Lifestyle

10 Best Five-Minute Exercise You Can Do at Home so You’ll Be Able to Eat More During CNY

2017-01-09 , 3:26 pm

Chinese New Year- the next festive season after Christmas. Christmas feasts have certainly given you the access to sumptuous meals. What about Chinese New Year? Don’t we all wish that we can eat heartily without putting up too much weight? Well, here’s 10 best 5-minute exercise you can do at home so that you’ll be able to lay off those pounds!

1. Planking

Remember the “planking craze”, where people engage in the act of lying face down with arms to the sides in unusual public spaces? Planking is considered to be the best strength training exercises for the core. Although the following routine contains only planks, believe me- after 5 minutes you will feel the burn.

Firstly, do a full plank for a whole minute. Switch it up to an elbow plank for 30 seconds, afterwards, engage in a raised leg plank where you raise one leg for 30 seconds and the other one for another 30 seconds, before changing it back to a full plank position. Repeat this routine twice to complete a full 5-minute workout. How does it sound?

2. Lunges

Lunges are an important exercise for toning the lower body. They are also back-friendly, due to the need to keep your back straight and your chest lifted, so you’ll have little risk of back strain.

Firstly, step your right leg forward and bend both knees to lower into a lunge. Press through your right heel to return to standing, keeping your foot lifted, then immediately step your right foot back and lower into a lunge. Press through your left heel to return to standing. That’s one rep.

3. Sit Ups

While doing situps won’t target your belly specifically, it can help you lose fat in general. It is simple and it can be done even in your mattress! Try to do as many sit-ups as you can in a minute, rest for 30 seconds, and repeat the same process again till 5-minutes is up. You’ll be grateful that you’ve spent the 5-minutes doing a simple workout instead of sleeping it away!

4. Jumping Jacks

Jumping jack is a cardiovascular exercise, in the sense that it increases heart rate and increases metabolism. And you’ll sweat like a pig when you’re done. This way, you’ll be able to eat more during CNY without any guilt!

5. Jumping Ropes

This is old but gold. Jumping rope is one of the simplest exercises you can find to begin with. You do not need expensive equipment to start out, and you can do it anywhere. It literally has it all – it works your legs, it works your abs, it works your arms, it works your heart, it works your mind.

6. Crunches

Crunches exercise is more controlled, it can help you improve your focus on your exercise routine. As it does not use any equipment, you can do it anywhere. This exercise can also improve your muscle strength and flexibility. Now who doesn’t want a hot bod during CNY?

7. Superman Exercise

You start out by stretching yourself on the ground by keeping your hands and legs straight. You need to lift your chest and thighs of the ground at the same time by balancing yourself on the tummy. While doing this try to keep yourself as straight as possible.

Repeat lifting your thighs and chest off the ground for 30 seconds. This is a power-packed exercise to reduce tummy; perfect for CNY!

8. Squat Exercise

Squat exercise burns fat and it helps you to lose weight. Squats even help you to remove waste from the body. The muscular action of the squat exercise improves the flow of fluids in your body and eases the passing of waste through your bowels, so it helps to keep you regular too. Room for more food? I thought so!

9. Bridge Exercise

Bridge exercise is a popular pose in fitness and yoga because it’s simple yet strengthens your entire midsection.You start out by lying down on your back by putting your arms by your sides. Now bend your knees and raise your hips while maintain your back straight and keeping your feet on the floor. Let the hips be in a straight line with your shoulders and knees. Hold it there for 30 seconds and gently lower your hips back to the initial position and repeat the same process again.

10. Push-up

If you’re looking to burn extra calories, then you’re in luck! Push ups can be great as part of a cardio/endurance workout. However, you’ve got to first build up enough base strength where you can do at least 40-50 non-stop.If not, you’ll end up exhausting your muscles before exhausting your cardiovascular system.

In conclusion, there is no fixed exercise routine to follow! Feel free to mix and match your own style in the exercises above. As long as you get to eat more in CNY, all of your efforts will be worth it. All the best!