10 Minutes A Day: That's All You Need To Get Slim And Strong For Life

Take it from the women who've tried it.

anne marie russo
Grace Huang

If you've ever struggled with your weight, you know how exhausting it is to feel uncomfortable in your body or to constantly obsess over what you should eat. You also probably know what it's like to feel guilty about skipping another workout or grabbing processed food on the run. The truth is, most of us already know what will keep us healthy and strong—moving more, eating better—but we become overwhelmed by hectic schedules and weighed down with anxious thoughts like, How will I ever find the time and energy to make the changes I need to make?

I know because I've been there, too. I believe in regular exercise, but a few years ago I was struggling to fit it into my busy life. Here I was, the fitness director at Prevention, sitting in front of a computer most days and getting home after 7 PM most nights, scrambling to put a clean meal on the table before falling into bed. It was becoming nearly impossible to squeeze in daily runs and my twice-weekly yoga classes, let alone do the strength-training workouts I knew I needed. Every expert I spoke to and countless studies I consulted asserted the importance of lifting weights, but I was part of the 80% of American women who didn't do it regularly.

Eventually, as my body started to lose tone and feel achier, I realized I had to find a solution that would make strength training so simple to squeeze into my day it would be impossible to find an excuse not to do it. Research shows that 10 minutes of exercise is enough to do everything from boost your metabolism to slim your waist to brighten your mood, so the idea of getting "Fit in 10"—with 10 minutes of simple strength training a day—was born. It's a tool that experts know can be effective. "Often people think they need to commit to 60 minutes at the gym, feel overwhelmed, and never get started," says Jordan Metzl, a sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. "But even as little as 10 minutes of strength training a day can make a big difference in muscle strength and your overall health and fitness."

Today, more than 2 years and two DVD programs later, Fit in 10 has changed my life, but it's done more than that: It's helped hundreds of women lose stubborn weight without strict dieting or impossible workouts (keep reading for some inspiring stories!).

mitch mandel


Tone and Nourish in Minutes

While women were slimming down and toning up with the exercises, they kept asking our Fit in 10 team an important question: When will you make eating a nutritious diet of whole foods as simple as the 10-minute workouts?

So I worked with a nutritionist to develop a food plan that melded with the Fit in 10 workouts to create a new program: Fit in 10: Slim & Strong—for Life! It pairs a cookbook's worth of 10-minute clean meals with a new set of 10-minute toning routines that slim and strengthen your body, zone by zone, over the course of 8 weeks. The recipes were developed at the Prevention Test Kitchen in Emmaus, PA, and every meal combines lean protein with healthy fats and nutrient-rich carbs to accelerate fat loss and boost muscle building.

Before the plan was launched, we asked a test group of 15 women in the New York City area to integrate it into their lives filled with crazy schedules and families full of picky eaters. The women ranged from 32 to 60 years of age. Each had her own reason for wanting to try the program. Some were busy mothers who couldn't devote large chunks of time to exercise or healthful eating; others wanted to feel stronger and healthier than they had 10 or 20 years earlier. Although they came from different backgrounds, their motivation was the same: They wanted to feel healthy and young for as long as possible, to wake up every day energized and free of pain, to play with their kids or grandkids, and to have adventures they'd always dreamed of. Most of all, they wanted to feel strong, fit, and powerful in their bodies—not in order to fit anyone else's "ideal," but for themselves.

"My husband always told me I looked great, but I felt unattractive," says Anne Marie Russo, 53. The mom of three had always been thin, but the scale began to edge higher when she hit her 40s. Even though she pushed herself through three intense boot camp classes a week, pounds were creeping on, and it was becoming harder to run up the stairs without losing her breath. When she went shopping for a swimsuit last summer, she'd had enough. "I no longer felt comfortable in a two-piece," she recalls. "I knew I had to do something or I wouldn't have the health and energy to enjoy the next stage of my life."

10-Minute Transformations

Within a few weeks of starting the plan, the women began to notice changes. I first met Lori Lowell, 59, a medical office manager, when she hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in months due to a sore back and extra weight that had settled around her belly. After Lowell did Fit in 10 for a month, her back pain was gone, she was sleeping soundly through the night, and clothes that had been tight were starting to feel looser.

