Could 2.5 mins of exercise make a difference?

Let's start off with a simple question: how many sit-ups could you do in 2.5 minutes? 30? 40? Imagine if you did this every morning - would it make a difference? Absolutely, says recent research. 

One of the top turn-offs for many people who want to get in better shape is "time", but in a new study, researchers show that exercisers can burn as many as 200 extra calories in as little as 2.5 minutes of concentrated effort a day—as long as they intersperse longer periods of easy recovery in a practice known as sprint interval training.

The finding could make exercise more manageable for would-be fitness buffs by cramming truly intense efforts into very short time persiods. The team at Colorado State University and University of Colorado Anschultz Medical Campus, compared volunteers’ energy expenditures on two different days, one in which they performed a sprint interval workout on a stationary bicycle. Their results showed a marked uptick in the amount of calories the volunteers burned on the workout day, despite the short amount of time spent in actual hard exercise.

Their presentation entitled, “A Single Session of Sprint Interval Training Increases Total Daily Energy Expenditure,” is being discussed this week at The Integrative Biology of Exercise VI meeting in Westminster, Colorado. This popular meeting is a collaborative effort between the American Physiological Society, the American College of Sports Medicine and the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology.

Study leader Kyle Sevits notes that despite exercise’s numerous documented benefits, few people hit the U.S. government’s recommendations of 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. “Research shows that many people start an exercise program but just can’t keep it up,” Sevits says. “The biggest factor people quote is that they don’t have the time to fit in exercise. We hope if exercise can be fit into a smaller period of time, then they may give exercise a go and stick with it.”

Though other studies have shown that sprint interval training can markedly improve fitness and athletic performance, little was known about how this type of exercise affects energy expenditure, a factor that motivates many people to exercise.

To determine how many calories a typical sprint interval training workout might burn, Sevits and his colleagues recruited five healthy male volunteers, all between the ages of 25 and 31 years old. These volunteers made an initial visit to Colorado State University in which they performed an exercise stress test to make sure their hearts were healthy enough to participate. The researchers also analyzed the volunteers’ body compositions and their resting metabolic rates.

Over the next three days, the volunteers ate a diet precisely calibrated to meet their metabolic needs so that they’d be in “energy balance,” Sevits explains, with just enough calories so they weren’t over- or under-eating. At the end of those three days, the men then checked in to a research facility at the University of Colorado Anschultz Medical Campus that was outfitted much like a typical hospital room. However, this room was completely enclosed, with air intake and exhaust regulated and equipment installed to analyze oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water content. Based on the results of this analysis, the researchers could determine how many calories the volunteers burned while each stayed in the room.

For two days, each volunteer lived in the room, continuing to eat the prescribed diet and spending the majority of their time in sedentary activities, such as watching movies or using a computer. However, on one of the days, they engaged in a sprint interval workout that involved pedaling as fast as possible on a stationary bicycle in the room that was set at a high resistance for five 30-second periods, each separated by four-minute periods of recovery in which they pedaled slowly with very little resistance. During the intense, 30-second bouts, the researchers coached the volunteers over an intercom system, encouraging them to give 100 percent effort.

Analyzing results from the room calorimeter system showed that the volunteers burned an average of an extra 200 calories on the sprint interval workout day, despite spending just 2.5 minutes engaged in hard exercise. Though the researchers can’t yet speculate on whether such efforts could translate into weight loss, Sevits and his colleagues suggest that engaging in intense, but brief, bursts of exercise could aid in weight maintenance. “Burning an extra 200 calories from these exercises a couple of times a week can help keep away that pound or two that many Americans gain each year,” Sevits says.

However, maintaining the maximum effort needed to exercise at peak intensity over the 30-second sprints could prove tricky for many people to maintain on their own without help, Sevits warns. “Motivating yourself can be very hard,” he says. “The way this could work in the real world is with the guidance of a personal trainer.”

Exercise oficially extends life

Following a healthy lifestyle can lead to a longer life, even among people who are already well into their 70s, new research shows.

Getting regular exercise, staying engaged with friends and family, and abstaining from smoking were all associated with longer life in a study that followed people in their mid-70s and older for close to two decades.

These healthy traits apparently added, on average, five years to women’s lives and six years to men’s.

The study is among the first to identify specific lifestyle behaviors associated with longer life, even among people with chronic health problems and those over the age of 80, researchers say.

