Quick exercises: How to lose weight with just 20 minutes of exercise a day

Doesn’t it sometimes feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day?

Between family, friends, work, and household chores, life gets pretty busy. And sometimes, even finding a minute or two for yourself can seem impossible.

And then you’re expected to hit the gym every day as well if you want to lose weight and stay healthy? It’s a lot.

Where do people find all this extra time? Well, here’s the thing. They don’t actually have to—and you don’t either.

No, exercising to lose weight does not have to eat into your already busy schedule and take up a big chunk of your day. All you need is 20 minutes.

It doesn’t require hours in the gym, or working up a sweat with intense and challenging workouts.

So, if you’re looking to lose some weight and get fitter, but don’t have the time or ability to put the hours in—here’s how you can do it—the PhenQ way.

Health benefits of daily movement and low-impact exercise

When it comes to losing weight, it’s easy to assume that lengthy or high-intensity workouts are the only way to shed those stubborn pounds. 

But low-impact exercises and quick workouts can be just as effective.

While high-intensity workouts tend to get more attention for their calorie-burning abilities, you can produce meaningful results over time with just 20 minutes of lower-impact physical activity per day.

The key is consistency—making daily movement a regular habit and staying active throughout the day.

Basic activities like walking, stretching, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator can make a real difference. 

Even mundane activities like gardening or household chores play a part. They all burn calories, and those calories add up.

And you can seriously bump those calorie-burning numbers up with 20 minutes or so of low-impact exercise.

By low-impact exercise, we mean any kind of physical activity that puts minimal strain on your joints and muscles.

This is especially beneficial if you have any joint issues, are recovering from injury, or are just starting out on your fitness journey.

Low-impact or short workouts provide all of the same great health benefits as longer or highly-intense workouts—but with far less risk of injury.

When enjoyed regularly, low-impact exercise can help you lose weight by increasing daily calorie burn and boosting your metabolism.

If weight loss is your goal, low-impact exercise can be a really effective approach. Your focus just needs to be on building realistic and sustainable habits and fitting them into your schedule.

But how do you go about doing that? Let’s take a look at some simple and quick workout options that are accessible at all fitness levels.

The best low-impact exercises for weight loss

Forget sweating for hours on the treadmill, or pumping your biceps with dumbbells over and over again. An effective workout can be much simpler and far more fun.

Weave some of these ‘feel good’ exercises into your days, and you’ll be dropping the pounds before you know it.

Walking

One of the easiest low-impact cardio exercises, and you can do it anywhere. Start with a 20 to 30-minute walk and work up to longer durations.

To make your walks more challenging, you could also increase your pace, incorporate hills or stairs, or use hand weights for added resistance.

Walking in nature can also provide an additional sense of well-being and relaxation. The fresh air will do your lungs good too, and you’ll get a daily dose of vitamin D to reduce stress and keep your bones healthy.

Jogging

You don’t have to go for a full-on run. Just a light jog at a moderate pace will do the trick. It’s a step up from a daily walk, but without being too taxing on your joints and muscles.

Swimming

Swimming is an excellent low-impact workout that engages your full body without putting tension on your joints. Plus, the water's resistance helps tone muscles and improves cardiovascular fitness.

You could do laps or lengths in a pool or even try water aerobics classes. It’s all good in the water.

Cycling

Whether you’re riding a stationary bike or going for a gentle ride outdoors, cycling strengthens your legs and lower body, enhances your endurance—and improves your cardiovascular fitness.

You could even take a spin bike class if you feel up for a real sweat. Just remember to maintain proper form to avoid any strain on your back or knees.

Yoga

Performing yoga poses and stretches gently works your muscles while improving balance and flexibility.

Try a beginner yoga class if you have one nearby. Look for yoga classes specifically designed for weight loss or incorporate dynamic variations such as power yoga or Vinyasa flow.

Alternatively, head over to YouTube—there are plenty of great yoga videos to follow along with on there, no matter what your level of expertise.

Pilates

Although often likened to yoga, Pilates focuses more on core strength, posture, and coordination, instead of stretching and flexibility.

But, like yoga, you can perform Pilates exercises in a local class or on a mat from the comfort of your own home in front of the telly.

Pilates also engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously, leading to increased calorie burn and better posture.

Plus, Pilates strengthens the mind-body connection, promoting better body awareness and enhanced overall fitness.

Tai Chi

Tai chi is a gentle martial art that can help reduce stress levels and improve mobility through fluid motions. It’s also low-impact and suitable for all fitness levels.

Although tai chi slows your heart rate down and isn’t that strenuous, it can still help you develop strength, balance, and flexibility.

