One of the biggest myths when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle is this:

You need to exercise for 30-60+ minutes per day in order to get the maximum health benefits from exercising and to be truly healthy & fit.

If that sounds similar to your current beliefs about exercise, you’re definitely not alone — I grew up hearing & believing this, too. Which is why I’m so excited to shed some light on the truth! Settle in for some serious myth-busting, my friend! 🙃

But before we dive in, make sure you download the free Weekly Workout Planner.  You’ll see an example of a week’s worth of MY workouts — and believe me, most weeks I don’t even work out for an hour total PER WEEK, let alone per day!  And you’ll also be able to start creating your own workout plan & revving up your fitness motivation.  Click below to download it! ☺️

Alrighty, here’s the real truth & the main problems with the exercise myth I mentioned above:

1. The most effective types of exercise for metabolism, fat-burning, weight loss, balancing hormones, reducing stress, & overall health are high-intensity & short-duration workouts (done at 80-100% of your maximum output).

These workouts cause a metabolic & hormonal response in your body that allows you to burn fat for up to 24-48 hours AFTER the workout! Um, #yesplease! 🙋🏽 You don’t need any equipment (or very minimal), & you can do them anywhere (including from the comfort of your own home — my favorite!)

And the best part??? They literally only take 5-15 minutes! 😄

2. 30-60+ minute aerobic workouts (like long-distance running, jogging on a treadmill, or using an elliptical or cycling machine) are usually done at a lower-intensity & steady pace.

Because of this, classic aerobic workouts don’t create the fat-burning, metabolic, & hormonal responses that high-intensity/short-duration workouts do, which are sooo effective for weight management & overall health.

In fact, longer-duration/lower-intensity workouts can actually increase cortisol levels (stress hormone! 😬) — which can lead to weight loss resistance, cause inflammation, & negatively affect your health.

3. Working out for 30-60+ minutes per day can feel overwhelming, which can stifle your motivation & prevent you from taking action.

By working out for LESS time, you not only save time (time no longer becomes a valid excuse 🙃), but you also reap all the benefits of high-intensity workouts that you typically wouldn’t get if you were to do a lower-intensity/longer-duration workout.

When you think about your workout only taking 5-15 minutes (rather than 30-60+ minutes), it makes it sooo much easier to wrap your brain around, fit into your schedule, have the motivation, & therefore actually DO IT!

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Note: If you’re the kind of person who LOVES long-distance running or jamming out on an elliptical machine for an hour, great!! (I don’t know how people actually ENJOY that, but it’s awesome if you’ve found a kind of exercise that you love! 😉)

I’m not saying that you should stop doing lower-intensity/long-duration workouts if you truly enjoy them.  When it comes down to it, the MOST important thing about exercise is that you DO it — so whatever style you prefer is always going to be better than nothing!

BUT, I would recommend switching up your workouts & adding in some high-intensity, short-duration workouts, so that you can reap all the wonderful benefits & you’re not always spiking your cortisol levels.

For those of us that DON’T particularly love working out for long periods of time (yes, that includes me!!), find freedom & motivation in knowing that YOU DON’T HAVE TO! 🤗

You can absolutely get in the shape of your life, create your dream body, & reach your optimal health by working out for less than 15 minutes per day, 4-6 days per week.

This Weekly Workout Planner will help you plan out your workouts each week, track your results & positive takeaways, and work towards your fitness goals.  Download it for free below! ☺️

I want to do everything I can to encourage you, support you, motivate you, & help you throw out any excuses you might have!  Along with downloading the Weekly Workout Planner, make sure you check out these 2 posts & resources that will help you transform your fitness:

1. My Top 12 Favorite Fat-Burning Workouts for a Rockin’ Body: Get some fitness inspiration from 12 of my go-to high-intensity workouts that can be done in 15 minutes or less — plus, you can download the Rockin’ Body Workout Cards.
2. How to Create Your Own Fat-Burning, High-Intensity Workout: This one comes with a free workbook that walks you through step-by-step the process of creating your OWN high-intensity/short-duration workouts. You’ll never run out of workout ideas again!

I hope this myth-busting sesh was encouraging for you, and that you now understand why you DON’T need to work out for longer amounts of time.

And now that you know that you don’t have to work out for an hour per day to get super-fit & healthy, tell me:

What would YOU like to do with all that extra time in your day?! Leave a comment below this post!

Maybe you’ll get caught up or ahead on a work project, make a healthy dinner, enjoy some much-needed relaxation time, spend extra time with family or friends, or possibly some puppy snuggles + Netflix… ← (at least that’s what I’d do… 🤓)

Cheers to 10-minute workouts followed by 24-48 hours of fat-burning!  🙌

P.S. If you’re craving more motivation, camaraderie, & inspiration when it comes to your fitness or living a healthy lifestyle in general, make sure you connect with me on your favorite social media platforms (just click the social icons at the bottom of this page). I’d love to encourage you! ☺️