Using the excuse that there is not enough time to participate in fitness training will no longer wash, as staying active does not have to take long, it is suggested.

An effective workout can be squeezed in around working, looking after children and keeping the house clean, explains The Plain Dealer.

It highlights a principle called Tabata Protocol, a tough concept that saves time without cutting corners.

"Plenty of workouts are harder overall, but few are this intense," the news provider reports.

Developed by Izumi Tabata, a former researcher at Japan's National Institute of Fitness and Sports, the beginner programme is seven minutes long - three minutes of warm-up, two intervals of 30 seconds each on equipment such as a rowing machine, and a two-minute cool-down.

By doing this three times a week, heart and lung capacity will be built up as intervals are increased.