Winter Workouts: How to Get Your Workout In When Time is of the Essence

Even though nearly everyone makes a New Year's Resolution to get healthy and exercise more, with the hustle and bustle of the New Year many people often lose track of time and don't stick to either of these resolutions.

Fortunately, there are plenty of exercises that you can do if you only have a little bit of time in your day to do them.

These “mini workout sessions” not only allow you to be physically active during your busy day, but they also help to alleviate stress and provide consistency in your sometimes crazy life.

If you have 10 minutes,

Warm up with one to two minutes of brisk walking, then alternate two minutes running with 30 seconds walking.

If you feel good, gradually increase the speed of your run segments. Repeat three times. Jog easy for one minute to cool down.

If you're stuck in the house, walk briskly from room to room and up and down stairs. Every minute, jog in place for 20 steps.

If you have 15 minutes,

Walk gently up and down a flight of stairs two or three times to warm up.

Then run up one flight and walk back down. Repeat four times, take a one-minute walk break on a flat surface, then continue the sequence as time allows.

If you're in a stairwell, run up two flights of stairs, walk down, repeat, then take a walk break.

If you have 20 minutes,

On an out-and-back route, walk for one minute, then alternate 30 seconds walking with 30 seconds running for three minutes.

For the next six minutes, run/walk using any ratio you wish. At the 10-minute mark, turn around.

For the next nine minutes, run/walk whatever ratio you'd like, but pick up the pace during the run portion.

Cool down for one minute.

If you have 30 minutes,

Walk for two minutes, then alternate 30 seconds walking with 30 seconds running for six minutes.

For the next 20 minutes, alternate jogging for one minute, running a faster pace for one minute, jogging one minute, walking one minute. Repeat the sequence five times.

Walk or jog two minutes to cool down.

Good luck with these “mini” winter workout sessions and here's to keep at least one of those New Year's Resolutions!