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A 15-Minute Tone-up
15 minute a day tone up

You do not have to work out everyday for hours, you only need to be consistent even with just 15 minutes a day

You probably are saying �Oh no, not again! Not another fitness gimmick on how to lose 40 pounds and shape up in just 15 minutes a day!� Well, I cannot blame you with so many confusing messages on health and fitness these days. One expert tells you to exercise using several reps, while another says you need only one set per body part. Then there are the magical diets that �promise� and �guarantee� weight loss in just days. Even I get confused! However, the �truth� is� some fitness is better than none at all. Likewise, opting for healthy food choices as often as possible is better than eating poorly all the time.

I hope you get my point. No one, including me, lives a completely healthy lifestyle every minute of every day, and the good news is�you do not have to in order to be healthy. That would be boring.

I would much rather see individuals enjoy the flavors of food in moderation while adhering to an overall awareness of healthy food choices the rest of the time. The same goes for exercise, you do not have to work out everyday for hours � especially if you do not like the feel of exercise. You only need to be consistent from week to week and month-to-month to stimulate your muscle�s memory bank. This will sustain and increase your fitness level, even with just 15 minutes a day.

Research concurs that frequency and intensity are the important combination when determining a level of fitness conditioning and not so much the duration of a session. Coupled with smart food choices as often as possible each week and all will add up to a healthier quality of life, guaranteed!

Fifteen minutes a day of exercise will improve your health indicators such as; heart strength, blood pressure, stress levels, and weight, to name a few. The US government health agencies encourage all Americans to get at least 30-60 minutes of rigorous exercise and or activity each day. For individuals who are excessively overweight and or obese, the recommendation is 60-90 minutes per day. I believe in these guidelines, but I realize we cannot always hit the mark. Rather than be discouraged or feel defeated before you even begin, remember that a healthy lifestyle starts with doing healthy things consistently over time. So if you cannot do 60 or 90 minutes per day, try a shorter time span like 30 or even 15 minutes and always strive to do a little or more each time, as you are able. Here is a 15-minute strength training routine that you can do in your kitchen or any other room in the house using safe, immovable objects. In fact, very little or no equipment can be used to stimulate your heart rate, tone muscles and burn calories and fat.

Perform this routine 3-5 times each week or whenever you need to get a short, but effective healthy activity into your daily schedule.

15-Minute Total Body Toner
Start: Calf stretch (30 seconds/calf)
*Squat (15-20 repetitions)
Calf raises (15-20 repetitions)
Quadriceps stretch (30 seconds/leg)
Hamstring stretch (30 seconds both)
Crunches (15-20 reps)
Cat backs (15-20 reps)
* Push-Ups (assisted) (10-20 reps)
* Shoulder blade retractions (10-15 reps)
*Tricep (15-20 reps)
*Bicep Curls (10-15 reps)
4 way neck stretch (30 seconds/each way)

Remember to keep a steady and safe pace throughout this routine and never push yourself to where you feel uncomfortable while exercising. Always seek the advice of your doctor and a health professional before performing this or any other exercise routine.

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"A 15-Minute Tone-up"
authored by:

Michael Sena has been motivating, educating, and inspiring individuals in the field of health and fitness for the past 25 years. He is a nationally recognized fitness expert and maintains an academic certification as a Fitness Specialist. Recently, M...

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