Why does exercising on weekends help reduce the risk of disease?
A study published in the journal Circulation found that people who exercised on weekends had a lower risk of more than 200 diseases than those who were inactive. These diseases included high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease and mood disorders.
Another study published by the JAMA Network found that exercising on two days of the weekend (rather than spreading out your workouts throughout the week) significantly reduced your risk of cardiovascular disease. Aim for at least 150 minutes of exercise on weekends for the best health benefits.
5 Exercises for the Weekend
- Start by walking at a pace that feels comfortable.
- Increase your walking speed then start running for 30 - 60 minutes.
“Running can improve your cardiovascular health, burn calories, and help improve your mood,” says Dr. Ashai.
Jumping jacks
- Stand up straight and jump while spreading your legs wide.
- Raise your arms high above your head while doing the jumping jack movement.
- Return to the starting position and repeat two more times, each time for 30 - 60 seconds.
Jumping jacks improve cardiovascular health, warm up the body and increase coordination between body parts.
Squat
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, lower yourself by bending your knees while keeping your back straight.
- Return to starting position and do 2 more sets of 15 reps each.
Squat exercises can strengthen your legs, glutes, and core, improving posture and flexibility.
Plank
- Lie on your stomach, lifting yourself up using your forearms and toes.
- When doing the plank, keep your body straight and maintain the same posture.
- Do 3 sets of 30 - 60 seconds each to strengthen core, improve posture and increase stability.
Push-ups
- To do push-ups - a strength training exercise, start in a plank position.
- Lower your body to the ground while bending your elbows, then push yourself back up.
- You need to do this movement 3 sets, each set repeats 10 - 15 times.
