The short answer? Yes.
You see some people working out for hours on end but many of us don’t have the luxury of dedicating that amount of time. Between kids, work and chores, exercise can drop to the bottom of our list of priorities because we believe that if we can’t dedicate to exercising for 2-3 hours, it’s not worth it.
Good health is one of, if not THE, most important things for our longevity and happiness. Time doesn’t need to be your enemy. You can still reap benefits from exercising on a regular basis for 15 minutes a day.
15 minutes is doable
Have you ever thought about working out and then realised you only have 20 minutes, at which point you decide that isn’t long enough so you don’t bother doing any? Well now you have no excuse. You CAN easily find, or make, 15 minutes in a day to move your body. I bet you could make the time for something you perceive to be fun, important, or worthwhile, like a night out with friends, watching the new Netflix series, or attending your dental appointments. So why not something that is improving your health?
Burns extra calories
10-15 minutes a day is enough exercise to burn calories, improve heart strength and increase your fitness so you are ready for longer workouts. If you are sedentary you will see your greatest gains from doing short workouts to begin with. The great thing about exercise is that the more you do, the more you want to do!
Builds muscle mass
As we age we start to lose muscle mass. Women in particular suffer a decline in muscle mass from the age of 35 and over. Short, intense workouts can target more than one muscle group to increase strength and build more muscle mass.
Increases your metabolism
With a decrease in muscle mass, our metabolism drops and this is when we find we are gaining weight, particularly around our mid-section. The more body weight training we do and the more muscle mass we gain, the faster our metabolism.
Releases feel good endorphins
When you exercise your body will release chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins trigger a positive feeling in the body and lift your mood. When your mood is lifted, you are more motivated to workout and more pleasant to be around!
It’s fun!
Ballet workouts are fun and are a great ‘in the moment’ activity. You have to focus on your body during these workouts, which means you are switching off completely from daily life. It provides a distraction to any ongoing worries you have and so is good for your mental health.
“My body has changed in a week, I’m amazed!”, Jane, following 15 minute workouts during the 5-Day Ballet Abs Challenge
So don’t let a perceived lack of time stop you from doing what is best for you and your body. You don’t need to take an all or nothing approach to your fitness. It doesn’t need to be perfect and you don’t need fancy equipment, or new workout gear. Save time by scheduling in a short workout at home every day and see for yourself what you can achieve.
Sarah is the founder of Breaking Ballet, a unique fitness course using classical technique. Click here to find out more.
