- Weekend exercisers can reap the same health benefits as regular exercisers if they put in the right amount of time, new research suggests
- Time required: 75 minutes of vigorous activity or 150 minutes of moderate activity on one or two days a week.
- The “weekend warriors” had the same reduced risk of death as those who exercised the same amount of time for 3 to 5 days a week.
Just because you don’t exercise regularly during the week doesn’t mean you can’t make it up on the weekend.
The World Health Organization offers guidelines for physical activity, suggesting that adults get at least 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity or 150 minutes of moderate activity each week. While experts have suggested that people spread out regular exercise throughout the week, that’s not always feasible for everyone.
An international team of researchers analyzed the exercise routines and health of more than 350,000 American adults who participated in the National Health Interview Survey between 1997 and 2013 to see what could be learned about different approaches to physical activity.
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Health benefits of weekend exercise
Over the years, the study subjects were followed (each followed for an average of 10 years), those who achieved a total of 75 minutes of vigorous activity or 150 minutes of moderate activity during one or two days a week they had:
►An 8% lower risk of all causes of death than physically inactive participants.
►Same risk of death from all causes, heart disease and cancer as those who did the same amount of exercise but for three to five days.
Those who exercised regularly during the week had slightly lower mortality risks than “weekend warriors,” as the researchers called them. “But these differences were not statistically different, so we can say they are equally beneficial,” said one of the study’s co-authors. donghoon leea nutrition research associate at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, told USA TODAY.
How many Americans can benefit from more exercise?
According to United States health ratings.
Here’s how to make time to exercise.
If you can’t exercise regularly (3 to 5 days a week), you can still get those health benefits by including 75 to 150 minutes of physical activity on one or two days, like a weekend. Although the researchers focused on “weekend warriors,” Lee said, “it can be any day (or two days) of the week.”
Making time to exercise on the weekend is a good way to increase your activity level, he said. amanda paluch, a physical activity epidemiologist and kinesiologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences. “There is abundant evidence that some activity is better than no activity in terms of health benefits,” she told USA TODAY.
Exercising on the weekends “may be the first significant step in improving health,” said Paluch, who did not work on the study but is familiar with its findings.
How do you know if it’s moderate or vigorous exercise?
Vigorous exercise and physical activity result in heavy sweating and large increases in breathing and heart rate, Lee said. The CDC Examples of Vigorous Exercise they include swimming, running and jogging, tennis (singles), aerobic dance, and bicycling at 10 mph or faster. Vigorous exercise produces a heart rate of around 142 beats per minute or higher, the CDC says.
Moderate exercise includes walking (at least 3 mph), bicycling (less than 10 mph), ballroom dancing, and tennis (doubles). Moderate exercise produces a heart rate of around 109 or higher.
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What can help me follow a new training plan?
►Make it something you enjoy. “Weekends should be fun and there are so many ways you can be active and have fun: exploring a new hiking trail with a friend, riding a bike, getting together with some friends for a game of tennis,” Paluch said.
►Try something new. While activities you already enjoy are good choices, there’s always something exciting about “a whole new activity that you’ve never done before,” he said.
►Don’t overdo it at first. “If you’re just starting out, don’t try to do the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity in a weekend right away,” Paluch said. “Try just 20 minutes each day and work your way up to avoid injury.”
If I exercise regularly now, does this mean I can slack off?
Not necessarily. “It’s also important to note that this study focuses on mortality as an outcome,” Paluch said. “We know less about the intermediate benefits of two days a week versus a more regular regimen spread out over the week.”
For example, additional research will be needed to compare the blood pressure, blood glucose, weight or mental health of regular exercisers and “weekend warriors,” he said.
Regular athletes who are active more than two days a week should keep it that way. “A more regular schedule can help maintain good habits,” Paluch said. “More regular activity can also prevent injuries and maintain or improve your fitness more efficiently.”
Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @mikesnider.