Video: Lisa’s 10-minute workout

Not only can regular exercise help you drop a dress (or trouser) size, it can also make you feel fitter, more energised and better able to cope with life’s ups and downs. But you don’t have to drag yourself to the gym for hours on end - every 10 minutes counts.

Improve your health and wellbeing by building up to 150 minutes of activity a week at an intensity that makes you feel warmer, breathe harder and makes your heart beat faster than usual. Here's a 10-minute workout to get you started.

If you have a health condition, remember to check with your doctor or cardiac rehab professional before taking up any new exercise routine.

10-minute workout

Build this heart-healthy workout into your weekly plan. Aim to do each exercise for 30 seconds at a moderate intensity and then rest for 30 seconds. Repeat each exercise twice. If you find the exercises getting easier, you can:

• increase the number of times you repeat each one
• increase the time you spend doing it
• decrease time spent resting between exercises
• add more exercises to the workout.

1. Sit-ups

Sit-ups can be done on the floor or with a gym ball. Make sure you:

• keep your back in a neutral position
• contract your stomach muscles
• lift your shoulders and curl your chest towards your knees.

Then slowly lower to the start position, remembering to breathe out and squeeze your abs on the way down.

2. Squats

For the next exercise, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width. Engage your stomach muscles, keep your back straight and lower your bottom as if you are going to sit on a chair. Then come back up to standing.

Remember to:

• breathe in on the way down
• breathe out on the way up.

3. Jumping jacks

Jumping jacks are a great exercise to include in your workout routines.

To perform a jumping jack, stand with your feet together and your arms by your side. Then jump in the air, split your legs and raise your arms to create a star shape. Jump again to return to the initial standing position.

Remember to keep breathing and keep the knees slightly bent at all times.

4. Punches

Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, make a fist and bend the arms and bring your elbows to your waist. Then extend one arm in front of you at shoulder height. Return to starting position and repeat with the other arm. Make sure you breathe out on each punch.

5. High knees

To perform high knees, simply jog on the spot and raise your knees to waist height so your legs are pumping up and down. Keep your stomach muscles engaged to help maintain your balance. As always, remember to keep breathing throughout.

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