Not all workouts have to be strenuous and long to get results.
Achieving visible fitness results requires a significant amount of dedication and commitment. Experts’ routines and diets are often rigorous and tailored and can demand months, or even years, of diligent work and discipline. But is it possible to get results in less time with less work? Enter “lazy” fitness, a workout regimen that involves working smarter, not harder.
If the thought of a high level of commitment makes you worry about your fitness prospects, don’t let it intimidate you. Research identifies common obstacles to exercise, including limited resources, lack of motivation, and time constraints (1). This guide presents you with convenient, simple exercises and dietary advice to help you achieve your body goals and lead a healthier life without the need for intense, daunting workouts.
Our focus is on the most accessible and straightforward strategies for enhancing your health and achieving a fantastic physique. We’ll introduce a selection of lazy fitness workouts that effectively get you into shape. Continue reading for insights on achieving fitness in the simplest way possible.
Overview — Lazy Fitness
Did you know it’s possible to lose weight and burn fat using low-intensity workout routines? With consistency, you can build strength and muscle over time. All you have to do is understand the concept of lazy fitness. Lazy fitness is a brief and straightforward list of workouts you can conveniently do without disrupting your daily routines. They can be low-intensity exercises done daily or short, paced high-intensity exercises. Remember, the goal is to stay consistent, keep in shape and be healthy.
In other words, despite “lazy fitness,” adopting this exercise method still requires some effort for visible results. You have to be consistent and make lazy fitness a lifestyle. However, if you do, you’ll see results without having to put in the time and effort many fitness programs have you.
Sample Lazy Fitness Workout
To be as lazy as possible, you only need to walk for 20 minutes to one hour daily to reap the benefits of exercise. However, if you want strength training to be part of your lazy fitness routine, you can incorporate the strategies we cover below.
A lazy fitness program should include at least two to three exercises per day, two to three times a week. These workouts should target multiple muscle groups. Here is a list of sample workout structures you can follow for a week. The workout sample structures below only involve three days out of the week, and you’ll see that the workouts below that you can plug into each day are short and low-volume.
Sample 1
- Monday – Workout 1
- Wednesday – Workout 2
- Friday – Workout 3
Sample 2
- Saturday – Workout 1
- Monday – Workout 2
- Thursday – Workout 3
Sample 3
- Tuesday – Workout 1
- Thursday – Workout 2
- Saturday – Workout 3
Below are sample workouts, including cardio, core, upper body, and lower body routines to select from three days a week. We recommend mixing in all three each week for the best results.
Cardio & Core
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
| Warm-Ups – Dynamic Stretching & Light Cardio | 2 min. | |
| Mountain Climbers | 3 | 30 secs. |
| Jumping Jacks | 2 | 10-15 |
| Burpees | 2 | 5 |
| Squat Jumps | 2 | 8-12 |
Lower Body Training
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
| Warm-Ups – Dynamic Stretching & Light Cardio | 2 min. | |
| Walking Lunges | 3 | 20 (10 for each leg) |
| Glute Bridges | 2 | 10 |
| Goblet Squats | 2 | 8-12 |
| Box Step Ups | 2 | 8-12 |
| Calf Raises | 2 | 10-15 |
Upper Body Training
| Exercises | Sets | Reps |
| Warm-Ups – Dynamic Stretching & Light Cardio | 2 min. | |
| Triceps Dips | 3 | 8-12 |
| Superset – Side & Front Arm Raises | 2 | 12-15 |
| 2 | 12-15 | |
| Push Ups | 1 | AMRAP (as many reps as possible) |
| Pull Ups | 1 | AMRAP |
Lazy Fitness Diet
Choosing a lazy fitness lifestyle is not just limited to your workouts. If you want to live a healthier life, there are certain foods and things you should do to adopt a lazy fitness diet. Here is a list below:
- Go for low or no-calorie drinks like water and sugar-free juices. Avoid alcohol and soda.
- Always get physically active by taking longer walks or the stairs and doing more functional movements.
- Always have an extra cup of coffee, which helps reduce fat accumulation. A meta-analysis published by Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition states caffeine intake might promote weight, BMI, and body fat reduction (2).
- Consume soups and salads before meals to help fill you up.
Fasting is another approach you can utilize as part of your lazy fitness diet. This will limit how often you eat and allow you to eat more each meal since you have a time-restricted eating window.
Being Consistent Is the Goal
No matter the method you adopt, remember to pick a program that works for you and aligns with your body goals. Consistency is the cornerstone of any program you follow. However, consistency is sustainable since lazy fitness protocols happen quickly and less frequently. All you need to do is ten to fifteen minutes of planned exercises that can be conveniently done at home.
The Role of Warm-Ups
No matter how light or strenuous an activity is, warm-ups should always be considered, no matter your exercise approach. Studies prove that warm-ups help improve exercise performance and reduce the risk of injuries (3). Here is a list of the benefits of warming up before any exercise.
- It gets the blood flowing to your muscles by opening your blood vessels and tiny capillaries.
- It releases more oxygen to the muscles needed for your workouts.
- It warms the body up and improves the body’s mind-muscle connection.
- The muscles contract quickly, making exercising and muscle hypertrophy more effective after warm-ups.
- It loosens the joints, making mobility and flexibility during exercise easier.
Wrapping Up
Building strength and muscle and burning fat is achievable, even with a minimalistic fitness regimen. The key lies in maintaining consistency and adhering to a well-structured diet. This article offers a collection of effective workouts designed to help you reach your fitness, strength, and weight loss objectives. Understanding your body’s needs and selecting a workout routine that aligns with your exercise preferences is crucial.
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References
- Herazo-Beltrán, Y., Pinillos, Y., Vidarte, J., Crissien, E., Suarez, D., & García, R. (2017). Predictors of perceived barriers to physical activity in the general adult population: a cross-sectional study. Brazilian journal of physical therapy, 21(1), 44–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bjpt.2016.04.003
- Tabrizi, R., Saneei, P., Lankarani, K. B., Akbari, M., Kolahdooz, F., Esmaillzadeh, A., Nadi-Ravandi, S., Mazoochi, M., & Asemi, Z. (2019). The effects of caffeine intake on weight loss: a systematic review and dos-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 59(16), 2688–2696. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2018.1507996
- Fradkin, A. J., Zazryn, T. R., & Smoliga, J. M. (2010). Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(1), 140–148. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c643a0