“Our results suggest that encouraging favorable lifestyle behaviors even at advanced ages may enhance life expectancy,” concluded the researchers from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute and Stockholm University.

The study, published in the journal BMJ, included about 1,800 people who were followed for 18 years from the mid-1980s.

Everyone in the study was 75 years old or older at enrollment, and 9 out of 10 (92%) died during the follow-up. Half lived for 90 years or longer, with women being more likely to survive to this age than men. Those who lived longer were also more likely to be highly educated, participate in physical and non-physical leisure activities, have rich social networks, and engage in regular exercise.

Physical activity was the single biggest predictor of longevity. People who regularly swam, walked, or performed other exercise lived an average of two years longer than people who did not. Longevity in former smokers was similar to that of people who had never smoked, but 4 out of 5 former smokers quit between 15 and 35 years before entering the study.

People with the healthiest lifestyles lived an average of 5.4 years longer than those with the least healthy lifestyles. Even among people over the age of 85 and those with chronic health conditions, a healthy lifestyle appeared to prolong life by four years. The study did not include information on diet, so it is unclear how healthy and unhealthy eating behaviors affected life span.

The researchers also didn't know lifestyle behaviors prior to old age. Despite these limitations, Gisele Wolf-Klein, MD, says the findings add to the evidence that it is never too late to improve health and prolong life.

Wolf-Klein is director of geriatric education for the North Shore-LIJ Health System in New Hyde Park, N.Y.

“It has been known for a long time that adjusting lifestyle behaviors at any age can be beneficial in terms of health and survival,” she says. She cites as an example her mentor in geriatric medicine who was a smoker until he had a massive heart attack in his mid-70s. “He gave up smoking ‘cold turkey’ after that and began exercising on a stationary bicycle 30 minutes every day,” she says. “He is still doing it at the age of 94.”

30 mins of Exercise a day as good as 60, in some cases.

A new study at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark has found that sedentary, slightly overweight healthy young men, who worked up a sweat exercising 30 minutes daily for three months, lost a similar amount of weight and body fat as those who did 60 minutes of daily exercise.

The researchers describe the findings of their randomized controlled trial in a study reported online recently in the American Journal of Physiology.

The researchers suggest one reason for the surprising result is that the exercise felt "doable" for the participants in the 30 minutes a day group, who even felt afterwards that they could have done more. In contrast, the 60 minutes a day group probably compensated by eating more, therefore losing less weight than expected.

This second point would fit in with the results of previous research that the researchers point to in their background information. This suggests that the reason exercise often produces a disappointing amount of weight loss is because a diet-induced negative energy balance (where calories consumed aren't enough to cover daily energy needs) often triggers "compensatory mechanisms", such as lower metabolic rate and increased appetite.

Perhaps 60 minutes of exercise results in more overcompensation than 30 minutes. On average, the men who exercised 30 minutes a day lost 3.6 kg in three months, and those who exercised 60 minutes a day lost 2.7 kg. The reduction in body fat was about 4 kg for both groups.

The result is significant because 40% of Danish men are thought to be moderately overweight. Overcoming barriers to exercise in a group that does none at all should be easier if the aim is to attain 30 minutes a day than 60 minutes a day.

The study is part of an interdisciplinary trial called FINE, a Danish acronym for physical activity for a long healthy life, which has generated strong data in a group of 60 or so participants.

For the study, the researchers randomly assigned each of 62 healthy, sedentary, moderately overweight young men to one of three groups: a high exercise group (burning about 600 kcal per day with about 60 minutes of aerobic exercise), a moderate exercise group (300 kcal per day, 30 minutes exercise), and a control group that continued to be sedentary.

They monitored the men as they followed their program for 13 weeks.The participants trained every day through the study period. The training sessions were planned to produce a light sweat, but the participants were also instructed to increase the intensity three times a week.

The results showed that body weight went down by 2.7 kg in the high exercise group, and 3.6 kg in the moderate exercise group. Fat mass went down by 4.0 kg and 3.8 kg respectively.

Olympic Athlete Interview: Julia Wilkinson




Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images

Swimmer Julia Wilkinson has exactly 11 days to go before her first race at the London Olympic Games. No stranger to the international stage, the Stratford, Ontario native represented Canada at the 2008 Games in Beijing, where she  broke the Canadian record in the semi-final of the 200-meter individual medley and finished seventh in the final. She has represented Canada at the Wold Championships and the Commonwealth Games, as well as numerous national and international competitions. We stole a few minutes from her busy schedule to talk motivation, active kids, and yoga!

