You can always find a reasonable excuse to sidestep exercise. Getting from work to that 6 o' clock Pilates class is too rushed. Pack up the kids and get to the gym and back in a mere half-hour? Forget it. Enter the fitness video or DVD. The weather's always fine in your living room – no commuting necessary. And many of today's tapes offer workouts that start and finish in 15 minutes or less!
Every minute of activity counts. When you have time for a longer sweat-fest, though, jump at the chance. One study found that fitness videos that raised the heart rate for nearly 30 minutes burned the most calories. You also need to challenge your body with longer or more intense workouts as you get fitter, says Rod Macdonald, executive director of Can-Fit-Pro in Markham, Ont. Collect videos with different workout styles and multiple routines, adds Michele Olson, an exercise scientist at Auburn University, Montgomery in Alabama.
To get you started, we've identified nine great fitness videos(available at fitness and book retailers), from ab blasters and yoga to hip hop and high-low cardio. Still stuck on pause? Meet three women who know first-hand that flipping on a video workout can jack up energy and well-being while melting away unwanted pounds.