By Jessica Milliken, personal trainer

Amidst diet resolutions and drink photos on New Years Eve, Gretchen Reynolds, the Phys Ed columnist for The New York Times posted a great read: “The Super Short Workout and Other Fitness Trends” recapping interesting scientific finds of 2014.  The One Minute Workout was featured, so was continued fame for the 7 Minute Workout, and supporting research for small exercise bouts.

We all want to know- are short workouts enough to create the bodily appearance desired?  Nope, not for most.  They are effective daily supplements to health though, and can keep your momentum going on the days you are not at the gym.

As a fitness professional, I’m very pleased with the recent attention to the One Minute Workout (“Got a Minute?  Let’s Work Out,” New York Times).  I believe when exercise is in the forefront of our minds, the more likely we are to live a fit lifestyle with less physical difficulties.  Reynolds cited research arguing that extremely high daily exertion rates for 1-5 minutes actually do make a difference for diabetics, Alzheimer’s candidates, and on lifespan for everyone.  As a Kinesiology undergraduate student, I often reviewed research on the impact of small doses of daily exercise and the preventative effects it has on memory loss, stress, and depression.  I was always surprised just how much fitness could improve seemingly every aspect of life, even a little at a time.

It should be common knowledge (though I’m still not sure that it is) that people who engage in daily exercise are more functional in their cognition, energy level, and ability to see tasks through- especially at midlife and beyond- increasing the heart rate can make a dramatic difference in preserving the brain and a youthful appearance.

Having those traits on your side, it’s obvious a person would feel better about themselves, and combined with looking the best they can, the value of exercise needs no more selling.  Regardless, it’s still the first activity most people cut when tasks pile up (and speaking for myself- it even happens to trainers).  Because of that, the interest in short term workouts is no surprise and encouraging!

Therefore in 2015, why not commit to something everyday, even if it’s just breaking from an exploding inbox to jog the block or challenging your colleague to a pushups match?  Enticing others to join in your fitness commitment can build camaraderie and be the excuse to summon enthusiasm in office post lunch, when you’d rather zone-out than face the screen anyways.

I’m a huge fan of some exercise vs. no exercise, so I’ll be joining you in daily dedication (my goal is an hour a day: 30 minutes in the morning, 30 minutes at night).  Additionally, if you’ve chosen to invest in yourself this year, and honestly know you don’t have time to figure out a new gym routine to keep your interest- hiring a trainer may be one of the smartest choices you can make for your life, your work, and your relationships.  Better health will help your quest to give everything the attention you’d like to offer it.  If you’re unsure there’s time to workout on top of everything you are doing, maybe you’ll find a trainer who will do half hour sessions to assist your schedule.

If all else fails, remember the One Minute Workout!  You definitely have time to do that everyday.  See you in the gym!

Reading:

Reynolds, Gretchen. “Got a Minute?  Let’s Work Out” The New York Times Well Blog, The New York Times 10 Dec. 2014
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/10/one-minute-workout/?_r=0

Reynolds, Gretchen. “The Super Short Workout and Other Fitness Trends” The New York Times Well Blog, The New York Times 31 Dec. 2014
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/12/31/the-super-short-workout-and-other-fitness-trends/