10-15 minutes a day, does it work?

[newmoon]

has anyone actually tried (long-term) and had success with the 10-15 minute daily workouts they say can lead to fitness/weight loss?

 

i do 45 min. per day, 6x a week of various exercises and aerobics and would love to get the same benefits by doing less minutes per day. i always feel very guilty stopping after 15 minutes, as though i didn't do enough to be effective.

[Light Breeze]

I do 15 minutes HIIT cardio 3x a week. The other 3 days would be reserved for calisthenics or weights.

 

I started HIIT 2 years ago and I really lost a lot of weight with a good diet.

 

Try HIIT, its only 15 min. Tops but the amount of calories you burn will be as much as, let's say, 1 hr steady state cardio

[Imported]

I guess it's better than nothing. Doesn't mean it's the best thing you can do or even close.

 

Just like the low intensity be in the "fat burn" range, work "smarter not harder" ****.

 

I'm all for working out smarter, but your effort usually equals your results.

 

Also, some peoples 45 minutes is less working out than some peoples 15 minutes. Really depends on what you do with that time.

Edited December 24, 2014 by Imported

[writergal]

When you lose weight, you breathe it out according to this new study.

 

When you lose weight, where does the fat go? Most of the mass is breathed out as carbon dioxide, study shows -- ScienceDaily

 

I think any form of exercise that raises your heart rate is good for you whether it's for 10, 15, 20, 30 minutes or longer. As long as you do some form of activity every day, you will lose weight.

 

Doesn't matter if you eat junk food either. That's a myth. Cleansing, dieting, won't promote healthy weight loss. Regular activity will promote weight loss.

[AVarma]

I find I need at least an hour, 3 times a week to see results. 10-15 minutes sounds like a warm-up rather than a real workout.

[pink_sugar]

If you're target toning more than trying to lose weight, it does work. Say you just need to work on abs or thighs or whatever.

[newmoon]

I do 15 minutes HIIT cardio 3x a week. The other 3 days would be reserved for calisthenics or weights.

 

I started HIIT 2 years ago and I really lost a lot of weight with a good diet.

 

Try HIIT, its only 15 min. Tops but the amount of calories you burn will be as much as, let's say, 1 hr steady state cardio

 

i have started this instead of my longer sessions. this is what i meant by does it work. because even though it's 15-20 minutes it doesn't *feel* like enough. but perhaps it is. they say the intervals really help, so i'll try it for a while. thanks.

[Robert Z]

Doesn't matter if you eat junk food either. That's a myth. Cleansing, dieting, won't promote healthy weight loss. Regular activity will promote weight loss.

 

 

I completely disagree. Dieting and cleansing don't work, but a healthy diet is key. In fact, it is generally estimated that about 80% of weight loss is diet, and 20% is exercise. You exercise to be fit and control diet to control weight.

 

There is a big difference between dieting and eating well.

 

It is physically impossible for most people to work off a bad diet. It is basic physics. And the consumption of too many calories is the main reason for obesity.

 

 

PS, I lost about 65 pounds, have maintained the weight loss for 3 years, and am well on my way to being ripped.

Edited December 24, 2014 by Robert Z

[Light Breeze]

i have started this instead of my longer sessions. this is what i meant by does it work. because even though it's 15-20 minutes it doesn't *feel* like enough. but perhaps it is. they say the intervals really help, so i'll try it for a while. thanks.

 

It worked for me.

 

When I got stronger stamina I started sprint HIIT. It's very difficult to finish and afterwards you just can't move for a good long time. I tried this for 3 months and lost a lot of body fat. I plateud though, that's why I included calisthenics, then free weights. Building lean muscle, is one of the most effective ways to cut down fat.

 

But, as robert Z said 80% of it is nutrition. Exercise, cardio in particular, is just to increase your caloric deficit so that you burn more fat.

 

If you want to cut down the body fat I suggest count your calories and eat at a healthy deficit. And oh, don't forget your macros - fat, carbs, protein.

[Andy_K]

HIIT will work. You could for example, sprint 60-100m, walk back, sprint it again, and repeat for 15 mins. You will feel utterly drained by the end of it.

 

The key of course, is the intensity. When I say 'sprint', I really do mean 100% flat out, not 'running' or 'jogging', but sprinting like your life depends on it.

 

Combined with the proper nutrition and diet plan, you'll both lose weight and tone up.

[Maleficent]

I completely disagree. Dieting and cleansing don't work, but a healthy diet is key. In fact, it is generally estimated that about 80% of weight loss is diet, and 20% is exercise. You exercise to be fit and control diet to control weight.

 

There is a big difference between dieting and eating well.

 

It is physically impossible for most people to work off a bad diet. It is basic physics. And the consumption of too many calories is the main reason for obesity.

 

 

PS, I lost about 65 pounds, have maintained the weight loss for 3 years, and am well on my way to being ripped.

 

I somewhat disagree. I lost 15 pounds when I started doing crossfit without ever being careful what I ate. And I did not eat well.

It got to a point where I stopped losing though and to continue losing weight I had to be smarter about what I ate.

 

Hence why I somewhat disagree. But I'll agree you can't get ripped on a **** diet.

