How Much Motion is Exercise?

Dance like no one is watching!

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh recently completed a study of 56 sedentary, overweight women. Each began walking and/or cycling five times a week for 40 minutes. Half of the women worked continuously for 40 minutes; the other half divided their daily exercise into four 10-minute sessions.

After 20 weeks, both groups had boosted their aerobic capacity. But there was a significant difference. Not only did the women who exercised more often but for shorter periods adhere better to their exercise schedules, they also reduced their weight more.

Its important to create a schedule that works for you—one that allows time to do whatever exercise you plan for the day, whether in long or short sessions.

Why not take a 15 minute walk right now? Let yourself be pleased. Let yourself get moving. Feel the difference! A good idea is to note how far you have gone in 7.5 minutes. As your flexibility increases during your program, this half-way/ time landmark will gradually become more distant from your starting point.

Congratulations! You are started on the walk of life (with apologies to Dire Straits).

How much exercise do you need today? more fuel in...requires a higher amount of energy burn Excess gets stored in all the wrong places.

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