Fittest Loser Tip of the Week: The 10 Minute Workout

If you lack the time for a 5-mile run or hour long workout session, there's good news. Recent studies show that short but intense bouts of exercise can deliver fitness benefits, but it must be at a high intensity.

For a quick workout, try replicating the one used in an exercise study conducted at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada:

Warm-up on a stationary bicycle for two minutes

Pedal "all-out" for 20 seconds, followed by two minutes of easy pedaling

Repeat the 20-second intensity and two-minute recovery periods twice more, for a total of 60 seconds of intense pedaling

Finish your 10-minute workout with a three-minute cool-down phase

Workout volunteers in the study participated in three sessions per week for six weeks. At the end, they showed improved endurance capacity, healthier blood pressure and other benefits. With only a couple minutes of intense exercise needed a week, there's no excuse for not working out.

Look out for more weekly wellness tips from Assurance, a proud sponsor of the Fittest Loser.

• Jill Micklow is a Wellness Consultant on the Employee Benefits team at Assurance, a Top 50 U.S. insurance brokerage headquartered in Schaumburg, IL. She brings Assurance's passion for "minimizing risk and maximizing health" to clients nationwide by helping identify specific health and wellness goals and then tailoring wellness programs for short and long-term success.