Burn More In Less Time

Fifteen minutes is all you need for a good cardio workout. If you do not have time to drive to a gym, purchase a stationary bike or other cardio devices to keep at home. If this is not an option, you can do some cardio by running around your neighborhood, sprinting in your yard, or training right inside your house.

If you choose to run in your neighborhood, wear a runner’s watch so that you can keep track of the time.

To do some cardio training in the privacy of your own home requires some creativity. If you have stairs, run up and down the steps to train.

You can also run in place while watching television. For example, run in place for five minutes, then drop to the floor and do some sit-ups for another five minutes. Do another five minutes of cardio to finish your quick workout.

If you have a set of weights at home, you can perform a short workout several times a week for training. If you do not own any weights, use household items instead or use your own body weight by doing push-ups.
To do a quick 15-minute upper body workout, loosen up by doing some stretches and then get down on the floor into push-up position. Do 20 push-ups if you are able, then stand up and stretch your arms. If you have a dumbbell, perform 10 biceps curls with each arm. You can also use a suitcase filled with books if you do not have a dumbbell.

After you train your biceps, use a chair to perform some dips. Sit down in the chair and grip the front edge of the chair with your fingers, then extend your legs out in front with your toes pointed toward the ceiling. Slide off of the chair and hold yourself up with your arms. Bend your arms at the elbows and slowly lower your body toward the floor until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Then push yourself back up to the starting position. Do 10 dips and then repeat the three exercises.

It is important to feed your body to help repair muscle tissues and replenish glycogen stores, which are depleted after a workout. Don’t starve after a workout!

Don’t starve after a workout!
When working out, your body burns fat to be used as energy. After working out, your body needs to start restoring and repairing itself from your training session. In other words, it needs calories. In fact immediately after your workout is the best time to eat. Your body will automatically use the calories you eat for repair and recovery, which is good, and not for storing fat.

Ideally, you should eat a snack with protein and complex carbohydrates along with 8 ounces of water to hydrate.

If your workout is longer than 60 minutes, ideally, you need a replenishing drink like a protein shake with some carbs in it, which doesn’t require much digestion. A higher glycemic carb like banana is great. Its rapid digestion and absorption make it optimal for uptake into recently worked muscle tissue for the replenishing of muscle glycogen. Team this with peanut butter or some cheese.
So, take advantage of the metabolic and hormonal changes that happen post workout to refuel and enjoy a good snack.