Women who had struggled with their weight for years were surprised that they could eat so well, exercise so little, and still see results. Lisa Berliner, a 51-year-old Realtor and mom of two teenage sons, had spent the past decade trying to shake the 20 pounds that had crept on since she hit her 40s. She would push herself to count carbs, points, or calories and then, sick of feeling restricted, wind up bingeing on high-calorie comfort foods like pizza, cake, and mac and cheese. When getting dressed in the morning became a daily struggle, Berliner knew she needed to make a change. "I hated how depressed I felt every time I stood in front of my closet and tried to decide what to wear, but it wasn't just a fashion thing. I knew I really needed to start being healthy." Now down 14 pounds, Berliner feels stronger and leaner. "The other day I carried my suitcase all the way up the stairs and through Grand Central Station," she says. "I never would have been able to do that before—and it felt great."

Like Berliner, all of our panelists saw results. In 60 days, they lost an average of 11 pounds, with some dropping up to 15, 16, even 18 pounds. Many enjoyed the 10-minute meals and routines so much that they continued long after the plan ended (Russo is now down 26 pounds and back in a two-piece). While their numbers were impressive, the transformation they experienced went deeper: "For the longest time, taking better care of myself and losing weight were always on my mind," says Lowell, who lost 13 pounds. "It was like the crack in the ceiling that needed to be fixed or that dent in the car that needed to be repaired. It was always there, and it was wearing me down. The idea of getting back in shape felt overwhelming. Now I know that it doesn't have to be."

Meet some of our panelists:

Success Story: Ali McDowell, 46, nonprofit executive; lost 10 pounds and 16 inches

Ali Macdowell
Grace Huang

Why It Works for Her

  1. The plan makes healthy living easy. "Knowing I can do a 10-minute workout that's going to make an impact or quickly put together a 10-minute meal that's good for me and my family is really empowering."
  2. The little bit of extra exercise can make a big difference. "The daily strength training boosted my metabolism. Not only do I feel stronger, but I finally dropped those last 10 pounds."
  3. You don't have to give up your favorite foods. "I'm a foodie, and I was so happy to discover that I could lose weight without feeling like I was on a diet."

    Success Story: Merlyn Joseph, 53, personal chef; lost 12 pounds and 12 inches

    Merlyn Joseph
    Grace Huang

    Why It Works for Her

    1. It firms your body gently. "I love working out with the bands. They tone everything so quickly and make me feel incredible—like I'm 20 years old again. Since they're light and portable, I can take them anywhere."
    2. The food and workouts boost your energy. "I've got eight grandchildren, and I want to be able to run around with them and have fun for as long as possible. Before this program, I was kind of weak, and now I'm superstrong."
    3. It keeps you accountable. "I love tracking my meals and workouts in the journal. It helps me stay motivated—I lost weight even when I was on vacation."

      Success Story: Lisa Berliner, 51, Realtor; lost 14 pounds and 19.75 inches

      Lisa Berliner
      Grace Huang

      Why It Works for Her

      1. It takes the stress out of getting in shape. "Not only have I lost weight, but for the first time in 50 years, I'm exercising and eating healthy—and actually enjoying it!"
      2. It fits around hectic schedules. "If a full-time working mother can do this program, anybody can."
      3. It helps you feel and look younger. "I'm thinking more clearly, my posture has improved dramatically, my stomach is completely flat, and now when I go fast walking with friends, they can't keep up with me. Once I started eating this way, the extra weight fell away. I never felt deprived or like I was on a diet, and the meals are family-friendly."

        Success Story: Anne Marie Russo, 53, at-home mother; lost 26 pounds and 14.25 inches

        Anne Marie Russo
        Grace Huang

        Why It Works for Her

        1. The simple food plan teaches you how to eat healthily. "I had no idea there was so much sugar in my diet. The program and recipes really make you think about what you're eating."
        2. It proves you don't have to work out for hours. "It's amazing what 10 minutes of daily sculpting work did for my body. I'm stronger and much more toned."
        3. It helps you drop inches fast. "At the beginning of the summer, I was probably at the heaviest weight I'd ever been. Now I feel so much better in my clothes."

          Now It's Your Turn to...Get Slim & Strong—For Life!

          mitch mandel

          TRY IT NOW

          For the full program that helped our panelists lose up to 18 pounds and 23 inches in 8 weeks, go to Fitin10SlimandStrong.com.

          You'll get:

          • The Book: It gives you everything you need to live the Fit in 10 lifestyle, including the eating and training plan, 12 new 10-minute sculpting routines, and more than 80 10-minute recipes that make losing weight easy and delicious.
            • The DVD: 10-minute routines with trainer Larysa DiDio to burn fat and tone every zone at home—at the intensity level that's right for your body.
              • The Journal: Our 60-day guide will help you track your results, stay motivated, and speed your progress.
                • The Bands: Sculpt your body while being gentle on your joints with three mini resistance bands that make targeting tough-to-firm areas easy, fast, and fun.
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