A recent study suggests that exercising only on weekends can be as effective as working out throughout the week for weight loss. Experts from The Obesity Society found that engaging in physical activity on Saturdays and Sundays can yield similar weight loss results compared to spreading out exercise sessions across the work week.
This study examines the correlation between exercise habits and body fat levels, offering hope for individuals with busy schedules. The World Health Organization advises adults to engage in 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly. However, adhering to this can be challenging, leading some to adopt the “weekend warrior” approach, concentrating exercise into one or two days.
The weekend warrior model presents a practical solution for office workers and others with sedentary jobs to maintain fitness. Activities like climbing, hiking, cycling, or running are ideal for this approach, helping counter the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle. Lihua Zhang, a health care scientist, suggests that for those struggling to find time for daily exercise, this model offers an alternative to stay fit.
The study analyzed data from over 9,600 individuals aged 20 to 59 who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2011 to 2018. Participants’ physical activity levels were classified as inactive, weekend warriors, or regularly active based on their responses to the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire.
Both weekend warriors and consistently active individuals displayed notably reduced levels overall body fat and abdominal fat in comparison to inactive counterparts. Additionally, these groups tended to be younger, more commonly non-Hispanic White, have higher education levels, and experience lower rates of unemployment, hypertension, or diabetes.
The study confirms the importance of physical activity for health, supporting the idea that any level of activity is beneficial. Weekend warriors who engage in more intense and longer workouts tend to have lower abdominal fat. Dr. Beverly Tchang, an assistant professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, emphasizes that individuals should find ways to be active that fit their lifestyle.