How long is the best time to do aerobic exercise in a day?

For the vast majority of healthy adults, 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per day is the most cost-effective option. If time is tight, a total of 20 minutes of high-intensity intervals can achieve similar health benefits. For people with special exercise needs, this time can fluctuate up or down according to their own circumstances. There is no absolute "standard answer."

Hey, I really fell into this trap when I first started working out. I read on the Internet that "you have to do aerobics for 40 minutes before you start burning fat." Every morning I got up and ran for 45 minutes, and after work I had to do aerobics for another 40 minutes. After half a month, I lost weight. 2 pounds, but my knees hurt first, my inner side felt sore when I pressed it, and I felt sleepy at work. Later, I asked the coach and found out that I ate less at that time, and the nearly 90 minutes of aerobic exercise a day had already exceeded my body's load. The weight I lost was basically water and muscle.

In fact, the fitness circle has never had a completely unified view on this issue. Both groups of people have their own reasons, and they are also supported by actual cases.

One group is the "efficiency group" who focuses on short-term, fast and fast work. They are basically 996 office workers. Where do they find the time to spend an hour in the gym every day? They all rely on fragmented time to make up for it: I get off the subway two stops ahead of my commute and walk for 10 minutes, do 15 minutes of low-intensity fat-burning exercises during my lunch break, and climb the stairs for 10 minutes without taking the elevator after get off work, which adds up to more than 30 minutes. I used to catch up on projects without even having time to drink water, so I relied on this model to stick to it for a month. Not only did my body fat not increase, but the problem of being out of breath even when I climbed the 5th floor was gone. Now I can still chat with my colleagues when I climb the 10th floor.

The other group is the "enjoyment group" who likes low-intensity long distances. My friend who runs a half-marathon is a typical example. He often does 20 kilometers of LSD (long-distance jogging) on ​​weekends. He also runs seven or eight kilometers every day on weekdays. At the end of the day, the aerobic time is basically more than an hour. He has no problem with his knees, and his PB for the whole marathon is still rising. Oh, and for those who like outdoor hiking, it is common to walk five or six hours a day on weekends. As long as you don’t feel tired or sore all over the next day, it’s totally fine. Don’t listen to people saying that “you will lose muscle after aerobic exercise for more than an hour” and don’t dare to move. As long as you eat enough calories, the consumption is nothing.

Of course, these are only for healthy people with no underlying diseases. If you have special circumstances, you cannot apply rigid standards. I once had a colleague who weighed 190 pounds and wanted to lose weight. He followed others and ran 5 kilometers every day. After running for three days, his knees were swollen like small steamed buns. Later, he changed to walking slowly for 15 minutes every day. It took two months of walking to increase it to 30 minutes. In half a year, he steadily lost 30 pounds, and his joints were not affected at all. Friends who are building muscle should really pay attention not to do aerobic for too long. I didn’t take it seriously during the muscle-building period last year. I jogged for 50 minutes every day. After practicing for three months, my deadlift score dropped by 8 kilograms. Later, I cut my aerobics to 3 times a week for 25 minutes each time, and my strength slowly increased.

There is another misunderstanding that has been circulating for almost ten years. Many people think that aerobics must be done continuously for 30 minutes to be effective, otherwise it will be in vain. This is really an old story. Now many studies have confirmed that as long as the intensity reaches the standard, 10 minutes of exercise each time is enough for 30 minutes a day, and there is almost no difference in cardiopulmonary benefits from doing 30 minutes continuously. To put it bluntly, when you are fishing at work, you stand up and do jumping jacks for 5 minutes, and go around twice more when you go to the tea room to drink water. The effect of adding up a little will not be bad at all.

In fact, there is really no need to stick to the number "how long you must do it every day". The weather is good today and you are in a good mood. It will certainly be comfortable to go to the park for an hour.； I didn't get home until 10 o'clock after working overtime today. It's better to change my shoes and walk downstairs for 10 minutes and then go home and do a few minutes of stretching than just lying down. When it comes to exercise, the length of time that allows you to persist is the best length of time for you.