BMP: What achievements are you most proud of?

JW: Representing Canada at the Olympic Games. Even though I want to do much more than just "be there", there is no better feeling in the world than having the opportunity to represent your country at the Olympics. It's something that so many athletes dream of but so few are lucky enough to experience.

BMP: Do you think Canada’s top athletes have anything in common with the general population who want to get fit?

JW: The general population who want to get fit share something with top athletes: they want something out of exercise. We want to win. They want to get fit! It's all about having a goal, because that is where all your motivation stems from.



Photo: Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press

BMP: Are there days where you don’t feel like training? In those moments, what motivates you/what advice would you give to those who can’t seem to get motivated?

JW: Of course there are days when I don't feel like training, for any number of reasons: I am too sore or tired from my previous workout, I am distracted by other fun or stressful activities, or I just simply "am not in the mood". My goal is the first thing that keeps me going: winning an Olympic medal is incredibly hard to do, and there are lots of people you have to beat. People who are training. I try to imagine what they are doing in that moment, and that gets me out of bed fast! Also, I always know that I will feel better after I am done working out, because the guilt I will feel from not working out is significantly worse than any pain I will feel during a workout. Plus, hard exercise releases endorphins! If you are feeling like crap before you go to the gym, you will feel better after. You just need to remind yourself of that.

BMP: What are your top tips for those who want to lead a more active lifestyle but don’t know where to start?

JW: I tell people what I always tell my mom: the first workout is always the worst! Don't fall into a pattern of working out once, thinking it's "too hard", and then not going back again for another month. You will just keep repeating "workout number one", and trust me, nothing is worse than workout number one. The first time I get in the pool after a week off, every stroke is a struggle. But you have to get through it, and you will find your rhythm. You don't need to start off like a crazy person--you will burn out--but make a realistic goal about going to the gym and sticking to it. Say you will do at least forty-five minutes three times per week for a month. Then assess if you "like" working out. I think you will want to keep doing it.

BMP: What’s your favourite healthy snack?

JW: I love granola with plain yogurt and fresh berries. Sometimes I splurge and buy the freshly made, albeit super expensive, granola. This snack is great for before or after training: carbs to keep you going, protein to replenish your muscles, and antioxidants in the berries!



Photo: Deanna McCollum



BMP: Many people are concerned that our schoolchildren are not as active as they should be – if you could implement one initiative in Canadian schools what would it be?

JW: Kids should have physical education every single day in school. I can almost hear people gasping at this, but they should. Phys. Ed has been slashed year after year and now the kids are barely doing it at all (my mom is an 8th grade teacher in Ontario). Also, we have become so concerned that kids will feel "bad" about themselves if they are forced to do exercise and aren't good at it. Well, I was forced to do math, and I am not good at math. You can only get better at something if you are coached (or taught) and practice. Basketball is not all that different from math, at the end of the day: some people will be naturally gifted at it, some will have to work hard and will still never score a basket. But no one will get better if they refuse to participate! And, as someone with a degree in communication, math really doesn't play a huge role in my life (other than counting how many lengths I have to do) but exercise is something that affects everyone! Why would you take out a course that builds a foundation for a child's healthy life? Kids aren't born sedentary, they learn laziness. We can stop it before it starts.

BMP: What for you is the number one benefit to leading an active life?

JW: Obviously, leading an active life equals leading a healthy life, that is a given. But for me, being an athlete has been huge for my self-esteem, and that is something that is always in jeopardy for young kids, especially girls. Watching yourself improve and achieving a goal in sport - whether it is making the high school team or the Olympic team - spills over into the rest of your life. I believe I can do anything if I really want to, and it's because of what sport has taught me. 

BMP: What’s your favourite ‘active health’ activity to do on a day off from training?

JW: Yoga! I would do yoga every day if I had time! I used to hate it, because I was so bad at it, but then I stopped measuring myself against others and only against myself. I always feel much better after I have some one-on-one time with my yoga mat.

