Fitness Experts Pinpoint How Much Exercise You Really Need Every Week

Before you take this as gospel, there’s more you should know.

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In a busy world with work demands, family obligations and seemingly endless to-do lists, it can be hard to find any time to exercise — let alone hit the (fairly intimidating) recommended amount per week.

Less than 25% of Americans meet the country’s physical activity guidelines, which state that adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (such as brisk walking, gardening, doubles tennis) each week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise (such as running, swimming laps or hiking uphill) and do at least two days of strength training each week.

But new research out of Norwegian University of Science and Technology suggests you may not need to exercise that much to see health benefits — that is, if you’re working out hard. Researchers found that just 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week (yes, per week) is good for your health, specifically heart health.

Researchers said it’s best to split the 30 minutes of weekly exercise up across the week for maximum benefit, so 7.5 minutes of vigorous exercise four times a week, for example. Exercise benefits, such as blood pressure and blood sugar control, happen for one to two days after exercise, according to researchers, making it best to exercise several times throughout the week.

According to the study, this high-intensity exercise needs to be heart-pumping and leave you breathless; a low-intensity yoga class or leisurely neighborhood walk doesn’t fit the bill.

“Hard activity for someone who’s inactive, it feels like a lot and it can be pretty tough,” said Dr. Jason Tso, a........

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