Consistency is key when it comes to exercise.The U.S. Surgeon General recommends at least 30 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging, bicycling or swimming, most days of the week. Regular workouts help ensure you will reap the maximum health benefits physical activity offers such as lowering the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Irregular exercise pattens have limited benefits and possible negative effects.
Benefits
A healthy diet, regular exercise and keeping your weight under control work together to help ensure a long and healthy life, explains University of Maryland Medical Center. Frequent exercise improves your strength and stamina and lowers your risk of colon and breast cancers, osteoporosis. Regular exercise can improve your mood and possibly fight off depression more effectively than irregular exercise. A two-year study examined the health benefits of following a regular exercise in 200 older Taiwainese Adults. The irregular exercise group showed notably higher rates of depression, while the regular exercise group showed significantly lower rates of depression. The study was published in August 2010 in the Australasian Journal on Ageing.
Expert Insight
The consequences of going from regular or constant exercise to irregular or intermittent workouts can be substantial, according to a study by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Researchers found taking a break from regular exercise can lead to weight gain that's tough to lose once you resume regular workouts. The study of 23,000 runners concluded that maintaining weight loss over the long term demands year-round activity rather than seasonal and irregular exercise patterns. The study was published in February 2008 in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise.
Considerations
Lack of time is a common excuse for postponing a regular exercise program or maintaining an irregular one. Splitting your workout into 10- or 15-minute sessions throughout the day can work for people who don't have 30 minutes at a time to spare. For example, take a 15-minute walk during your lunch break and go for a 15-minute bike ride in the evening. Using the stairs instead of the elevator and walking instead of driving count as well.
Boredom may set in when you repeatedly engage in the same activity. Mixing things up can not only save time but may keep exercise from becoming monotonous. Additional aerobic activities include dance exercises, tennis, swimming, step classes and rowing.
Outlook
Keeping track of your progress can serve as an incentive to keep you on track with your regular exercise regime and help lower the chance of drifting into an irregular exercise pattern or stopping altogether. Check with your doctor before starting or resuming an workout regime especially if you have been sedentary for a time or have health conditions.
