Are you someone who struggles to find time to squeeze in exercise during the week? Fear not, because new research suggests that being a “weekend warrior” can still provide you with the same health benefits as those who exercise regularly throughout the week!
A recent study published in the journal Circulation found that individuals who complete the recommended amount of physical activity in just 1-2 days may have a lower risk for over 200 diseases compared to those who are inactive. The benefits of exercise, such as reducing the risk for conditions like hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and sleep apnea, were found to be similar whether the exercise was spread out or completed in a shorter time frame.
Looking for a way to give back? Check out how a Chester County student turned his financial hardships into a nonprofit that provides hygiene kits to those in need.
The World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. The study, which included data from nearly 90,000 individuals in the UK with an average age of 62, showed that meeting this recommendation led to a lower risk for disease compared to those who did not reach this threshold.
Interestingly, the study found no significant differences in disease risk between weekend warriors and individuals who exercised throughout the week. Dr. Rigved Tadwalkar, a cardiologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, emphasized that even if daily exercise is challenging, individuals can still achieve health benefits by working out just a couple of days per week.
Being a weekend warrior doesn’t mean limiting your workouts to just Saturdays and Sundays – it simply means consolidating your exercise regimen into 1-2 days of the week. Recent studies have also shown that weekend warriors can gain similar benefits in terms of brain health, cardiovascular health, and mortality rates as those who exercise regularly.