SHORT ON TIME? NO PROBLEM! HERE’S HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR SESSIONS AND MAXIMISE YOUR FITNESS GAINS

BEAT THE CLOCK

WORDS: CLAIRE CHAMBERLAIN

While we might dream about being able to spend the best part of a weekend getting lost along winding trails or dedicating hours to training each week, the reality for many of us is that life gets in the way. Work, family commitments and general life admin often leave us with far less time to spend in our running shoes than we’d like. But if time is tight for you, all is not lost. Spending even just 10 or 15 minutes exercising is still worth it.

“Exercise, regardless of how long it is, will always be worthwhile and contribute to your health,” says health and exercise coach Bernadette Dancy (bernadettedancy.co.uk). “Immediate physiological responses to exercise include a raised heart rate, which essentially means your heart muscle is being conditioned like any other muscle in your body. It also facilitates the uptake of blood sugar into the working muscles, meaning better blood glucose management and reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Better still, more and more women (and men) are experiencing problems related to bone health, such as osteopenia and osteoporosis, which can be eradicated by weight-bearing exercise. Just 10 minutes of exercise – walking, jogging, stepping – could help prevent or improve these conditions.”