10-Minute Workouts to Help You Lose Weight

When your calendar is crowded, it's easy for exercise to get bumped from the schedule. But with even minimal time you can maintain the muscle tone and endurance you've worked so hard to develop.

Try a different one each day to keep your energy and spirits high, your stress levels in check and your girth under control. Go straight to the Cardio Slide Show and Thigh, Butt & Triceps Slide Show for a visual guide to ideal form.

10-Minute Cardio Workout

This workout will get your heart pumping and burn calories, helping you build aerobic fitness. Do each of these exercises for 30 seconds. Perform the entire circult twice.

Jumping Jacks

Land with feet slightly wider than hip width apart, then snap feet together as you return arms to sides.

Punches

Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees soft. Punch from your shoulders toward the center, slightly twisting at the hips. Alternate arms and fists, maintaining shoulder level height.

Squats

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, arms extended in front of you at shoulder height. Bending your knees, slowly lower yourself as though you were sitting on a chair, keeping your back straight. When your thighs are parallel to the floor, raise yourself to starting position.

Admit it: When time is short and you have to choose between doing a calorie-burning aerobics workout or strength training, aerobics wins, hands down. But a strong upper body is a must. Thats why we've put together a strength-training routine that will work your biceps, triceps, chest, shoulders, and abs in 10 minutes flat. Do one set of each exercise using a pair of 5- to 12-pound dumbbells. (Choose the heaviest weight you can lift while still maintaining proper form.) Do the entire circuit two to three times.

Dumbbell Flye

This exercise works the CHEST.

1. Lie on a bench with your knees bent and your feet flat on the bench, a dumbbell in each hand. Hold the dumbbells over your chest, with elbows slightly bent and palms facing each other.

2. Keeping your wrists straight, slowly lower the weights out to the sides until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.

3. Hold for a second, then raise them in an arc, squeezing your chest, to starting position.

4. Do 10 to 15 repetitions.

Dumbbell Row

This exercise works the back, shoulders and biceps.

1. Place your left knee and hand on a bench and bend forward so that your back is flat and parallel to the floor. Grasp a dumbbell in your right hand and let your right arm hang toward the floor.

2. Slowly bend your arm, lifting the weight to hip level and keeping it close to your body. Hold for a moment, then lower.

3. Do 15 to 25 repetitions, then switch sides.

Crunches

This exercise works the abdominals.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, hands behind your head.

2. Slowly curl your upper body off the floor, while pressing your lower back down. Hold for one count, then lower three quarters of the way down.

3. Do 15 to 25 repetitions.