Here’s a five-minute workout that busy people can do

Being busy is no excuse for you not to stay fit!

Exercising should still be on your daily schedule because it is vital to your overall well-being. In fact, according to Dr. Susan Cheng of Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital, physical activities are super beneficial in that they facilitate in reducing weight, lowering blood pressure, preventing diabetes, improving cholesterol, and increasing muscle strength.

But beyond the obvious health benefits, exercise can also help improve your sleep quality, sharpen your mind, and improve your mood.

But how much exercise should you do? According to Dr. Cheng, a 30-minute workout should be good. But keep in mind that the activity should not be too strenuous that you forget about having fun.

If you are busy though, you can also do a few rounds of five-minute workouts scattered throughout the day.

Here’s what we recommend.

Burpees

This fat-burning exercise is an intense workout in itself.

Stand with your feet wide apart, putting your weight in your heels. Keep your arms at your sides in this preparatory position.

Now, aim for a squat by pushing your hips to the back, bending your knees, and finally lowering your body. Immediately put your hands on the floor directly in front of you. At this point, it is important to shift your weight onto your hands.

Complete a 40-second round.

Push-ups

This calisthenics exercise may seem simple to do but a lot of people do push-ups the wrong way and end up hurting themselves.

To avoid getting injured, start with the correct form. Position your body in a rigid plank, fully extending your arms and with your hands, elbows, and shoulders all in line.

Keep your feet close, ideally within a 1-foot distance, and then dip your body down, making sure not to bend your back. Your body should form a straight line; if your back hurts, you’re probably doing it wrong.

Jump lunges

Stand straight with feet apart and keep your chest up.

Move your left leg forward and your right leg backward in a lunge by jumping. Make sure your knees are at 90 degrees.

For the next lunge, switch your legs midair, making sure you land in a lunge–this time with your right leg in front. Again, see to it that both knees are kept at 90 degrees.

Jump up and switch your legs in midair so that you land in a lunge with your right leg in front. Continue jumping and switching your legs and try to complete a 40-second round.

Mountain climbers

Prepare in a plank position and switch between bringing one knee to your chest and then the other. Make sure that your pacing is fast, as if you’re running in place. But see to it that your knee reaches your chest before you alternate or else you won’t be getting the maximum benefit from this exercise.

A good 60 seconds of mountain climbers without pause should get your heart pumping fast in no time.

Jumping jacks

Finish off with a set of jumping jacks, one of the most underrated yet high-calorie-burning physical activities.

By jumping with your feet spread wide open and partnered with your clapped hands positioned overhead, and then returning to a feet-together position with hands on the sides, you’ll be able to sweat a lot and get rid of those stubborn fats.

Remember, staying healthy and fit doesn’t require you to go to the gym and spend an hour doing exercises. Follow our list of physical activities above to be on track with your fitness goals.

For more health and wellness tips, check out www.thepeoplesinc.org.