Every year we all make the same New Year’s resolutions. This year will definitely be the year you say, as you head back to the gym for the first time in months. However, as many of us know from experience, keeping up with our fitness goals can be a challenge.
Busy lives and work often prevent us from taking the time to exercise consistently. We already know sitting at a desk for hours a day isn’t good for us, but it often seems impossible to squeeze in a daily workout, especially when for years we have been told to live by the “1 hour of exercise” rule. Some days, one full hour just isn’t possible.
Over the past few years, our levels of physical activity have changed. Many of us have become used to spending more time indoors and sedentary since the pandemic. More people now work from home or do hybrid-work, as work environments have adapted and changed to include more remote options. These changes have led to some concerns about the long-term health effects of sedentary lifestyles.
For Hispanic and Latino populations, primary health concerns include high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease. These issues can be improved or prevented through exercise and lifestyle changes.
Luckily, you can still reap many of the benefits of exercise from even just 11 minutes a day, according to one study. So, maybe we won’t have to scrap our fitness goals just yet!
Benefits of just 11 minutes of exercise a day
In the study conducted by the Norwegian School of Sports Medicine, researchers found that just 11 minutes of moderate exercise per day can give you long-term health benefits, offset the effects of prolonged sitting, and add years to your life.
The study sampled 44,000 men and women for a period between four and 14 and a half years, using activity monitors to measure “moderate-to-vigorous” physical activity. Researchers used these calculations and compared them to participants’ time while sedentary. Through their data, they found that overall, people who exercised for 35 minutes a day saw the biggest results in terms of health, but the study also showed that those who exercised at least 11 minutes a day also saw benefits.
But 11 minutes is much less than the “1 hour” previous studies have reported, so what’s changed? Well, nothing, except how researchers approached collecting their data. Previous studies relied on “self-reported exposure data,” meaning exercise times were based on people’s recollections of physical activity, rather than hard data. Human memory is flawed, as we all know, and many people are prone to either overestimate their exercise time and intensity or underestimate the amount of time spent sedentary.
Reaching your fitness goals: Exercises to try at home
So what can you do to reach your 11-minute exercise quota and stick to your New Year fitness goals?
There are tons of options. Here are our top 5:
- Yoga: Practicing yoga is a great way to get your body moving while also relieving stress and fostering your mind-body connection. If you’ve been practicing yoga for a while, just unroll your mat, set a timer for 11 minutes and go through any number of combinations of your favorite yoga poses. If you’re new to yoga there are also many resources online. Just open up YouTube and search for some beginner yoga videos to get yourself started.
- Full body workout: When selecting your exercises, try to pick a sequence of movements that will engage your body in a workout of moderate effort. Mix in cardio and weights to reap the most benefits. There are plenty of great short workout routines to follow online, many of which require no equipment either. This 10-minute standing abs workout is one of my go-tos.
- Dancing: Who doesn’t love to dance? This one is pretty easy and requires no equipment. Just pop on some of your favorite upbeat tunes and get moving! Dance like no one’s watching. You only need about 3 – 4 songs to reach your 11-minute mark, but you’ll likely want to keep going once you get into it.
- A brisk walk: Many of us underestimate the power of a good walk. While winter months may make it more of a challenge or daunting task, a short brisk walk every day will do wonders for your health. Additionally, just spending time in nature while you move will also help improve your mental health. However, if you really can’t get outside for a walk, then try this indoor walking routine.
- Bike riding: Lastly, like walking, bike riding often gets looked over. But again, the benefits of a quick bike ride are so worth it. Just take a spin around the block. You can even go on a social distance bike ride with friends or family. And being out in nature will boost your mood too.
Reaching your New Year fitness goals doesn’t seem so daunting when it’s just 11 minutes, right?
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