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Frequent tiredness is a maddening and frustrating feeling. But instead of opting for pep pills or surrendering to the couch, you should head to the nearest health club or running track for light exercise. The journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics recently reported that healthy individuals suffering from persistent fatigue reported a 20% increase in energy after engaging in six weeks of moderate cardio exercise.

The Takeaway: The subjects in this study used a stationary bike three times a week and worked out at a leisurely pace to gain the energizing benefits of light exercise.

Burn Fat in 12 Minutes!

Here’s a quick cardio workout from trainer Angie Schumacher, CPT, who worries that many people shy away from cardiovascular training because they think it takes an hour to get results. She’s devised an ingenious interval cardio sequence that can induce great fat-burning effects in 3, 10, 20 or 30 minutes. Here’s a 12-minute interval routine for treadmill she recently put together (adjust speeds for your level).

• 2-minute warm-up at 3.5 mph
• 1 minute at 6.0 mph
• 1 minute at 3.5 mph
• 1 minute at 6.0 mph
• 1 minute at 3.5 mph
• 1 minute at 6.5 mph
• 1 minute at 3.5 mph
• 1 minute at 6.5 mph
• 2-minute cool-down

Observes Schumacher, “I burned calories, elevated my heart rate, burned some belly fat and gave my metabolism a boost for the day—all in 12 minutes!” For more of Angie Schumacher’s workout and training tips, visit WomensDietandFitness.com/WDF.

Get Active! By the Editors. The Active Life. Exercise and Fitness.

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