Jump rope

Skipping is such a useful and versatile workout. You can do this anywhere, and you don’t even need a jump rope (although using a rope can help you develop better coordination).

Just mimic the hand movements as you jump up and down, or hold something light in your hands to replicate the feel of the handles.

A few minutes here and there across the day will get your muscles fired up and the fat dropping off.

Interval workouts

If you do ever feel like a real challenge and don’t mind a bit of intensity and impact, then try interval workouts, like Tabata or HIIT (high-intensity interval training).

You’ll be working really hard in short bursts for around 10 to 20 minutes. So although it’s a short workout—a spot of HIIT training will get your heart rate up and keep you burning calories after the workout is over.

There are plenty of great examples to follow along with on YouTube, or you can simply design your own quick workout.

A great place to start is to pick three exercises, like bodyweight lunges, high knees, and jumping jacks. Aim to perform each exercise for between 30 seconds and 60 seconds, then rest for 10 to 30 seconds.

While making sure to maintain good form, try to beat your rep count over time, or go for as many rounds as possible.

Once you can do this easily, add in a couple more compound movements, like squats, mountain climbers, modified push-ups, or even burpees (although these are not for the faint of heart).

There’s no equipment needed, as you can stick to bodyweight exercises. But you can work up to using resistance bands or light dumbbells as you get fitter and stronger.

Burning calories with quick workouts

Low-impact exercises like walking, swimming, or cycling can burn a significant amount of calories in just 20 minutes.

The exact amount of calories burned will depend on your weight and the actual workout intensity. But in general, you can burn 100 to 150 calories with 20 minutes of exercise—and even more than that if you opt for a bit more impact and intensity.

While this may not seem like a lot, it adds up over time. Burning an extra 100 calories per day could help you lose around 10 pounds more per year. Wowzers!

Tips for getting started with short workouts

We know how daunting it can seem to start a new workout routine—but getting in just 20 minutes of low-impact exercise per day is an achievable goal that doesn’t require a personal trainer, a gym membership, or even any equipment.

You can easily create a complete fitness routine to suit your lifestyle and your preferences. 

Here are some tips to help you get started…

Start slow and focus on consistency

Don't try to do too much too soon. Start with just five to 10 minutes per day for the first week, then gradually increase to 20 minutes.

Once you make exercise a consistent habit, it becomes easier to up your workout time or intensity, should you wish.

Find activities you enjoy

Choose low-impact exercises that you find fun and engaging, like walking, swimming, cycling, yoga, pilates, aerobics classes, or using the elliptical.

You'll be more likely to stick with it if you look forward to your workout than if you have to convince yourself to do it.

Schedule it

Block out time for exercise on your calendar and treat it like any other important appointment. 

Plan to do your workout at the same time each day so it becomes a habit, and then a normal part of your everyday routine.

Involve others

Ask friends or family members to exercise with you. Having a workout buddy provides great social motivation that will help you stick to your routine. You could even join a class or online community for extra accountability. 

Track your progress

Use a fitness tracker or app to record your daily exercise sessions. Checking off each day can be extremely gratifying, and seeing your consistency and progress over time serves as positive reinforcement.

Start with mornings

Exercising first thing in the morning can ensure that you get it done before any other priorities pop up. 

But, picking whatever time of day works best for your schedule is also important. If you only have time on your lunch break or in the evenings, do it then instead.

Lose weight without breaking a sweat

Weight loss doesn't have to involve lots of high-impact workouts that leave you exhausted and achy. 

Low-impact exercises like the ones mentioned above are effective alternatives for shedding pounds while being gentle on your joints.

Consistency, proper form, and gradually increasing the intensity are all key to successful weight loss, but so is good nutrition.

Exercise and diet should go hand in hand when it comes to fat loss, as you have to regularly burn more calories than you consume to successfully shed the pounds.

So it’s important to eat a well-balanced diet alongside doing your low-impact or quick workouts.

Make sure you weave nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains into your meals and snacks. Stay aware of how many calories you are actually consuming each day and across the week.

Something else that can boost your weight-loss results is a high-quality supplement.

PhenQ can help you

A fat-burning and appetite-suppressing supplement like PhenQ is the perfect partner for intense workouts and quick workouts alike—it’s all about the ingredients.

There’s Capsimax, a thermogenic pepper extract that raises your metabolism for faster fat-burning. There’s also caffeine for an extra metabolic boost and to get you feeling energized.

Chromium picolinate and nopal cactus are also included in the formula to help to suppress your appetite and curb food cravings—which makes things so much easier when it comes to the dietary side of weight loss.

If you want to make fat-burning as simple as possible, no matter what type of workout you choose to perform, PhenQ can help turn your good results into phenomenal results. You’ve got this.