Why Your New Body Is 300 Minutes Away

Let's talk fitness timetables  

We all have friends that hit the gym every day without fail. Come rain, hail or shine, they remain committed and focused. Then we have those friends that will exercise once in a blue moon and still manage to fit into their skinny jeans. So where do we sit on the spectrum between the fitness junkie and the one that just gets by and how much exercise should we be doing? 

As it turns out, it’s not about competing with others, but competing with your own goals. How much you need to put in depends on the end game and your personal goals. Whether that is training for a marathon, looking to increase your fitness or looking to shed some weight, how much you need to put in will be depend on your own journey.  

Let’s talk weight loss  

If weight loss is on the agenda then the equation is simple. The calories you put in must be less than calories spent throughout the day. This doesn’t mean starving yourself and going on fad diets, but rather introducing exercise into your weekly routine while opting for healthier food options.  

A study published by the London School of Economics has found that a daily 30-minute walk is an effective way to shed weight. Now this doesn’t mean a leisurely stroll to the café followed by a latte, no. A brisk 30-minute walk that gets the heart racing was key to lowering waist measurements and BMIs.  

The American Council on Exercise however found that significant weight loss required 90 minutes of moderate to high intensity exercise, five times a week. The same study found that keeping the kilos off required a minimum of 45 minutes of exercise, five times a week.  

Let’s talk health and wellness  

What if weight loss is not on the agenda? We have long learnt that just because a person is skinny does not make them immune to lifestyle related disease such as heart disease, certain types of cancers and diabetes. The key to a healthy life is a healthy diet combined with regular exercise.  

The Mayo Clinic suggest that the average adult should be putting in 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity an additional 75 minutes of strength training. While 300 minutes of exercise a week may sound like a big commitment, breaking it up into 45 minutes of exercise a day would make your new lifestyle changes more manageable.  So what may this new approach to a healthier you look like.   

Think a 20-minute walk, followed by 10 minutes with the skipping rope and 10 minutes of weight’s training, targeting a specific area each time. Map it out and make a plan that will work around your schedule during the week – and for everyone’s sake, don’t forget leg day!