Health for life

New research at Oregon State University suggests the health benefits of small amounts of activity – even as small as one- and two-minute increments that add up to 30 minutes per day – can be just as beneficial as longer bouts of physical exercise achieved by a trip to the gym.

The nationally representative study of more than 6,000 American adults shows that an active lifestyle approach, as opposed to structured exercise, may be just as beneficial in improving health outcomes, including preventing metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

“Our results suggest that engaging in an active lifestyle approach, compared to a structured exercise approach, may be just as beneficial in improving various health outcomes,” said Paul Loprinzi, lead author of the study. “We encourage people to seek out opportunities to be active when the choice is available. For example, rather than sitting while talking on the phone, use this opportunity to get in some activity by pacing around while talking.”

Perhaps just as importantly, the researchers found that 43 percent of those who participated in the “short bouts” of exercise met physical activity guidelines of 30 minutes day. In comparison, less than 10 percent of those in the longer exercise bouts met those federal guidelines for exercise.

Loprinzi, who is an assistant professor at Bellarmine University, conducted the research as a doctoral student working in the lab of Brad Cardinal at Oregon State University. Cardinal, a professor of exercise and sport science, is co-author of the study, which is in the current issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion.

“You hear that less than 10 percent of Americans exercise and it gives the perception that people are lazy,” Cardinal said. “Our research shows that more than 40 percent of adults achieved the exercise guidelines, by making movement a way of life.”

Cardinal, who has studied the “lifestyle exercise” model for more than 20 years, said one of the most common barriers people cite to getting enough exercise is lack of time. He said the results of this study are promising, and show that simply building movement into everyday activities can have meaningful health benefits.

“This is a more natural way to exercise, just to walk more and move around a bit more,” Cardinal said. “We are designed by nature as beings who are supposed to move. People get it in their minds, if I don’t get that 30 minutes, I might as well not exercise at all. Our results really challenge that perception and give people meaningful, realistic options for meeting the physical activity guidelines.”

For example, Cardinal said instead of driving half a mile, try biking or walking the same distance; instead of using a riding lawn mower, use a push lawn mower. Instead of sitting through TV commercials, try doing some sit-ups, push-ups, or jumping jacks during the commercial breaks; and instead of sitting and being a spectator at a childs sporting event, try walking around during the halftime break.

The researchers said the participants in this study wore accelerometers, which is an objective tool to measure physical activity. Those who participated in the short bouts of activity could be moving as few as one or two minutes at a time. The people in the “short bouts” group had positive results in areas such as blood pressure, cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, and waist circumference.

For instance, the study showed those in the shorter exercise group who met physical activity guidelines had an 89 percent chance of not having metabolic syndrome, compared to 87 percent for those meeting guidelines using the structured exercise approach.

Loprinzi said the one area where small bursts of activity did not seem to equal the benefits of longer, sustained exercise was in Body Mass Index, or BMI. However, the researchers cautioned that these findings do not necessarily mean that short bouts of activity do not help with weight loss, especially since they did find a benefit on weight circumference.

“There are inherent limitations in BMI as a surrogate measure of fat and health in general,” Cardinal said. “People can still be ‘fit’ and ‘fat.’”

The researchers emphasized that for health benefits, people should seek out opportunities to be physically active.

“In our society, you will always be presented with things that entice you to sit or be less active because of technology, like using a leaf blower instead of a rake,” Cardinal said. “Making physical activity a way of life is more cost-effective than an expensive gym membership. You may be more likely to stick with it, and over the long term, you’ll be healthier, more mobile and just feel better all around.”

We live in a busy world. As much as we want to be able to stick to our normal gym schedule, life throws us scheduling curve balls: an emergency staff meeting, playing the chauffeur to and from soccer practice, that girl you met at the gym asks you to catch dinner tonight. These things happen. In order to stay faithful to your fitness goals, here are five quick fixes when time isnt on your side. Use these when youre in a pinch but still want to kick your endorphins into high gear.

1. Maximize Your Lunch Break

Most of us have a little bit of a reprieve during the day: those precious minutes we call our lunch break.  If you know that you wont have the time to make it to the gym today, use your lunch break to your advantage--you can maximize your down time while still giving your body the fuel it needs with an energy or protein bar, meal replacement, or protein shake. Many companies have on-site fitness facilities that can be used to get a full gym workout in. And when in doubt, take a walk around the neighborhood.


2. Watch Your Waistline

As important as exercise is to reaching your fitness goals, theres a second half to that equation: healthy eating. And unfortunately the office is where most of us throw that part out the window. If youre like me, your office is surrounded by delicious, but not always healthy, meal choices. And sometimes youre skipping a gym date for a fancy dinner date instead. Dont sabotage yourself. If you know you arent making the gym today, opt for food options that will help your goals: power foods like avocados, lean meats and other lean proteins, and good carbs like fruit.

3. Back to Basics

Hershel Walker, the great Heisman trophy-winning football player, Olympic bobsledder, and Mixed Martial Artist, chiseled his physique in three steps without really having to step into the gym: push-ups, sit-ups, and sprints. Try this: in between commercials on your favorite primetime program, perform twenty push-ups and sit-ups each. Repeat for all commercials in a one-hour programming block. Its the TV workout. And it will help you stay on track even when you cant get to the gym.

4. Make-Up Day

Every working man and woman values the two days at the end of the week like they were made of solid gold. But, if you skipped a gym day this week, use your weekend to make It up. You dont have to forgo your weekend either. Take a mountain biking trip, go for a hike, hit the beach for a fun run or some kayaking action. You can still enjoy your day off while getting that workout in.

5. Dont Beat Yourself Up

Remember, if you miss a day or two, its not the end of the world. Many times we need that rest. Just remember that its important to not get off track, because that can derail your fitness goals. If you skip a day, just work that much harder the next time youre in the gym.
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