If you can only fit in 4-30 minute workouts, WWYD?

[Anonymous]

I work full time, have 2 young kids, and a spouse that is not available to help with the kids after work or on the weekends (not looking for advice or judgment on that part of my life). That only leaves me my lunch break at work to exercise. My weight is fine but I would like to lose 5 lbs and generally tone up. I can usually get in four 30 to 40 minute workout sessions a week. My plan has been to run 3-3.5 miles two days and do combo weights/cardio (interval) training the other two days. I’ve been at it for about 2 mon Ha but haven’t seen any rela changes....which I know will be hard given the limited amount I’m exercising, but I’d love to hear from someone who knows what they’re doing when it comes to exercise. I know I need to manage my diet better.....the amount of calories I consume eating my kids leftover chicken nuggets and other random snacks is not helping! If you could only exercise 4 times per week, how would you use that time? I have access to a basic gym at work. Thanks

[Anonymous]

Lift heavy weights and dial in the diet. Don't waste your time on running unless you really rely on it for mental health/relaxation/stress relief.

[Anonymous]

I’d do cardio 2 times, yoga 1 time and weights 1 time. Also, I would try to vary it up. Do 15 min at the pool on the weekend, if you go to the pool.

[Anonymous]

I kick-started post-partum weightloss with Jillian Michaels videos (30 day shred, then 1 week shred). I work out a ton and have used PTs several times, and I still highly recommend her workouts.

If you're not following a plan, it's highly unlikely you're really maximizing your interval training. Jillian Michaels videos help with that. I wouldn't run more than 1 day/wk given your schedule.

But the biggest difference will be your diet. You might be eating more to compensate for the extra calories you're burning right now.

[Anonymous]

You're already maxed on exercise time so you need to eat less.

Eat a big breakfast, Skip lunch and move your workout to late afternoon. It's hard at first to not eat during the day, but after awhile you get used to it and it becomes as routine as a noontime lunch seems now. You'll lose weight slowly but steadily. I've lost 10lbs over 1yr by doing this. Best part is I feel this is sustainable for me. I managed to keep this routine through the winter, which when I usually gain back weight. I still have small bites during the day occasionally if I am hungry or someone brings cupcakes to the office, but then I get back on my routine.

[Anonymous]

Run. Despite what the above poster says, running is weight-bearing for the lower body, and you can't beat the cardio or the amount of variation you get if you run outside.

I would do 20 minutes of as hard a run as you can, with the last 10 minutes push-ups and core exercises. Vary the types of push-ups and the types of crunches/core work you do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Run. Despite what the above poster says, running is weight-bearing for the lower body, and you can't beat the cardio or the amount of variation you get if you run outside.

I would do 20 minutes of as hard a run as you can, with the last 10 minutes push-ups and core exercises. Vary the types of push-ups and the types of crunches/core work you do.

^^ I'm an NSCA-certified personal trainer.
Four full-body workouts a week is better than the 2 and 2 you're doing.
If you really want to lose weight, those need to be at least 30-minute runs, and you probably do need to look at your diet.
This is more of a maintenance plan you're on than a weight-loss/strengthening plan. For someone with no history of exercise, there would probably be results, but it's not enough exercise for someone in reasonable shape already to see much (if any) difference.

[Anonymous]

If I only had 2 total hours per week to exercise I’d make sure I was doing cardio. Not sure that’s the best bet for toning up but every adult should be doing at the very least two hours of cardio per week for heart health. Heart health is more important to me than toned arms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I only had 2 total hours per week to exercise I’d make sure I was doing cardio. Not sure that’s the best bet for toning up but every adult should be doing at the very least two hours of cardio per week for heart health. Heart health is more important to me than toned arms.

This was my initial thought, too, but was wondering if you could sneak in cardio at other times (weekends playing with your kids, for example) and keep some of the the lunch times for interval and weight training. As someone with a similar time issues (but much more weight to lose), I'd love to hear a professional's thoughts on this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I only had 2 total hours per week to exercise I’d make sure I was doing cardio. Not sure that’s the best bet for toning up but every adult should be doing at the very least two hours of cardio per week for heart health. Heart health is more important to me than toned arms.

This was my initial thought, too, but was wondering if you could sneak in cardio at other times (weekends playing with your kids, for example) and keep some of the the lunch times for interval and weight training. As someone with a similar time issues (but much more weight to lose), I'd love to hear a professional's thoughts on this.

See 16:04 two posts above.

[Anonymous]

Check out Moms Into Fitness Programs. Most of her workouts are around 30 minutes and provide a lot of great cardio and strength training.

[Anonymous]

PP here - I do Moms Into Fitness workouts on my phone at my work gym during my lunch break.

https://www.momsintofitness.com/

[Anonymous]

I'm biased as a former rower, but erging (aka rowing machine). It's one of the few forms of cardio that will also really build muscle, so two birds one stone. But you need to learn how to do it properly and ideally have access to a Concept 2.

[Anonymous]

Lift weights with short rest periods, HIIT style. Combine compound exercises in one working set, such as a deadlift-squat combo exercise 4 sets 10-15 reps. Then do an ab exercise. That should be your ticket for your allotted time frame.

[Anonymous]

Can you add more and include your kids. I walk my dogs a lot and would just take DD in the stroller. Now she is 5 she rides her bike or scooter and we can easily walk 2 miles.
With this nice weather we have been going out every night after dinner.