Get Fitter In Just 10 Minutes A Day!

It needn’t take long to get your body and mind in bettershape. Here’s how to find the time – however busy you are

- Tanya Pearey

Taking a few moments every day to devote to our health – mental and physical – can bring big rewards. But you don’t need to run a marathon or become a yoga master. In fact, just small chunks of time each day can deliver big results.

‘We’ve massively overcomplicated health,’ says TV GP Dr Rangan Chatterjee. ‘We think everything needs to take a long time and a lot of effort. But a five-minute walk around the block can make a difference.’

One of the reasons why it can is because if you make it small, you make it stick. Behavioural-change experts agree that aiming for small, achievable goals improves your chances of success. And it’s the consistency that’s key.

Ten minutes really can make a difference – if you do it regularly. And who can’t find 10 minutes in their day to improve their health and happiness? Even just slotting one of the following suggestions into your daily routine in 2021 can bring huge benefits.

KEEP HYDRATED

Drink water regularly throughout the day. Studies suggest that dehydration slows the rate at which muscle grows, and accelerates the speed at which it breaks down.

The 10-min workout

Resistance training builds muscle mass, which declines with age, to improve strength, balance and immune function.

HOW

• Aim to do some strength training a couple of times a week.

• Try resistance bands or loops. They’re easy and affordable and aren’t as bulky as weights.