Nowadays, health and fitness are all the rage, and many are looking for different ways to lose weight. However, I’m sure we can all relate to how difficult it can be to fit long workouts into our daily routine, and how exercising can seem like such a chore.
Well, did you know that 15 minutes of exercise a day is actually all you need to lose weight? Yes, you heard me right! This post will tell you all you need to know about how beneficial it can be to do just 15 minutes of exercise every day.
Is Working Out 15 Minutes a Day Enough?
For all those busy bees out there, or those who just don’t like doing hours of exercise (let’s be honest, who does!), you will be very pleased to know that 15 minutes of exercise a day is all you need to lose weight and get into shape.
It has actually been proven that doing just 15 minutes of exercise a day can increase your life expectancy by three years and can bring so many benefits to your physical and mental wellbeing.
Is 15 Minutes of Cardio a Day Enough?
15 minutes of cardio a day is enough to lose weight, with HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) being the best type of workout you can do.
Cardio can be something many people dread, but it is essential for burning fat. HIIT is a great way you can fit cardio into your daily routine; it can be completed easily in 15 minutes, and you will actually enjoy yourself whilst doing it! HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training and consists of repeating a number of moves with short time intervals (e.g. 45 seconds on and 15 second break).
Due to the high intensity, it only takes a short time for you to burn lots of calories, and so is sufficient for your days’ worth of exercise. It’s short, but you will be sweating buckets after!
Is 15 Minutes of Exercise Enough to Build Muscle?
15 minutes of exercise is more than enough to gain muscle, as long as you make every minute count, and are consistent by doing 15 minutes every single day.
When it comes to building muscle, it isn’t the length of the workout that matters, but the quality. It is best to do workouts that include reps of different moves, and you need to make sure you are really engaging the muscles you want to work the whole time. The 15 minutes doesn’t allow for setting up or daydreaming; you need to maximise that time and make sure you are getting as many reps in as you can.
Is 15 Minutes of Weight Training Enough?
15 minutes of weight training is enough for if you are wanting to gain a bit of strength and even out your muscle tone.
If you are starting off on your weight training journey and are just looking to get a bit stronger and tone up your arms and legs, then a good quality 15-minute weight training workout is perfect for you. It is manageable to fit into your day and won’t be too strenuous on your muscles or joint. However, if you want to body build and get into CrossFit training, then 15 minutes won’t quite be enough.
How Many Calories do you Burn in 15 Minutes of Exercise?
You can burn 150-300 calories doing HIIT workouts for 15 minutes, and around 120 when running for 15 minutes at a moderately fast pace.
The exact number of calories you will burn during a 15-minute workout will depend on the intensity of the exercise you are doing, and will also depend on personal factors such as your BMI, weight etc. However, on average a good 15-minute workout should get you burning between 100 and 150 calories. This, alongside a normal busy daily routine where you are out and about a lot, will have you losing weight in no time.
Can you Lose Weight Exercising 15 Minutes a Day?
It only takes your body 15 minutes to use up all your sugar reserves and turn to burning fat as a fuel. Therefore, you can lose weight from doing just 15 minutes of exercise a day.
The more intense the workout you do in that 15 minutes, the more fat you will burn, and therefore the more weight you will lose. Due to the fact that the workout is only short, you need to ensure your form is perfect and that you are consistently doing 15 minutes of quality exercise every single day. As long as you do this, then a daily 15-minute workout is all you need to lose weight.
Working Out 15 Minutes Twice a Day
If you have time, then doing two 15-minute exercises in a day can allow you to lose significantly more weight.
The more exercise you do, the more calories you can burn. Therefore, if you can do two 15-minute workouts, both of a high intensity with good form, then you will be able to double how much fat you burn, and so can lose weight almost twice as fast! One exercise in the morning and one in the evening is the best way to fit them into your day!
So, now you know that 15 minutes of exercise, whether that be cardio or weight training, is all you need to lose weight and get into shape. You can burn fat and feel good about yourself without having to take hours out of your day. So, pull up a 15-minute HIIT workout on YouTube, or search for a quick weight training routine online, and get that sweat on!