How to Work Out for Optimal Weight Loss with Minimal Time  

This article was written by Leta Shy and repurposed with permission from POPSUGAR Fitness.

Don't think you have time to work out? Think again. These tips from top trainers will help you crush all those excuses and start seeing results. So the next time you're feeling overwhelmed, overscheduled, and ready to skip your workout, you can come up with a game plan that will help you continue to drop pounds.

1. Keep track of your steps: You may not have time to fit in a workout every day, but you do have time to walk, says celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak. Invest in a simple pedometer—you don't even have to spend hundreds on an activity tracker; a basic $25 pedometer (or the free Runtastic pedometer and step counter app on your phone) can track your steps just as well. Aim for 10,000 steps a day, and you'll start seeing a difference even if you have to skip a workout or two.

RELATED: BURN MORE CALORIES AND LOSE WEIGHT FASTER WITH THESE TABATA WORKOUTS

2. Vary your intensity: Get a better workout in the same amount of time as a regular workout by just varying your intensity. "You're supposed to vary levels of exertion in order to optimally burn fat," says Joey Gonzalez, chief operating officer of celeb favorite Barry's Bootcamp."

3. Go with weights: Want to see results fast? Time to hit the weight room. Miss America 2013's trainer, Tia Falcone, believes this is the fastest way to your slimmest self. "All women need to gain as much muscle as humanly possible; that's what's going to make you smaller, and it raises your base metabolism permanently," she says.

RELATED: DO THESE 4 THINGS BEFORE BED TO LOSE WEIGHT TOMORROW

4. Above all, keep it manageable: We love this tip from celebrity Pilates trainer Kit Rich, who's shared her own struggles with fluctuating weight and body issues: Aim for three miles of running, hiking, or walking, or 30 minutes of any kind of workout, every day. "I really do believe wholeheartedly that the middle road is the way to go," she says. "Anything extreme is not long-lasting."

Check out three more things you need to know if you’re working out for weight loss  from POPSUGAR FITNESS.

1. Prev:Why Youre Not Losing Weight—Even Though You Count Calories  
2. Next:How This Former College Athlete Got Her Body Back After Having Two Babies