Is Working Out 30 Minutes a Day Enough?
If you’re busy like me and juggling multiple things every day, it’s easy to feel like a workout isn’t worth it unless you can fit in at least an hour. I have been of this mindset my whole life, but that message is wrong. I recently was on a retreat with my favorite pro volleyball player Gabby Reece, and she had a speaker that is a women’s health, nutrition, and female fitness expert that said even 11 minutes a day of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is really effective. If that’s the case, why wouldn’t 30 minutes a day be enough of a workout?
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What the Science Actually Says About Working Out
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. To make short workouts count, pay attention to exercise intensity. A good way to gauge intensity is to use your target heart rate. The AHA says to aim for about 50% to 70% of your maximum heart rate during moderate-intensity activity, and 70% to 85% during vigorous activity. To estimate your maximum heart rate:
- Subtract your age from 220 to get your estimated maximum heart rate.
- Multiply that number by 0.5 to find the lower end of the moderate-intensity range.
- Multiply it by 0.7 to find the upper end of the moderate-intensity range.
For vigorous exercise, multiply your estimated maximum heart rate by 0.7 to 0.85.
Benefits of Working Out for Even a Few Minutes a Day
Regular exercise benefits both your physical and mental health. Doing the recommended amount of physical activity each week can help lower the risk of several chronic health conditions and mental well-being. A few of these benefits include:
Improved Cardiovascular Health
Aerobic activities such as brisk walking, cycling, swimming, and jogging increase your heart rate and challenge your cardiovascular system, which contributes to better cardiovascular fitness.
Better Strength & Muscle Health
Cardio isn’t the only type of exercise that you should do every week. Incorporating resistance training into your routine helps build and strengthen your muscles. Federal guidelines recommend muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week that target all major muscle groups.
Supports Metabolic Health & Weight Management
Exercise increases the amount of energy your body uses, which can support weight loss or gain when combined with appropriate dietary changes. However, the amount of physical activity needed to lose, gain or maintain weight varies based on the person.
Improved Mood & Mental Well-Being
Regular exercise can improve mental well-being by helping decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression, while also supporting the brain’s mood-regulating processes and stress response.
Short Workouts if You Don’t Have Much Time
As I mentioned above, the women’s health expert at the retreat shared several different HIIT workouts that you can complete in just 11 minutes. These are great to do if you’re on vacation.
- If you have stairs, take them instead of the elevator throughout the day, or time yourself going up and down them.
- Jumping jacks, sled push, burpees, and mountain climbers are excellent HIIT workouts that you can do in a format like 1:00 on followed by a :30 rest and continue for 11 minutes.
Consistency is what’s important. You don’t have to workout for an exact amount of time everyday, just aim to do some type of physical activity for 150 minutes a week. If you’re short on time, but can squeeze in an 11-minute HIIT workout, you now know this is still an effective way to fit exercise into your day. Hearing this was music to my ears because sometimes I barely have time to leave my desk!
