Daily exercise not only improves physical condition but also prevents many dangerous diseases and helps people live longer. Usually, doctors will encourage each person to exercise about 30 minutes a day. But is this enough time for effective weight loss?
1. 30 minutes of exercise a day is a magical number for weight loss
30 minutes of exercise a day is a magical number for weight loss, according to scientists who conducted a study to find the link between exercise and weight loss. This recent research indicates that spending half an hour to exercise daily can be as effective as an hour in helping overweight and obese adults lose weight. The researchers found that overweight men who engaged in 30 minutes of vigorous exercise each day lost an average of about 3.5 kg over three months, compared to nearly 3 kg for those who exercised for 60 minutes daily. The overall loss in body mass was the same for both groups, nearly 4 kg. Researchers found these results quite surprising.
Mads Rosenkilde, a researcher and PhD student at the University of Copenhagen, suggested that one reason for this outcome might be that people found 30 minutes of exercise to be so helpful that they felt more motivated and driven to be physically active than those who worked out for 60 minutes daily.
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A 30-minute high-intensity workout is more effective than a 60-minute workout. In the study, researchers monitored 60 moderately overweight men who wanted to lose weight. These men were randomly assigned to either a moderate or high-intensity aerobic exercise group. The high-intensity group was told to engage in 60 minutes a day of vigorous exercise, such as cycling or running, that would cause them to sweat. The moderate group was required to sweat for only 30 minutes daily. After 13 weeks, the findings indicated that exercising for 30 minutes each day produced similar or even better results than 60 minutes of exercise. The men who exercised for 30 minutes a day lost an average of 1 kilogram more than those who exercised for an hour.
According to research, people who engage in a 30-minute daily workout actually burn more calories than they should when following their exercise regimen. In contrast, the men who exercised for 60 minutes daily experienced less weight loss than the energy burned during their workouts. An additional 30 minutes of exercise did not seem to help with weight loss or body fat reduction.
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Shorter workouts seem to have more benefits, according to the scientists involved in this study. The results suggest that exercising for 30 minutes a day may have additional weight-loss benefits. For instance, a person may still have some energy left after shorter workouts, allowing for more physical activity throughout the day. Additionally, researchers say men who exercise for 60 minutes a day may eat more to compensate for the longer workout duration, resulting in less weight loss.
2. How much exercise does a person really need each week to lose weight?
Everyone knows that exercise is important for health, happiness, and even longevity. However, this does not mean that a person needs to log the exact time they spend exercising or playing sports each day. For someone new to exercise, regardless of the reason, just 30 minutes of moderate activity 5 days a week might be all they need to reap the many benefits of exercise, according to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
SEE ALSO: Why is exercise good for cardiovascular health?
2.1. How much exercise does a person really need each week?
To be precise, adults can achieve most of the benefits of exercise by engaging in at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or aerobic exercise each week, according to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. 150 minutes is equivalent to 2 hours and 30 minutes, which can be broken down into 30 minutes of exercise five days a week. Research shows that this amount of exercise is actually quite a lot and may even be more than enough for an adult.
Consider this 2012 study published in the American Journal of Physiology on the impact of different exercise durations on weight loss. The study found that sedentary, overweight men who exercised for half an hour a day lost roughly the same amount of weight after three months as those who exercised for one hour each day, even though the one-hour exercisers burned more calories. Researchers suspected that the one-hour exercisers may have eaten more and rested more between activities.
This could be a common and frustrating issue for beginners, causing them to not see much difference in results or even gain weight. While weight loss is just one measure of improving health and well-being, it is an important one: For those carrying excess weight, losing weight is crucial to prevent problems related to being overweight, such as diabetes, cardiovascular metabolic diseases, and joint disorders.
SEE MORE: Exercise and cardiovascular health
2.2. Examples of 30-Minute Exercises
Researchers suggest that 30 minutes of moderate activity can be particularly beneficial for beginners, not only because such exercises are shorter and involve less intensity but also because they won't drain a person's energy. Here are some examples of moderate activities recommended by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion:
- Dancing exercises
- Cycling at a speed of less than 20 km per hour
- Brisk walking (at about 5 km per hour or faster, but not too fast)
- Playing tennis with friends or family
- Gardening
- Water aerobics
Remember, these are aerobic activities. To complete your weekly exercise, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion advises performing strength training exercises twice a week, targeting all the major muscle groups. Stretching for flexibility is also important, but it will not count toward your weekly time. However, it will help improve flexibility and reduce the risk of injury.
Exercise is crucial for health, especially for those who are overweight or obese. Regular exercise can help burn excess calories, maintain a stable weight, and prevent many dangerous conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. However, recent studies suggest that spending excessive time exercising is unnecessary and can even have the opposite effect. Experts recommend dedicating about 30 minutes to daily exercise to ensure optimal health.
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References: webmd.com, medicalnewstoday.com
