-your age=maximum heart rate, take 60% of that and you have your low end, take 85% of your maximum heart rate and you have your high end, you want your pulse to be between 60% and 85% to burn fat)

Here are my suggestions for your 30 minute workouts. I highly recommend cross training during these intervals. Because 30 minutes is not enough time to properly warm up, stretch, do cardiovascular work, do weight bearing exercises, strengthen your core (your stomach and back) and cool down, my advice is to alternate activities.

Every day you work out you should warm up for 5 minutes and cool down for 5 minutes to avoid injury. Monday-stretch for 10-15 minutes and do some yoga, then do 10 minutes of walking or hiking, then cool down for 5 minutes. Tuesday-lift weights for
10-15 minutes, jump rope for 5 minutes, then do floor work for 10 minutes, leg lifts, crunches, etc. Wednesday-go on a hike or walk on a treadmill on an incline, every 5 minutes stop and do some jumping jacks, push ups, lunges, etc. (some=10-25 reps). Keep alternating these activities everyday so you don’t allow your body to plateau.

The main thing to remember is to move. Do something, even if it is a quick run around the block, putting in a yoga tape and doing a portion of it, or doing some sit ups and push ups before bed. It all counts and it all adds up. The rewards are endless and the results are rewarding. Trust me, you will feel better about yourself instantly if you just do a little bit at a time.

I offer this type of cross training in all my classes and private training and I am available anytime if you have questions or would like some guidance in your fitness routine.