Olympic Athlete Interview: Nikola Girke

There have been a fair number of world class athletes who have competed in two Olympic Games, but very few who have done so in two different sports. At the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, West Vancouver native Nikola Girke represented Canada crewing on the two person 470 sailboat, finishing 13th.The following year, this multi-talented athlete switched to RS:X windsurfing, launching another — yet completely different — Olympic campaign for Beijing 2008. A respectable 17th place finish at those Games inspired Nikola to continue in pursuit of bringing home an Olympic Medal for Canada this summer. Nikola has competed in World Championships, Pan American Games, and European Championships alongside competitors who have been windsurfing for decades. She is the sole Canadian representative at the London 2012 Olympic Games in women's windsurfing, and the perfect inspiration for those of us who would love to master even one activity!

BMP: What achievements are you most proud of?

NG: I am most proud of having switched Olympic sports from being a crew on the double handed 470 sailboat dinghy in Athens 2004 to competing in windsurfing at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.  To make that switch was incredibly daunting and a lot of hard work. Since Beijing, I’ve been relentless in my training and am a medal contender for the London 2012 Games.

BMP: Do you think Canada’s top athletes have anything in common with the general population who want to get fit?

NG: Yes, absolutely, we all are capable of getting fit. We all have goals and we make choices on how to achieve these goals. Athletes are probably tougher on themselves, disciplining themselves to endure when others wouldn’t. I like the quote by Lou Holtz: "Ability is what you are capable of. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."

BMP: Are there days where you don’t feel like training? In those moments, what motivates you/what advice would you give to those who can’t seem to get motivated?

NG: I am human after all…so that goes without saying – I don’t feel like training all the time. Training on the water when it’s cold and raining is miserable at best, so getting out of the house is half the battle. Set a time - being accountable to someone like a friend/training partner/coach or a schedule you post on your fridge is key, and know that the sooner you do it…the sooner it’s over with. Knowing how good I’ll feel after and knowing that I will have outworked my competition are all motivating factors too.



Photo by Mike Wakefield

 BMP: What are your top tips for those who want to lead a more active lifestyle but don’t know where to start?

NG: Set goals, short – medium and long term goals that are measurable and realistic so you can achieve success. Start off with a few times per week and progress from there, you want to build into a routine, not destroy yourself by leaping straight into it. And most importantly you’ve got to enjoy yourself. Pick activities that you enjoy and do them with friends.  

BMP: Many people are concerned that our schoolchildren are not as active as they should be – if you could implement one initiative in Canadian schools what would it be?

NG: I think it’s really important for kids these days to be active everyday. Each school day should include physical education, centered around healthy eating and exercise that is fun. If kids have fun, they’ll be more likely to do it in their own time too rather than turning to all the sedentary distractions like TV, video games etc. that are available.

BMP: What for you is the number one benefit to leading an active life?

NG: I like feeling fit and being healthy, and the bonus…the more active I am, the more energy I have.

BMP: What’s your favourite healthy snack?

NG: Sugar Snap Peas and all berries… but not together!

BMP:  What’s your favourite ‘active health’ activity to do on a day off from training?

NG: Days off are tough – they are supposed to be solely for recovery, however, I’m not good with just lazing around all day. If I’m near a surfing spot … I’d go surfing. Going for an easy hike, a nice walk or a bike ride with friends is a great way to get outside and move, which also helps recovery.

Follow Nikola's progress on facebook, twitter, and her website

Olympic Athlete Interview: Nick Tritton

Judoka Nick Tritton didn't even need to compete in the final qualifier for the London Olympics this year - his points total on the world ranking list secured him a spot before those bouts ever took place. A member of the Canadian National Judo Team, he has been ranked 7th in the world in his weight category, beaten the world champion, and taken home medals from the World Cup, Pan American Games, and Grand Slams in Tokyo and Moscow.

He took a moment off the mats to talk to us about leading an active lifestyle and encouraging others to do the same.

BMP: What achievements are you most proud of?

NT: The fact that I won back to back medals at the Tokyo Grand Slam. Not a lot of people have heard of it, but for me it’s bigger than World Championships or Olympics, because each country can have more than one entry. So Japan – a Judo powerhouse – had four guys, and I won both in 2009 and 2010. Only one other Canadian has ever done that [Nick was the first], so I’m really proud of that one.

BMP: Do you think Canada’s top athletes have anything in common with the general population who want to get fit?

NT: We’re the same human beings as anyone else! Sure, there are people who are born with talent or ability in certain fields, but I truly believe that a huge part of being successful is about mindset. I wasn’t actually that good at Judo when I was younger! But I wanted it badly. I think the difference between top athletes and the general population may be that we don’t give up as easily as other people.

