Defined by Wikipedia as “any trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method that increases productivity and efficiency,” life hacks are all the rage when it comes to learning various ways to do a variety of things. However, if your goal is to learn a few options that will help you get as fit as you can as fast as you can, here are some life hacks that can help you make that dream a reality:

• Work your muscles to exhaustion. If you want to build your muscles as quickly as possible then you need to engage in an exercise program that pushes them their max. This means using heavy or strong enough resistance when strength training. Ideally, you want to max your muscles at 8-10 reps.

• Increase your intensity. One way to push your body into overdrive is to increase the intensity of your workouts. This ups your muscle burn and makes them stronger in a shorter period of time. For instance, if you’re a runner, you might want to boost your intensity by running faster or by choosing a course with more hills or steeper inclines.

• Add interval training. Interval training consists of alternating between low and high intensities so that your muscles don’t get used to the workouts and you continue to get stellar results. An additional benefit is that interval-based workouts are shorter (like 20 minutes), which means that you’ll spend less time in the gym and more time enjoying your new body.

• Set goals. You work harder when you are working toward something, so set both short and long term goals when it comes to your workouts and intended results and you’ll find it easier to achieve them.

• Think small. Although it may seem like you have to completely overhaul your life and exercise routines in order to get fit, the reality is that every little step matters—no matter how tiny it is. So, come up with smaller things you can do to benefit your body, like walking to the store versus driving, and get ready for a fitter body in no time!

What other life hacks can you share for getting fit fast? I’d love to hear them!