Nowadays almost everyone wants to join the race to get fit. Thus a lot of trainers are coming up with different programs to attract clients. This is all good, but in the last few years I have noticed a disturbing trend being followed by some trainers to make some fast cash.

All fitness experts agree that the modern man has too much comfort and needs to become more active. Thus a lot of experts advice walking, cycling rather than always taking a car, walk the stairs rather than taking the elevator, etc. Now all this is great advice, but some experts say that this form of activity is in itself a workout! They even consider walking from the kitchen to the living room to be a workout, and advise you to get up to change the television channel instead of using the remote to get a workout.

If you have ever come across such advice and followed it then you will know that such an attempt is not very successful. The reason for it is simple, such activities do not constitute a workout! Sure such activities can add to your daily calorie burn, but they add a very small number of calories to your daily metabolism.

A good workout has no substitute! If you want to change your body’s shape and get stronger then you must train properly using weights, running, swimming, etc. Do not rely on walking from one room to another to change your body.

Another major form of a useless workout is the famous morning stroll which people call ‘morning walk’. Now don’t get me wrong, I agree that walking is a good exercise. However to be effective it must be done at a fast pace at which you are unable to carry on a conversation. Walking at a slow pace while talking all the way is not a workout!

Unfortunately people often buy the concept of such light activities constituting workouts, since they’re easy. However they soon find out that such an approach does not work. Again, I repeat that being active is great, but it should not substitute a proper workout.

So keep the following points in mind to ensure that whatever activity you do for a workout ends up being a proper workout:

1. Your daily workouts should be a minimum of 20 minutes. Not necessarily at one time. You can do two brief workouts of 10 minutes each twice a day.
2. They should make you work hard i.e. they should be intense.
3. It should be progressive, i.e. you must move faster or lift heavier to keep improving.

Now the problem that occurs with some people is that they are too busy to follow a structured workout routine. So what can such people do? Well honestly if you cannot find 20 minutes in a whole day to workout, then you need to re-evaluate your life! Your health must be a priority! So if you cannot workout for more than a few minutes at a time, then you can choose from the following list to get a real workout rather than walk from one room to another to get a workout.

1. Wake up and do some Surya Namaskars
2. Do a few sets of push ups, squats, lunges, leg raises during the commercial breaks of your favorite television program
3. Throw a total of 100 kicks and punches 2-3 times a day when you find time
4. If you want to get stronger then keep a heavy dumbbell ready and do 1-2 sets of 5 reps of a heavy exercise 3-5 times a day. Use a weight that is your 8 rep maximum
5. Do 5 minutes of rope jumping 2-3 times a day, going fast for 15 seconds and slow for 45 seconds

You can try any activity from the above list to get a good workout. All of the above activities will not take more than 5 minutes. Just do them multiple times a day to get a total of around 20 minutes a day. Of course you will need to ensure that your diet compliments your workouts to get the best results. So do not waste any more energy with fruitless activities, do proper workouts!