Think you have to work out for a solid hour to see results? Always telling yourself you have no time to exercise? Then listen up. It turns out that people who "exercise snack" - fitting in bite-size workouts more frequently - are better able to stay motivated and fitter in the long term than those who do longer but fewer workouts*.
According to the Human Performance Institute, working out at high intensity for just seven minutes significantly improves muscular strength and cardio fitness, which is great for your heart and lungs. What's more, it can do you more good than one epic gym session a week.
Cecilia Harris, founder of fitness app Results Wellness Lifestyle, says the biggest mistake people make is working out for too long. "Unfortunately, people have been led to believe they have to exercise for an hour or attend a 45-minute class for their exercise to be 'worth it', but this simply isn't the case," she says. "As soon as people realise a seven-minute workout is enough to give them huge benefits to their health, the better the results they get."
Why seven-minute workouts really work
We all know that finding the motivation to exercise isn't easy, and 'I don't have time' can often be a huge mental barrier. Life coach Jeff Spires says when you are able to convince yourself that you do have time, it can be a game-changer.
"When you think you need to commit to an hour or even 30 minutes of your day to exercise, it can feel overwhelming," he explains. "But seven minutes? Your brain will accept that is reasonable because, let's face it, we can all put aside seven minutes in a day."
They help to increase motivation
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