by BETHANY LU Staff Writer
Exercise and dieting can be hard to achieve due to stress at work or hours of studying after school. However, giving a few minutes of your time to shed some calories is pretty manageable and can change your body for the better.
Including healthy choices and actions into your daily routine will increase health while not having to burden yourself with going to the gym, forcing vegetables down your throat, or needing to check your weight every single day. Everything required for these short workout sessions is included in your daily life, so there is no need to take out your wallet or go to the gym.
All it takes are simple five-minute workouts and recipes, which include the same amount of exercise as running for half an hour. The only difference is that it is quick and requires no sweat.
Because our bodies are more responsive to how intense the exercise is rather than the time of how long we run or train, shorter yet complex workouts are more effective.
While sitting on a chair doing homework or working on the computer, spend a few minutes strengthening your calf muscles. Sit on the edge of the chair while lifting up your legs to make a 90 degree angle with your upper body. Move your legs in opposite directions so they criss-cross each other. Repeat this easy workout 50-100 times every day to ensure powerful legs.
There will definitely be slight soreness in the beginning, but that pain is there to confirm that your muscles are working properly.
One minute planks are a quick way to work out core and abdominal muscles, as well as your durability.
Simply start off in a push-up position on a flat surface, then lower your forearms so that your elbows and fists are flat on the ground. Make sure to straighten your body and keep your eyes on the floor. Hold this position for two to three minutes. A burning sensation will begin.
“It seems pretty effective. Not only does the plank work out the body, you’re able to read an important paper while doing this. You are managing your time while getting the proper dose of exercise,” says freshman Anurva Saste.
The final exercise is practical and so quick you will not even realize that you are burning calories. Instead of walking and drudging up the stairs, run as fast as you can. And when you are coming down, sprint down. This might seem too “easy” to be a workout, but if you constantly do this every time, you will lose weight gradually. Running up a flight of stairs burns about 12 calories, so it is possible to lose 72 calories in one day just from this practical routine.
Losing weight also comes from diet and the things we put into our bodies. When busy, you will most likely grab and eat something quickly without examining the ingredients. However, simple health recipes that are effortless can easily boost your health.
Homemade blended fruit juice is the most common, yet effective way to gather vitamins, minerals, and nutrients into your system. Combinations of fruits give various health boosters, so blending them together allows all these healthy ingredients to be stored in one drink.
“You can literally drink apple, banana, kiwi, mango, grape all in one sip,” says Johanna Lu.
To make it, gather three to five fruits and blend them together with water or juice. Store it in the refrigerator so you can just grab it and go on your way to school or work the next morning.
If you do not have fruits in your house, simply make a cup of green tea. While it is still hot, mix in two teaspoons of honey and one teaspoon of lemon juice. These ingredients include minerals and antioxidants that help with digestion, cancer and heart disease reduction, weight loss, and clearer skin. Drinking this a few times a week will definitely show a healthier change in your body.
Many others who are trying this technique are also seeing positive change, including myself.
Try out these timelessness exercises and recipes and try to spot a difference. You will be surprised.
Will you give it a go?
Comments