BY ELISABETH ANDREWS
No matter how strong our desire to get in shape, most of us Bloomingtonians are not going to carve out an hour and a half each day to exercise, shower, and get dressed again. The good news: we don’t have to. The American College of Sports Medicine states that 20 minutes of vigorous exercise, three days a week is enough to confer a range of health benefits, including a stronger immune system and reduced feelings of stress. If weight loss is your goal, you can still benefit from a 20-minute workout by choosing activities that maximize return on investment.
The table above lists the quickest calorie-burners available outdoors or in most gyms and fitness centers. Each of these activities burns at least twice as many calories as walking at a moderate pace for the same time period. Keep in mind that with each activity, a higher level of effort will burn more calories than exercising at a low or moderate intensity level. Caloric expenditure will vary according to body weight—estimates are given for 140 lb and 190 lb.
