Twenty sedentary, overweight women [age = 45.5 (2.5) yr; ht = 162.8 (0.7) cm; wt = 80.2 (5.2) kg] underwent a 3-week exercise and nutrition program to determine if multiple short bouts of aerobic, strength, and flexibility exercise, combined with relatively modest changes in diet, could improve overall fitness and CVD risk profile. Subjects were instructed to perform 15 10-min exercise sessions/week: 7–10 aerobic (brisk walking), 2–4 strength (mostly dumbbell exercises), 2–4 flexibility (general stretching), with the recommendation to spread them out as evenly as possible throughout the week. Subjects were encouraged to increase consumption of fiber-rich foods and reduce total and saturated fat intake, with no emphasis on restricting total calories. After 3 weeks, significant (P < 0.05) improvements [Mean (SEM) pre, post] were observed in mile walk time [16.7 (0.6) min, 15.6 (0.5) min], biceps curls (8-lb dumbbells) [13 (1), 19 (1)] and chair stands (“squats” with 10-lb dumbbells) [12 (1), 17 (1)] in 30 sec, push-ups [10 (2), 22 (3)] and sit-ups [13 (2), 21 (3)] in 60 sec, and sit-and-reach [1.0 (1.2) inches, 3.8 (0.8) inches]. Significant (P < 0.05) reductions (mg/dl) were observed for total cholesterol [226 (7), 210 (6)], LDL-cholesterol [149 (6), 138 (4)], and TG [131 (20), 109 (16)]; and in cholesterol/HDL-C (4.3 (0.4), 4.0 (0.2)] and LDL-C/HDL-C [2.9 (0.2), 2.6 (0.2)]. We conclude that multiple short (10 min) bouts of aerobic, strength, and flexibility exercise interspersed throughout the week, coupled with increasing dietary fiber and reducing total and saturated fat intake, can significantly enhance overall fitness and improve blood lipid profiles in sedentary overweight women. This multiple short-bout approach to “total” fitness, combined with relatively modest dietary changes, may have considerable appeal for sedentary, overweight persons who claim they don't have time to exercise and who would like a viable nutritional alternative to calorie restriction.