Weekend Warriors & Weight Loss

Let's be honest—we'd all like a flatter stomach, even if we definitely don't intend to participate in the crop top resurgence. But, for many of us, the problem isn't the latest fashion trends or knowing which exercises to do to lose weight.

It's finding the time to get in a workout at all.

Renowned health institutions like the American Heart Association recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week.

That's about 20 minutes per day, and while that doesn't sound like much in theory, we work, take care of our families, shop for groceries and have many other responsibilities. And as they say, "There are only so many hours in a day," and "easier said than done."

When we started saving all our activities for our two days off, people called that being a "weekend warrior," and it had some negative connotations. But perhaps not so much anymore.

A new study published in Obesity in February showed that people can still lose weight by working out only once or twice weekly. However, they still have to meet those time guidelines.

While that means longer and more intense workout sessions, the results are similar. In fact, both daily and weekend exercisers have lower body mass indexes and waist circumferences than inactive people. They also have less belly fat, which is important because that type of fat can lead to heart disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and breathing problems.

However, the reason "weekend warrior" has been considered a dirty phrase in the past isn't because you wind up so sweaty. While binge exercise reduces the risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease by up to 40% compared to people who spend weekends binge-watching the latest show, it can be harder in several ways.

First, it can be difficult to fit the amount of needed exercise into such a short period of time because that amount of activity within few days requires a lot of stamina, and the older we get, the longer it takes to recover between intense workouts. It's also hard on the body—studies show weekend warriors are more likely to sustain fractures and strains than those who work out daily.

No matter what days you choose to get moving, any exercise is better than none. However, if you're going the weekend route, you can lessen injury risks by warming up and cooling down after every routine. In addition, it helps to stretch every day, even if you're not working out.

And don't worry, no crop tops are required.

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