BMP: Are there days where you don’t feel like training? In those moments, what motivates you/what advice would you give to those who can’t seem to get motivated?

NT: Everyone has their ups and downs – any athlete who tells you they always look forward to training is lying…! For example, I’ve been plagued by injury for the past year and a half, so some days are easier than others. I think having support is key – you can’t do it on your own. Surround yourself with people who believe in you. Anyone who takes something like an Olympic medal takes it not for themselves, but for their entire team.

BMP: What are your top tips for those who want to lead a more active lifestyle but don’t know where to start?

NT: I think there are so many things in the community – the local gym, personal trainers, and adult sports leagues – things you don’t need any great skill to join.

BMP: What’s your favourite healthy snack?

NT: Surprisingly, my diet is not that strict! I tend to eat whatever’s in the refrigerator…! But I do like fruit – especially berries.

BMP: Many people are concerned that our schoolchildren are not as active as they should be – if you could implement one initiative in Canadian schools what would it be?

NT: After-school sports – it’s really sad that in a lot of places in Canada these are only available at the private schools. I hear a lot about the government struggling with mounting healthcare costs – well, pump money into sports for six and seven year-olds and we won’t have those costs in the long run.

BMP: What for you is the number one benefit to leading an active life?

NT: Sports have made me an extremely organized person. With my life so scheduled in order to fit in training, competition, and time for my family – I really can’t be late or unorganized. So it has really made me prioritize the things that are important to me.

BMP: What’s your favourite ‘active health’ activity to do on a day off from training?

NT: I like snowboarding in the winter, but I have to always consider the time of year, upcoming competitions, and the chances of getting injured. I golf too – that’s safer!

Olympic Athlete Interview: François-Louis Tremblay

One of just two Canadian men to win five Winter Olympic medals - two in one night at the Vancouver 2012 games - François-Louis Tremblay is a speed skater who has proven that determination and talent combined can be a force to be reckoned with. Excelling in both individual and relay short-track events, Tremblay has also taken home gold from World Championships and World Cups - not surprising for someone who started speed-skating at the age of four!

He took on our BMP questionnaire last week and has plenty of inspiration that will get you up and active, even if it's in warmer conditions than an ice rink!

BMP: What achievements are you most proud of?

FLT: Obviously I am very proud of my five Olympic medals - any Olympic race is really a career highlight. But what I'm really proud of is the fact that I took a two year break from competing at the top level and then came back - no one's ever done that before. Once you drop down, there are people who don't believe you'll ever be a champion again, so proving those people wrong and showing the world I could do it was as good as a gold medal.

BMP: Do you think Canada’s top athletes have anything in common with the general population who want to get fit?

FLT: I believe that anyone can be sucessful in sport. For me it all started because I wanted to do something fun. I think if you keep holding onto that sense of fun you can achieve anything.

BMP: Are there days where you don’t feel like training? In those moments, what motivates you/What advice would you give to those who can’t seem to get motivated?

FLT: I think that the key is to think long term, about the pleasure of achieving what you've been working towards. Think of the satisfaction you'll feel at the end. For me, that feeling is incomparable - it's like a drug.

BMP: What are your top tips for those who want to lead a more active lifestyle but don’t know where to start?

FLT: Keep it simple in the beginning. Travel around on foot, or by bike. Get rid of the car for a while, you'll soon realise that the city is not that big. I would advise people who are having a hard time with motivation to avoid the gym, because it often feels like a chore, or a duty. Machines are not made to be fun. Get outside, that's really important.

BMP: What’s your favourite healthy snack?

FLT: I really like yogurt with cereal and strawberries.

BMP: Many people are concerned that our schoolchildren are not as active as they should be – if you could implement one initiative in Canadian schools what would it be?

FLT: I think that there should be more competitions. I have very strong memories of sporting competitions when I was in grade four. They motivate you to push yourself and beat people - we all have a natural competitive side. 'Play time' once per week can become boring - make kids compete and we'll see them take pleasure in being active.

BMP: What for you is the number one benefit to leading an active life?

FLT: I really see the difference physically - compared to friends my age who are not active. It gives you energy, keeps you going, and keeps you young.

Photo: Jimmy Francour

BMP: What’s your favourite ‘active health’ activity to do on a day off from training?

FLT: Often when I have a day off it really has to be a day off, so I can recover. But like a lot of athletes, I do love surfing - it's a great workout and it's a lot of fun.