How to Think Like a Fit Person

Why: Ideally, there'd be an extra hour or two each day—or at least 300 minutes a week—designated just for exercise. But there are weeks, or months, or life phases in which it is impossible to find a free hour to devote to working out. Exercising sporadically throughout the day is not only convenient, it's also been shown to aid in weight loss (especially for older women) and improve circulation. Splitting up an 30-minute exercise routine into three shorter increments can be even more effective at controlling blood pressure than doing the workout all at once, found Glenn Gaesser, a professor and director of the Healthy Lifestyles Research Center at Arizona State University.