Gonna be a busy day!

We all get busy. Really busy. And getting a workout in isn't always a reality. Today, I have just about a thousand things to do that will take up most of the daylight and moonlight hours I've got, so I have t get creative with how I'm going to get my fitness time.

The thing is, many people think that when you work out, you have to do it all at once or it isn't affective. Now, I'll admit that you get much better cardio training when you run/ride/walk longer distances as it helps develop your cardiovascular stamina, but when it comes to the goal of burning calories, it is the same amount burned whether you do it all at once or 5 minute at a time spread out throughout the day.

So if you have 5 minutes here and there, do a small bit of a workout and it will all add up at the end of the day!

Want to get 30 minutes of fitness into your day? Try any combination of these 5 minute workout ideas that you can do at home, at work or almost anywhere!

-Walking/running the stairs. Find one or two flights of stairs, in your home or at the office or anywhere, and walk/run up and down them for a quick five minutes. This is amazing cardio exercise and it can build great calf muscles and quadriceps.

-Jumping jacks. I know they seem simple and even juvenile, but jumping jacks are hard-hitting cardio moves that burn crazy calories in short bursts. Doing these for five whole minutes can be tough, but the rewards of getting through those 5 minutes are incredible for your body, both inside and out.

-Lunges. You literally can do these anywhere there is a floor. Do these without taking breaks in between (remembering to switch legs intermittently of course) at a semi-swift pace and you'll be toning your legs and glutes as well as burning serious calories in a short 5 minute burst.

-Sit-ups/Crunches/Hover or Plank position. If you have any amount of clean, useable floor space, you can drop and give yourself 5 minutes of great ab work. Combine all of these moves (crunches, full sit-ups, bicycle/cross crunches, plank/hover) or do 5 minute sets of each, and you'll be well on your way to adding up some great ab workout time.

-Dance. Put on your iPod or mp3 player or radio and get down for just 5 minutes. That's pretty much two songs, give or take a few seconds. You will have a great time dancing to your favorite songs, and if you really start moving, you'll be able to burn some serious cals without even thinking about it. It's pretty much like doing zumba class 5 minutes at a time.

-Stretching. Reach down and touch your toes. Sit on the ground cross-legged and reach forward, draping your body over your legs. Sit in child's pose and reach your arms out in front of you. Standing with your feet 2 feet apart, stretch over to each side. Do these or any other stretches for 5 minutes and you will be gaining flexibility and creating long, lean lines with your muscles.

You can do all 6 of these in a row if you have 30 minutes, but really there is no need. You can do these 5 minutes at a time, hours apart, and you will still get the same results. Want a 60 minute workout? Do any combination of these 5 minute bursts 12 times to equal 60 minutes, throughout the day.

You don't need to do it all at once. It is so rare that people have 60 minutes to themselves nowadays. I know I'll be using these moves tonight as I head to dance competition with my studio. In between their dances, I'll find a corner to myself in the theatre hall and get to work. Just 5 short minutes here and there. This is really the workout plan that ANYONE can do. :)