Do you wish you had the time to hit the gym each night? Unfortunately, if you’re like many Americans, you simply don’t have a lot of free time to dedicate to exercise. Still, you care about your health and well being. So, what’s the least amount of exercise you can do while still maintaining a healthy lifestyle?
What’s the Bare Minimum?
Studies have suggested that 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercises (or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise), along with two strength-training sessions per week, are all you need to lead a healthier lifestyle. If you break that aerobic exercise goal down across six days (assuming one rest day per week), that’s only 25 minutes per day of walking, bike-riding, or any other moderate aerobic activity! And while there are so time requirements involved with the recommended strength-training sessions, you should spend enough time to get in a quality, full-body workout twice a week.
Benefits for Your Health
There are numerous health benefits you’ll enjoy from just this minimal amount of exercise each week. For starters, you’ll lower your risk of heart disease, as well as improve your overall strength, flexibility, and endurance. You can also lower your risk of certain cancers, and of course, slim down your waist line. Some studies have also shown that those who exercise regularly are more creative and positive people! You may also find that you have more energy on days when you meet your exercise goals, as your body will release endorphins and other hormones that increase your mood and energy levels.
Tips for Finding the Time
Despite the minimal amount of time required to reap the benefits of regular exercise, the majority of Americans fall short. If you feel like you don’t have the time to spend about 25 minutes per-day on moderate exercise, we have some tips that may help.
For starters, consider the fact that your daily exercise commitments don’t need to take longer than watching an episode of your favorite TV show. If you’re not willing to give up your daily TV time, consider finding an at-home workout that you can complete in front of the television. Win-win!
Another option would be to start getting up about a half hour earlier on days that you wish to work out. Start setting your alarm clock 5-10 minutes earlier each morning so your body can gradually adjust to the earlier wake-up time. Then, reap the many benefits of knocking out your daily exercise goals first thing in the morning!
See? You don’t have to spend hours sweating in the gym each week in order to lead a healthier and more active life. By setting aside just a few hours per week, you can achieve amazing results.
Source: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/American-Heart-Association-Recommendations-for-Physical-Activity-in-Adults_UCM_307976_Article.jsp#.WNmgTTvytPZ
