A 15-Minutes Fat-Burning Workout You Need to Try Out

Whether you find it too hot to work out or are just feeling lazy to stick to a fitness routine, here's help. 

When it comes to getting your heart rate up and burning some serious calories, it's all about the intensity and not the length of your workout. Fitness expert and influencer Althea Shah of Énergie Fitness India agrees. 

She says, "Even spending 15 minutes a day has in numerous benefits. Just get into comfortable clothes and put on some great music and get moving." So, here's her pick of quick exercises that burn maximum calories in a minimum amount of time. 

AEROBIC ACTIVITY: 10 MINUTES

Consider this a warm-up and calorie-burner rolled into one. Althea suggests devoting a major chunk of your workout to continuous aerobic activity such as walking on the spot or outside, going up and down stairs or just cycling. The key is to start slow and build the intensity as you go through the activity, this will help you sustain the momentum. "You can move up to a brisk walking pace or speed—enough to cause noticeable heavy breathing, but still allowing you to talk," she says. 

STRENGTH MOVES: 3-5 MINUTES

While these exercises can be done without weights if you are a beginner, you can also invest in lightweight dumbbells, wrist or ankle weights or just improvise by carrying a heavy bag or water bottles.

For Upper Body: Do these three moves, selecting the weight so that 10 to 15 repetitions of each exercise is fatiguing. 

Chest press

Lay with your back flat on the floor and arms extended out to your sides, bent at a right angle at the elbow, forearms pointed toward the ceiling, hands holding some weights for resistance. Push the weights up toward the ceiling, fully extending arms, then lower. Do 10 to 15 repetitions. 

Bicep Curls

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms straight down at your sides, palms facing the body, holding some weights for resistance. Bend arms at the elbow, keeping upper arm still but raising the weight to the front of the shoulder. While lifting the weight, rotate to the palm of your hand faces up during the curl; slowly lower weight. Do 10 to 15 on each side, alternating. 

Shoulder raises

Stand with arms straight down in front of you, palms facing together, holding some weights for resistance. Keeping elbows slightly bent, raise your arms straight out to your sides, so you look like a large letter “T;” slowly lower weight. Do 10 to 15 repetitions. (Note that you may use substantially less weight for this than for curls or chest press.) 

For Lower Body: 

Squats

Standing with your feet hip/shoulder width apart, bend your knees and slowly squat towards the floor. Lower your butt till your thighs are almost parallel to the floor and slowly come back up. Do this 10-15 times Rest for a moment then repeat. 

Lunges

Static lunges are great for working all the major muscles of the hips, glutes and thighs. 
Stand with right foot forward, left foot back about 3 feet apart. Hold weights in each hand if desired and bend the knees to lower the body towards the floor. Keep the front knee behind the toes and be sure to lower straight down rather than forward. Keep the body straight and abs in as you push through the front heel and back to starting position. Perform 1-3 sets of 12-15 reps.

ABDOMINAL EXERCISE: 1 MINUTE

Half bent knee sit-ups

Lay on an exercise mat or the floor with your back flat, your knees bent to about a right angle, and your feet flat on the floor. Pull your chin to your chest and keep it there, and extend your arms and hands, with your fingers pointed toward the tops of your knees. Now slowly lift the shoulders off the mat four to six inches, bringing your hands to your knees, and come back down. That’s one; repeat 49 more times.