Can 10 Minutes of Exercise a Day Help You Lose Weight? Find Out
Can 10 minutes of exercise a day help you lose weight? I will aim to answer this question for you in this blog.
In a world where time is a precious thing and we all are running short of it. The idea of achieving weight loss goals with such a minimal time investment on a daily basis is interesting.
While the short answer is YES, there are some important things one needs to take care of while doing 10 minutes of exercise.
So how many people will start investing 10 minutes every day in exercise, wellbeing and continue to do so for years to come?
Types of Exercise in 10 Minutes:
Is 10 minutes of exercise a day enough? When we are considering short workouts which can be done in 10 minutes, there are many options like walking, running, swimming, and dancing.
These activities engage your major muscle groups and make them effective choices for weight loss.
Here are some examples, of how to do it and how it benefits, this will you help start on this journey of 10 minutes of exercise every day.
Example 1: Arm Circles
Arm circles exercise can be don in very less time that strengthens the arms, shoulders, and upper back muscles.
It is done by moving your arms in circular motions (clockwise and anticlockwise), hence the name “arm circles.” Depending on your level of fitness and preferred intensity, you can perform this exercise either way.
Steps To Perform Arm Circles:
- Step 1: Stand up straight with your feet a little width apart.
- Step 2: Extend your arms out to your sides, parallel to the ground,
- Step 3: Begin making small circular motions with your arms, as if you were drawing circles in the air.
- Step 4: Gradually increase the size of the circles, maintaining a controlled and smooth motion.
- Step 5: After a certain number of repetitions or a specified time, reverse the direction of the circles and continue for the same duration.
Benefits of doing Arm Circles:
Improves shoulder mobility and flexibility:
The shoulder joint is subjected to a broad range of motion during arm circles. When you do regular exercise it helps your shoulder joint to become more flexible and mobile.
When performing tasks/activities that require lifting or throwing motions, this exercise can be especially helpful.
Strengthens the muscles in your upper body:
Arm circles work a variety of muscles in your shoulders, upper back, and arms, despite their seeming simplicity. The shoulder muscles, the upper back muscles, and arm muscles can be strengthened by practicing arm circles exercise on a regular basis.
Your overall strength can benefit from strengthening these muscles.
Example 2: Brisk Walking
Brisk Walking exercise can be done by walking at a faster pace than your usual/normal walk. Now brisk walking exercise is a simple activity, it can be done either indoors or outdoors, I suggest doing it outdoors.
This even does not require any special equipment.
Steps To Perform Brisk Walking:
- Step 1: Start by standing tall with good posture, relaxing your shoulders, and swinging your arms naturally.
- Step 2: Begin walking at a pace that is faster than your normal walking speed. Now you should feel that your breaths need effort, but still, you are able to carry on a conversation.
- Step 3: Maintain a steady and brisk pace, aiming to cover a distance or walk for a specific duration of time.
- Step 4: Keep your stride length comfortable and natural, taking slightly longer steps than during regular walking.
- Step 5: Focus on maintaining a consistent and rhythmic movement, using your whole foot, from heel to toe, to propel yourself forward.
Benefits of Brisk Walking:
Cardiovascular health:
Brisk walking is an excellent aerobic exercise that gets your heart pumping and increases your breathing rate.
Weight management and muscle toning:
Brisk walking is a low-impact activity that can aid in weight management and calorie burning.
Example 3: Jumping Rope
While doing Jumping Rope exercise you jump over a rope as it swings under your feet. This exercise offers a wide range of benefits for your fitness.
Steps To perform Jumping Rope:
- Step 1: Start by holding the handles of a jump rope, one in each hand, with the rope resting behind you.
- Step 2: Position your feet together, and swing the rope over your head and in front of your body.
- Step 3: As the rope reaches the front of your body, jump off the ground slightly, just enough to allow the rope to pass under your feet.
- Step 4: Land softly on the balls of your feet and repeat the motion in a continuous rhythm, jumping over the rope with each rotation.
