Yes, You Do Have Time for Exercise

You’re busy: working, commuting, juggling kids and practices, plus household chores… you may rarely have 30 minutes of time a day to dedicate to an exercise routine. But do you have two minutes? 

Researchers have discovered that short bursts of vigorous physical activity can lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, and even early death. Can you spare two minutes a day to improve your health?

In a study reported by the European Heart Journal that tracked almost 72,000 adults, average age 62, who were free of cardiovascular disease or cancer at the beginning of the trial, researchers found that 15 minutes of vigorous exercise a week was associated with an 18% lower risk of dying during the seven-year study period. They found 19 minutes per week resulted in a 40% lower risk of developing heart disease and 16 minutes weekly was linked to a 16% drop in cancer risk. 

Vigorous activity means activity during which your heartrate increases, you can't speak in a full sentence, or your breathing becomes heavier, and you feel your body temperature rise.

Take two minutes to run in place or do squats while you’re waiting on the microwave. On hold? Use that lost time for chair aerobics. Taking laundry upstairs? Run those steps a few extra times. Add two minutes of brisk walking by parking your car farther from the entrance or catching the bus at the next stop down. Keep a hula hoop handy for your next Zoom meeting (just remember to turn off your camera).

While you won’t gain endurance, flexibility, or balance, you will see improvements in blood pressure, cardiorespiratory health, blood fat, insulin, and blood sugar levels.

Remember, this is not in lieu of regular exercise, you still need to engage in physical activity that includes balance training as well as aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities at least once a week.   

So, embarrass your kids next time you’re waiting at the school bus stop, dance. You’ll improve your overall health and give them plenty to talk about later!