Fab in 15

What time does your alarm go off in the morning? Do you hit the snooze button 5 times until you end up getting out of bed so late that you don't have time to wash your hair? For me, my sweet little boy serves as my alarm. Only my sweet alarm likes to go off about 4 times a night.

Ok, so let's get that hair washed and do something good for ourselves this week. I encourage you to try an experiment that I call "Fab in 15." For many of us, we drag ourselves out of bed, get ready and head off to work where we sit for 8+ hours and then try and squeeze in a workout before we head home to sit in front of the TV. Net net, we sit a lot.

Starting tomorrow morning give yourself a kick in the butt that will help jump-start your metabolism and get your day off to an energized start.

Here's how it works: Set your alarm 25 minutes earlier than normal. (I know those last few minutes of sleep are precious, but just give me a week and let's see what you think after you try this plan):

5 minutes: get dressed into workout gear and/or groan and moan about being up so early
15 minutes: jog or walk briskly around your block (or on a treadmill if you have one available)
5 minutes: execute 15 push-ups, 15 sit-ups (the real ones, not crunches) and 15 squats (hand weights optional)

Then you are done. Get ready (hair washing included), eat breakfast and take on your day.

That's it. Not too bad, right? Fab in 15 should not replace a full workout, it should be simply added to your daily routine. For an average 150-pound person you can burn 210 calories if you run for the 15 minute interval and 135 calories if you walk for 15 minutes at a brisk pace. These extra 25 minutes will help you burn more calories during your day and will get that metabolism working right away.

Alternately, if you already exercise first thing in the morning, then try this routine in the evening before dinner or during your lunch break.

You can even multi-task: Grab your dog and bring him along. Grab the stroller so the baby can enjoy the fresh air. Or check voicemails while you walk!

This mini burst of activity may help if you've hit a plateau or it might be just a great way to get your day started (or finished). Either way, it's a win-win.

If you snooze, you won't lose on this one!

Give it a try and let me know how it goes...