Like most of us, Monday through Friday is a tough grind and it can be virtually impossible to hit the gym as much as you should without passing on at least one of your responsibilities. Just because you have a busy schedule that doesn’t mean you can’t stay healthy. A recent study by JAMA Internal Medicine proves that working out only once or twice a week,“ may be sufficient to reduce all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality risks regardless of adherence to prevailing physical activity guidelines.”
The study divided people into several different groups, (weekend warrior, insufficient, regular physical activity).
According to The World Health Organization, people aged in the range of 18 and 64 years should perform at least 150 min/wk of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, at least 75 min/wk of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or equivalent combinations. The Weekend Warrior may not be reaching this, but their are still a ton of health benefits from getting in a workout when you can.
The study found, “all-cause mortality risk was lower in the insufficiently active participants who reported 1 or 2 physical activity sessions per week than in the inactive participants.” The only thing that wasn’t researched in the study was that “a weekend workout routine can cause fewer deaths than other patterns of exercise,” according to reuters.com.
In case you’re worried about time or your physical capabilities, it doesn’t take a crazy routine to accomplish your goal. Walking, running, light weight training are all ways that these accomplishments can be met and decrease your chances of dying from both CVD and cancer.
Specs of the Study:
63 591 survey respondents (45.9% male & 44.1% female)
The weekend warriors included a higher proportion of men.
