Let's be honest -- during the hectic holidays, you probably skip working out. A lot. You're not alone. In fact, nearly half of all women pass on exercise when life gets busy (while only 20 percent reduce work-related duties), according to a 2007 survey by the National Sleep Foundation. Here's the catch: Exercise can help you make it through this jam-packed season. It increases energy, defuses stress, promotes better sleep, and strengthens immunity. So what's a time-strapped woman to do? 

Take a new approach. Rather than wait for a large block of time to magically free up, get your fitness in five-minute spurts. It's not a cop-out; recent studies prove that every little bit of movement counts. "We've found that short bouts of exercise can add up to the same benefit as if you had done it continuously," says Maureen MacDonald, Ph.D., who conducted numerous studies on the effectiveness of bite-size bursts of exercise at McMaster University in Canada. To make the most of your limited time, MacDonald suggests engaging multiple muscle groups, working with intensity, and varying activities, which will help keep you motivated.

To that end, we asked two fitness experts to help us develop a range of exercises that provide a big impact in a limited amount of time: Mary Tedesco, owner of Mary Tedesco Fitness in Cross River, New York, and Martha Stewart's personal trainer, and Jennifer Kries, a New York City Pilates instructor and creator of the Hot Body Cool Mind fitness DVDs. The plan covers six time frames: Choose one activity for each time of day, and give it your all for five minutes. By the end of the day, you'll have 30 minutes under your belt -- and be well on your way to a healthier holiday season.

Start Your Day
Goddess Rolls
Get out of bed, roll out your mat, and use this move to release accumulated back tension and work your abs. Sit with knees bent and soles of feet touching. Holding ankles, roll onto your back, then roll back up to sitting. Keep chin tucked into chest. Repeat.

Jog in Place
Before you get in the shower, work up a quick sweat by jogging in place. You'll rev your heart rate and increase circulation. A simple jog will do the trick, but to boost intensity, try bending your elbows and pumping your arms, or bring your heels to your buttocks.

Walking Bicep Curls
Waiting for your coffee to brew? Grab some cans or light dumbbells and take a few laps around the inside of your house, doing bicep curls as you walk. You'll work several major muscle groups as you get your circulation pumping.

Shake the Tree
To build and circulate energy, stand in place with knees soft and bounce for a minute. As you build momentum, gently shake your wrists, arms, and head, keeping knees and elbows soft. After a few minutes, slowly come back to a bounce and, eventually, a full stop.