Can You Walk for 3 Minutes?
Nothing happens fast enough these days. Lights stay red too long. Pizza takes too long to get delivered. And television commercial breaks are getting longer and longer. So when researchers discovered that 10 minutes of walking done three times per day could improve your health, it’s not surprising that people demanded results in even less time.
Well, now researchers from the UK have found that shorter bouts of brisk walking reduce postprandial plasma triacylglycerol (the level of fat in your blood after you eat) and resting blood pressure in healthy young men. And this will probably work even better for out of shape folks who have a few extra years – and inches – under their belts.
The subjects did 10 3-minute bouts of fast walking in one session and one 30-minute bout of fast walking in another session, both after eating a high-fat meal. And the results were the same. The 10 short walks and the one long walk reduced post-meal triacylglerol levels by 16 percent compared to the control session (where they did no exercise after the meal). Both forms of exercise also reduced systolic blood pressure by 6-7 percent compared to the control.
So get your butt off the couch as much as possible and move it. Even short little speed-walks, when they add up, can help your heart.
[Ed. Note: Keeping yourself healthy doesn't have to be difficult or even time-consuming. Simply making healthier lifestyle choices - like taking a brisk walk after your high-protein, low-carb meal - can help you stay fit and lean. For more easy-to-implement ideas about how to live longer and feel better, click here.
Looking for exercise that is enjoyable and can help you lose weight? Try fitness expert Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training exercise program.]
Comments