IS A 10-MINUTE WORKOUT REALLY ENOUGH?

When it comes to exercise, many make the mistake of thinking – if I can’t follow the traditional “guidelines of exercise” (at least 20-minutes of cardio plus strength training), why bother at all?

GOOD NEWS: The latest research shows that you can strengthen the heart, lower blood pressure, experience mood-enhancing endorphins, and lose weight with just 10-minutes of exercise per day.

“The number one reason that people cite for not exercising is lack of time,” says Glenn Gaesser, Ph.D., “[Our] research shows that you don’t have to sweat and spend lots of time exercising to be significantly healthier.” The study participants, who engaged in brief [workouts], saw positive results within three weeks. “The short [workout] ignites the metabolism,” explains Dr. Gaesser…you feel better emotionally and physically – quickly.”

Additional research found that when overweight or obese, sedentary women started to exercise an average of 72 minutes a week (roughly 10 minutes a day), they increased their peak oxygen consumption – a measure of cardiovascular fitness – by 4.2 percent compared to women who stayed on the sidelines.

Published in the May 16 2007 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.