The five minute workout Cameron Diaz swears by.

Don’t have the time, energy or motivation to spend hours running or at the gym? Neither does Cameron Diaz.

In fact, she’s cut her workout down to five minutes. Five. Minutes.

Promoting her health and wellness book The Longevity Book earlier this month, the 43 year old spoke to the Oprah Winfrey Network about the cardio workout she swears by.

Happy Sunday morning! #sundaymorningworkout #holidaydowntime #chillaxingwithmydogs

A photo posted by Cameron Diaz (@camerondiaz) on Dec 22, 2013 at 9:53am PST

“Some people can get on the cardio machine for two hours at the same pace. It’s the same sweat, just like a nice little glisten. What you want to do when you do cardio is you want to be a fire hydrant in New York City that just got busted open, and you’re pouring out after and everybody gets wet,” she said.

“That kind of cardio only takes five minutes which I love because I just get on my elliptical and I do intervals.”

Diaz sprints for a minute, rests for a minute to bring her heart rate back to normal, then repeats this five times.

Watch: Mamamia staff reveal their most embarassing gym confessions. Post continues after video

“After you are bursting with sweat, you’re building your heart, you’re burning more fat than if you stayed on it for an hour because you’re making your body use this energy super quickly and you’re engaging all your muscles,” she said.

While it’s important to remember that Diaz doesn’t actually have any fitness or health qualifications, she is onto something.

This kind of workout, known as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), is an effective one and a favourite of personal trainers. (Post continues after gallery.)

“HIIT classes use big movements that involve every muscle in the body working together at maximum intensity for a short period of time over intervals.  They especially work the large muscles in your body, which means you continue to burn calories hours after you’ve finished your workout,” explains Michael Cunico, National Personal Training Manager at Fitness First.

“These short, intense workouts provide improved athletic capacity and condition as well as helping to boost your metabolism and is a total body approach.”

Image: iStock

While these typically last longer than five minutes (but usually less than 30 mins) especially if you're starting at a lower fitness level, as your body will take longer to warm up, it's still good news for you and your body.

And anything that means less time in the gym and more time doing the things you love? Count us in.

Image: Getty.

Do you do a similar workout? Why do you like it?