Weekend burst of exercise can be enough to stay fit

According to a study, exercising vigorously over the weekend is just as beneficial as exercising frequently throughout the week.

Over ten years, US researchers followed 350,000 individuals to see how well-off so-called weekend warriors were.

According to research published in the JAMA Internal Medicine journal, the kind and total amount of exercise matter more than the number of sessions.

It is advised to exercise for at least 150 minutes each week at a moderate level.

This would be taking a quick stroll, cycling on a bike with moderate effort, or playing doubles tennis.

Or you may engage in 75 minutes of intense action, such as running, swimming, or playing a game of football, according to NHS guidelines from health experts.

This much was worked off by several of the study’s US participants in a single week. But rather than spreading it out, some compressed it into one or two sessions.

Whether it was during the week or the weekend, people who engaged in the required amount of activity had a lower risk of passing away than those who did less.

The NHS also advises people to avoid spending too much time sitting still and to engage in daily physical activity, particularly strength training.

Yoga, Pilates, and strenuous gardening are examples of strength training.

Joanne Whitmore, a senior cardiac nurse from the British Heart Foundation, said: “According to this extensive study, the time of day you exercise doesn’t matter.”

“Getting started with exercise is the most important component,”

“Whether you spread it out across the week or stretch it into the weekend, aim for 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise.”

Exercise can improve your health by reducing your risk of cardiovascular and circulatory diseases like heart attacks and stroke.

The American Heart Association notes that although moderate-intensity exercises induce deeper breathing and faster heartbeats than usual, you should still be able to converse with someone while engaging in them.