 

To answer OP. I believe the absolute minimum is about 30 minutes walking per day.

[thefooloftheyear]

I somewhat disagree. I lost 15 pounds when I started doing crossfit without ever being careful what I ate. And I did not eat well.

It got to a point where I stopped losing though and to continue losing weight I had to be smarter about what I ate.

 

Hence why I somewhat disagree. But I'll agree you can't get ripped on a **** diet.

 

To answer OP. I believe the absolute minimum is about 30 minutes walking per day.

 

Ill disagree somewhat with both of you.....

 

My dad was pretty much ripped,(if I had to guess, Id say he was never more than 12% bf at worst-usually less and uner 10%) despite not working out for decades, smoking 3 packs a day and living on a diet of junk food, macaroni, bread and butter, donuts and soda..

 

I worked with a Jamaican guy years ago that was shredded(def less than 10%), despite being a heavy smoker and eating greasy meat pies and other garbage food..

 

I dated a girl, that was a size 0, yet ate nothing but chips, fast food, and other junk....She didnt work out at all..

 

Genetics are key here..That and it takes a mountain of food before you ever lift a finger, just to maintain a very muscular person-especially a muscular adult male...That factors in as well..But yes, for the majority of people, the principles you mention hold true...Im a big believer that activity trumps diet, though...

 

As for the original question...I dont believe that long term, a 10-15 min plan will work...If I am in a situation where its prohibitive for me time wise to train longer, what I will do is just 5 or 6 sets to total failure of the nuscle...Its not something thats a long term thing, but it does work for the times when I am in a jam..

 

TFY

[nofeelings22]

I completely disagree. Dieting and cleansing don't work, but a healthy diet is key. In fact, it is generally estimated that about 80% of weight loss is diet, and 20% is exercise. You exercise to be fit and control diet to control weight.

 

There is a big difference between dieting and eating well.

 

It is physically impossible for most people to work off a bad diet. It is basic physics. And the consumption of too many calories is the main reason for obesity.

 

 

PS, I lost about 65 pounds, have maintained the weight loss for 3 years, and am well on my way to being ripped.

 

 

This is accurate.

 

Look at all those huge people you see jogging. They work their tails off then eat bad food all week long, sit at a desk. get Starbucks, eat sugary whatevers, etc.

 

The way you eat is the primary foundation of your body/health.

 

Bur 15 minutes is better than nothing exercising. The 45 is better yet.

[Cali408]

Yes, absolutely works. But as Robert said, 80% eating.

 

Sprints, (ever see a fat sprinter or wide receiver?)

Circuit training

Barbell /dumbbell/ kettlebell complexes

 

200 swings of a kettlebell

[Eternal Sunshine]

I found that the key to maintaining my weight is doing heavy weights and skipping the cardio all together. I only do cardio 5 mins max to warm up for the weight session. Then you just let your metabolism speed up and work off the body fat for you

[HazyCosmicJive]

I completely disagree. Dieting and cleansing don't work, but a healthy diet is key. In fact, it is generally estimated that about 80% of weight loss is diet, and 20% is exercise. You exercise to be fit and control diet to control weight.

 

There is a big difference between dieting and eating well.

 

It is physically impossible for most people to work off a bad diet. It is basic physics. And the consumption of too many calories is the main reason for obesity.

 

 

PS, I lost about 65 pounds, have maintained the weight loss for 3 years, and am well on my way to being ripped.

 

I agree with this. Weight loss is mostly diet and portion control. But "dieting" is a waste of time because as long as you see it as something with a beginning and an end you will fail. Eating properly needs to be a habit.

[austyre]

losing weight is ALL diet if you want tone/fitness workout but don't use it as your main weight loss because you will be chasing a carrot good diet is the only way

you have to make a lifestyle choice with diet fitness comes and goes but unless you are prepared to workout 30 minutes a day for the rest of your life then good luck what people need is lifestyle change and developing good habits and making health a priority

[thefooloftheyear]

For those that think its ALL diet, ponder this.....

 

Take a look at the average kid you see....Most are overweight and lack any muscle tone...I grew up as a kid in the 70's and 80's....We ate FAR more junk and our diets were worse than those kids today....Yet virtually very few fat kids...The main reason is that we never stopped moving around...and no cell phone screen to stare at all day....

 

No one is saying to stuff your face with junk food, but also consider this...I am a 220+ lb adult male with very little body fat..My "diet" consists of 7,000 calories a day, broken up in about 7/8 "meals"...The average sedentary person may consume that much food in an entire week, and could never consume that much food without becoming obese..The reason I can do it is because I have a lot of muscle mass and a very active life..Iva also read somewhere that Michael Phelps consumes around 5K calories a day...How much fat does he have?

 

Point is, without physical activity and a base of muscle mass(man or woman), its very hard for any diet to work over the long term..Boredom sets in and its difficult to sustain that type of lifestyle over time..And many people report that as the body adjusts to the lower intake, then losing any additional weight becomes harder, therefore you need to decrease food intake even further..Its a difficult path this way...

 

When you are a highly active person, your body becomes a furnace, even without lifting a finger...People like this literally lose weight in their sleep..and occasional binges dont affect us like they do others that arent as active...

 

TFY