Benefits of Doing Jumping Rope:
Cardiovascular fitness:
Jumping rope is a good cardiovascular exercise that increases your heart rate and challenges your cardiovascular system.
It increases your breathing rate and this help to improve lung capacity. Regularly doing jumping rope exercises can enhance your stamina.
Coordination and agility:
Jumping rope requires coordination and timing, as you need to jump over the rope with each rotation. Improved coordination can benefit you in various sports and activities.
Will 10 minutes of exercise daily help lose weight
YES, incorporating 10 minutes of exercise into your daily routine can help you lose weight. Even brief bursts of consistent daily exercise, even if they don’t seem like much time, can help with weight loss over the long term.
Exercise increases your metabolism, and encourages fat burning. Exercise should be done in conjunction with a healthy, balanced diet, and training intensity and length should be gradually increased for the best benefits.
As you become more comfortable, remember to start with smaller circles and progressively increase their size and intensity. It’s crucial to stop exercising and speak with a fitness expert or doctor if you feel any pain or discomfort.
A warm-up program can also be used before performing exercises or physical activities.
Making the Most of Your 10 Minute Workout:
Here are some tips:
- Set A Timer
- Choose High-intensity Exercises
- Incorporate Compound Exercises
- Prioritize Intensity Over Duration
- Incorporate Circuit Training
- Utilize Bodyweight Exercises
- Add Bursts Of Cardio
- Make It Fun With Music
- Stay Consistent
Set a timer:
Use a timer or a stopwatch to keep track of your 10 minute workout. This will help you stay focused and ensure that you dedicate the full duration to exercise.
Choose high-intensity exercises:
Opt. for exercises that elevate your heart rate and engage multiple muscle groups.
Incorporate compound exercises:
When you do compound exercises, you involve multiple joints and muscle groups, allowing you to work on more muscles at the same time.
Examples – squats, lunges, push-ups, and burpees. These exercises provide a greater overall challenge and promote muscle growth.
Prioritize intensity over duration:
Since you have limited time, focus on maximising the intensity of your workout. Push yourself to work harder, increase your speed or resistance, and challenge your limits within the given timeframe.
Incorporate circuit training:
During circuit training, you perform a series of exercises one after the other in sequence with minimal rest in between.
This allows you to target different muscle groups and maintain an elevated heart rate throughout the 10 minutes. It is an easy and time-saving full-body workout.
Utilize bodyweight to exercises:
Great news is bodyweight exercises do no require additional equipment/weights and you can perform them anywhere.
They are convenient, efficient, and effective for building strength and burning calories within a short period.
Add bursts of cardio:
Integrate short bursts of cardio exercises like jumping jacks, high knees, or skipping rope into your routine. These exercises raise your heart rate and increase calorie burn in a short amount of time.
Make it fun with music:
Listen to upbeat music while exercising. When you listen to music it helps to increase your concentration and helps you make the most of your 10-minute workout.
Stay consistent:
Consistency is key. Plan to incorporate 10 minutes of exercise into your daily routine.
FAQ:
Will I see significant weight loss by only exercising for 10 minutes a day?
While 10 minutes of exercise can contribute to weight loss, significant results may require additional effort.
Can I break down the 10-minute exercise into smaller sessions?
Yes, breaking down your 10-minute exercise into smaller sessions throughout the day can be equally effective in terms of cumulative health benefits and weight loss.
Can I achieve my weight loss goals without altering my diet?
Doing exercise daily and having a balanced diet will help you better in achieving your weight loss goals, only doing one thing may not work.
Conclusion
It is all about starting it for the first time and continue to develop as habit. Any amount of physical activity on daily basis will increase your stamina.
When you are doing exercise or physical activity which involves most of your body will help you to loose weight over the period of time.
You will also need to focus on other aspects of weight loss too.
So, start exercise today and invest in your physical health. Let me know your thoughts/experience in comment section below.