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Junior Skyler Lee, writes a weekly blog, Health Nut encouraging students to take the time to exercise even if only for a few minutes. Lee gives effective workouts that can be completed in short amounts of time.

A workout for the time-deprived person

It is 6 pm and you just returned home from youth group. A solid two to three hours of homework looms before you and it is all somehow due tomorrow. You walk to the kitchen table to get started when “ouch”; you stub your toe on a five pound hand weight. “Darn, I forgot to work out again,” you say and shuffle off. Perhaps tomorrow will be a less hectic day.

Does this sound a little too familiar? I am convinced that time is the most depleted resource for a busy person. It is also an amazing excuse to get out of a work out. Time isn’t the only excuse though. Maybe you don’t live close to the gym, have a swimming pool, or a friendly neighborhood to be active in.

Regardless of any excuse physical fitness is necessary for a “life”. According to New York Times writer Tara Parker-Pope, a quick exercise session can reduce levels of fatigue by as much as 65%.

Below, I have made a quick set of exercises using a method called Tabata Intervals. Feel free to take this workout at any safe level that you can manage. Although, I do encourage you to push yourself especially considering these exercises should take only about 15 minutes.

Equipment: A timer, a minimum of 12 feet of floor space

20 seconds squat jumps (at a fast pace)
10 seconds of rest
20 seconds of mountain climbers (at a fast pace)
10 seconds of rest
20 seconds of Baby Burpees ( at a fast pace)
10 seconds of rest
20 sec of lunge jumps (at a fast pace)
45 seconds of rest
Repeat 2 more times then move on to final exercises

Squats (15 reps) add weights if you are feeling especially daring
Push Ups (15)
Crunches (50)
Jumping jacks (30)

If you enjoyed this style of work out you can always substitute other exercises using a similar format. For any additional questions feel free to comment or contact me. I highly encourage you to choose action over excuse when it comes to workouts. The choice is yours. Will you choose to be nutty about health?

Follow The Feather via Twitter: @thefeather. This writer can be reached via Twitter: @skylerlee.

For more features, read the Sept. 15 article, BeTheMatch: Stand for more (VIDEO).