Doing frequent, short workouts or do for long hours few times?

by Harmony Fitness, Ece

Add Walking or Change Your Lifestyle for Simple Results!

'More Frequent but Shorter Workouts May Be Better'

One study compared several short sessions of brisk walking to one longer session, examining the effect on improving aerobic fitness and promoting weight loss in a group of women. One group was told to walk briskly for three separate 10 to 15 minute sessions each day, and the other group was told to walk continuously for 30 to 45 minutes a day. After five months, both groups lost weight and both groups improved their fitness level. However, the women in the “short session” group continued to walk after the study because they found that short, more frequent workouts were more feasible than longer ones.' You can check out my programs like express or full body workout to do 10 minutes a day.

'“Lifestyle” Activities Just as Good

“Lifestyle” activities, such as gardening or vigorous housework, are just as good at improving health in “couch potato” folks as working out at the gym. The men and women in this study were assigned to one of two six-month programs, a traditional “structured exercise” program or a “lifestyle activity” program. The people in the structured exercise program exercised at a fitness club four to five times per week, and the people in the “lifestyle” group added various lifestyle activities to their daily schedule. These activities included gardening, parking their car farther from their destination and walking, hand-delivering memos at work instead of using email, or any physical activity that was convenient for them, as long as they accumulated 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity four to five days per week. After six months, both groups lost weight and improved their fitness levels, but the structured group increased their fitness level more than the people in the lifestyle group did. However, after two years the researchers went back to see if either group had maintained their improved fitness levels and found that most of the people in the structured group had stopped exercising whereas people in the lifestyle group continued to be active and had maintained their fitness levels.

The conclusions? In the long run, lifestyle activities may be easier to fit into a busy schedule and, for some people, may be less intimidating than going to a gym to work out.

Tip #1: Wear appropriate clothing when walking.

• Hot weather walking. Light color clothing to reflect the light should be worn. Do not wearing clothing that traps the heat. Use sunscreen and wear sun glasses to protect the eyes, especially if he/she has Macular Degeneration. A hat is also a good idea to keep the sun off the top of the head.

• Cold weather walking. Dress in layers so if the walker becomes hot, clothing can be removed or put back when cool again. Cotton should not be worn next to the skin, since it will absorb the sweat and will cause the older adult to become cold and uncomfortable. Three layers of clothing are best. The first layer should be a fabric that will wick sweat away from the body. The second layer should be the primary insulation such as a sweater or sweat shirt. The outer layer should be a jacket that will protect against the wind, rain, or snow. Since a great deal of heat is lost from the head, a hat is a good thing to wear in cold weather. Gloves should also be worn to protect the hands.

• Walking in the dark. Early in the morning or late in the evening, be sure to carry a flashlight and wear a reflective vest or stickers. Never wear dark colors. Reflective stickers and vests can be bought at running/walking or biking stores.

• Shoes are also important, prefer walking shoes with comfortable shoes.

Tip #2: Stay well-hydrated.

• Do not rely on thirst as a time to get a drink, since the sensation of thirst decreases with aging.

• Get 6-8 glasses of water a day. Drink a glass of water before walking and again after finishing the walk.

Tip #3: Use good posture while walking.

• Stand up straight with shoulders back and relaxed.

• Look up and not straight down. Focus the eyes about 10 to 20 feet ahead to watch for tripping hazards.

Tip #4: Swing the arms.

• Swinging the arms adds upper body exercise to help get more out of walking. This may also help keep the hands from swelling. Keep the elbows close to the body and swing arms naturally back and forth. As the hands come up they should not cross the center of the body or come up past the chest. The right arm and left foot should come forward together and then the left arm and right foot will come forward. The arms should move with the feet at the same speed and have about a 90 degree bend to them.

Tip #5: When tired, rest.

• Although it is recommended to do at least 30 minutes of activity on most days of the week, it is also important to rest and recover from exercising. It is okay to take a day off to rest when tired or sore.

I wanted to share this research with you. It was about encouraging older people to walk, but walking is important at any age. If you want to read the whole article, you can reach the link below.

Walking is a low-cost physical activity and can be done at any age. Regular walking habit regulates health problems, heals your heart and clears your mind. I can't imagine a day without a walk, I guess my addiction comes from my mother. For as long as I can remember she walks at least 40-60 minutes every day. She also has hypertension and believes walking regulates it. So when someone comes or something happens during the walking time, she gets angry because she couldn't walk that day :D I walk for 1 hour every day. When I have time, I walk up to 4-5 hours. I lived with pain in my ankle for 2 years and the doctor said do not walk and do nothing, it is impossible for me. I think my body will rust if I stop walking. Despite the pain in my ankle, I kept walking. I believe that adding other activities besides your training will create better results on your body. However, you can also achieve visible results by just starting with walking. It's not too late to get started!