Here are four workout tricks that can help you get MORE workout into less time. When I say "more" in less time, I'l talking the same muscle toning and calorie burning benefits as an hour or more of traditional cardio-based exercise (boring!).

#1 - Intensity Before Duration

Long, boring cardio used to be the "way to go."

You see those heart rate charts on treadmills that say "fat burning zone?"

They tell you to exercise at about 50% of your maximum heart rate...maybe as high as 60 or 70%.

The trouble is that it takes forever to burn calories when you're exercising with little intensity.

Did you know that you burn the same number of calories whether you run a mile or walk a mile? If you walk it, you’re exercising for twenty-five minutes. So, it seems like it’s better. But, in reality, you could get the exact same benefits in less than ten of running.

Studies have shown that short, high-intensity workouts are the most beneficial for weight loss. They change the way we burn fat by jump-starting our metabolisms.

In addition, they can change the makeup of our bodies. It enhances blood flow and increases our fat-burning hormones. That means that it makes it easier for us to burn more calories in the future, as well.

We can become highly tuned fat-burning machines if we train our bodies the right way.

#2 - Skip to the Good Stuff

Breathing exercises and warm-ups are nice. Really, they are. But WHO HAS THE TIME?

Not me. I have to squeeze my workouts into small snatches of time in my busy day. Meditating and zoning out sound good, but not for every time I work out.

Now, I skip right to the good stuff. A few stretches for safety and I’m off and running. I get my heart rate up and keep it there, then I’m done. Simple as that.

I don’t miss any of the important work that improves my heart health, and I get the same results in only a fraction of the time.

It’s okay to take your time—but it’s also okay not to.

#3 - Ditch the Equipment

Why spend a lot of time adjusting weights, latches, and pulleys? Setting a computer or entering in a bunch of information is a waste of your valuable day.

Instead of lollygagging over a fancy equipment, stick to the classics. There are SO MANY exercises you can do with little or no equipment.

With just a small weight, a set of stairs, and a mat to stand on, you can do pretty much any exercise you need.

And, not only is it less of a time-consuming pain, it’s a whole lot cheaper.

Go minimalist and maximize your workouts.

#4 - Get Smarter

The best way to cut time off of your workout is to really understand how your workouts work.

If you know what you’re doing and how it works, you’ll be better able to understand what shortcuts you can take without losing progress.

If you’re wasting time on exercises that don’t work like crunches or sit-ups, you might as well not even bother.