EXERCISING just two days a week is enough to slash your risk of disease or early death, according to research.
It found the “weekend warrior” approach is as healthy as working out every day.
Exercise is just as healthy if squashed into two days as spread over seven, research suggests (stock image)[/caption]
The schedule works better for people with busy weeks as they can cram in the NHS-recommended 2.5 hours of weekly exercise into just two days.
Data from 93,000 Brits found the tactic led to a significantly lower risk of premature death, heart disease or cancer.
Experts from Southern Medical University in China said the key is simply to hit the total time target, regardless of how you break it down.
Study author Dr Zhi-Hao Li said: “You don’t need to exercise every day to stay healthy.
“As long as you get 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, whether packed into one to two days or spread out, you can significantly reduce your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, cancer or other causes.
“This message is encouraging news for busy people who struggle to fit in daily workouts but can manage a concentrated burst of activity on weekends or over a couple of days.
“The research provides reassuring evidence that even sporadic physical activity can have lasting health benefits.”
You still get health benefits even if you can only be active on the weekends
Dr Keith Diaz
Dr Li used eight years’ worth of medical records and activity data from 93,409 middle-aged people in the UK.
It showed that “weekend warriors” who crammed their exercise into two days were 32 per cent less likely to die young than people who did not exercise.
Their risk of dying from heart disease was 31 per cent lower and of cancer 21 per cent lower.
Dr Li said it was surprising to see the risk reductions were equal to those seen in people who exercised every day.
The NHS says moderate-to-vigorous exercise can include a brisk walk, cycling, tennis, running, swimming, aerobics, lifting weights or team sports – and even gardening.
Health boost outweighs injury risk
Dr Keith Diaz, of the American Heart Association, was not involved with the study but said: “Many people struggle to fit in daily exercise during the work week but this research shows that you can still gain health benefits even if you can only be active on the weekends.
“One important caveat to remember is that trying to fit 150 minutes of exercise into just one or two days can be a lot on your body.
“Some research suggests that weekend warriors have a slightly higher risk of injuries but the benefits of exercising just on the weekend far outweigh the potential risks.
“Make sure you do proper warm-ups and build up to higher volumes of activity over time to reduce your risk.”
How much exercise should you do and when?
There are guidelines issued by the NHS and the Government regarding how much exercise people should do each day.
People should be active daily, and avoid sitting for long periods.
The NHS recommends an adults – those aged 19 to 64 – should aim for 150 minutes of “moderate intensity activity” a week.
This works out to 21 minutes a day, or 30 minutes five days a week.
Or, they could do 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, which could be less than 11 minutes per day or 25 minutes three days a week.
Adults should also aim to do strength exercises twice a week, at least.
Examples of moderate-intensity activities include brisk walking, water aerobics, riding a bike, dancing, doubles tennis, pushing a lawn mower, hiking or rollerblading.
Examples of vigorous activities include running, swimming, riding a bike fast or on hills, walking up the stairs, sports, like football, rugby, netball and hockey, skipping, aerobics, gymnastics or martial arts.
Things like lifting heavy weights, sprinting up hills, spin classes or circuit training are considered very vigorous.
What time should you exercise?
Getting exercise into your day, no matter what time is a good idea.
But you may want to be more selective depending on your goal.
A 2023 US study on 5,285 middle-aged adults showed exercising between 7 and 9 am was the best time if you’re looking to lose weight.
Researchers found that early-bird gym goers had a lower body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference than those working out later.
A 2022 study led by Prof Paul J Arciero, Skidmore College, New York, found that the optimal time of day to get your kit on might differ according to your gender.
Prof Arciero said women wanting to lose fat around their belly and hips would do better to hit the gym in the morning, but those seeking to gain upper body strength or simply improve their mood might see more results from evening exercise.
The results were the opposite for men.
If you struggle to get to sleep, it’s been found that exercise in the morning may help, but exercise in the evening may help you to stay asleep.
Exercise, generally, can improve sleep quality.
