Most weight-loss recommendations are unrealistic. For example, the USDA’s new guidelines recommend 90 minutes of exercise for weight-loss – per day! I don’t know about you, but I do NOT have 10.5 hours per week to spend working out. The USDA’s recommendations are overwhelming for most normal and busy people who would like to shed extra pounds. The good news is that you can boost your energy levels, metabolism, health and fitness levels—and get your body burning extra fat in as little as 15 minutes—IF you workout smart.

Working out smart means getting more done in less time. The USDA’s advice relies on low intensity activities like walking, jogging or continuous swimming to get rid of your excess fat, and that’s a problem. For example, a 90 minute walk will only burn 340 calories (less than 1/10th of a pound of fat), and will do nothing to boost your metabolism.

To get more done in less time, we need to crank the intensity up and take breaks during our workout to keep the intensity high. This will do three important things: it will burn more calories in less time (15 min. of intense running will burn as many calories as a 90 min. walk); it will speed-up your metabolism for the next 12 to 36 hours; and it will increase the percentage of calories that your body burns from fat.

How to use these free and fast workouts. Start doing one of these workouts 3 or 4 days per week. That’s less than 1% of the time that you have available in a week, so surely you can miss two half hour sit-coms to get in better shape. Then, progress to where you are doing one of these workouts 5 or 6 days per week and being active with friends or family on the days you don’t. Remember, you can take time to exercise now, or you will be forced to take time to be sick later in life.

Interval Running at Turkey Thicket

What to Do: Run at 80-90% of your top speed for 30 seconds then walk briskly for 60 seconds Repeat 10 times. Running for 30 seconds seems easy on paper, but it is a very intense workout in real life.     Advanced Version: Run for 30 seconds, then walk briskly for 45 seconds (that 15 seconds makes a HUGE difference). Repeat 12 times.     Benefits: You get in great shape using only a 15 minute workout.     Location: The track is located in front of Turkey Thicket Recreation Center at the corner of 10th St & Michigan Ave NE, (202) 576-9326.

Interval Swimming at Turkey Thicket

What to Do: Sprint the length of your lap lane with a “crawl” stroke. Swim back slowly in a “back” stroke. Repeat for 15 minutes.     Advanced Version: Do every other sprint length with the “butterfly” stroke.     Benefits: Zero impact, and it will keep you out of the sun on extremely hot days.     Location: The pool is inside the Turkey Thicket Recreation Center at the corner of 10th St & Michigan Avenue NE, (202) 576-9326.     Hours: Lap swimming times are M-F 6:30am to 8pm, Sat from 12pm to 5pm. The pool is closed Sun. It is free for all DC residents with ID.

Running the stairs at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

What to Do: Start at the bottom step and run to the top as fast as you can (but safely, it may take a few trips to feel comfortable going up the stairs). Walk down the stairs to the curb. Walk back to the first stair and sprint to the top again (you will have rested enough to do it again at nearly full speed). Repeat for 15 minutes and curse me.     Advanced Version: Sprint to the top, walk down and sprint to the top as soon as you hit the bottom step.     Benefits: The workout is high-intensity and low-impact at the same time. This is because gravity will only have to pull your front foot down 1-3 inches to hit the next step.     Location: The National Shrine is located at the corner of Michigan Avenue & Harewood Road NE. Parking is free on 4th St NE or Harewood Road NE.