Researchers suggest ‘sex-specific strategies’ after analysis of cardiovascular health improvements
Men may need to exercise twice as much as women to achieve the same reduction in coronary heart disease risk, according to researchers, who say healthy living guidelines should take account of the sex differences.
Scientists analysed physical activity records from more than 80,000 people and found that the risk of heart disease fell 30% in women who clocked up 250 minutes of exercise each week. In contrast, men needed to reach 530 minutes, or nearly nine hours, a week to see the same effect.
The study builds on previous work that suggests women benefit more than men from the same amount of exercise, but that women are generally less physically active and less likely to meet recommended exercise targets.
One hour a day walking or biking to/from work, that’s 5 hours done. One hour working in the yard on the weekend, and half an hour a day of capital E exercise, lifting weights or bodyweight exercises.
If you don’t prioritize exercise, and sex too, work will eat your day. Set that half hour or hour as inviolable, and let everything else bend around it. This strategy has worked for me through 30 years, 4 kids and a demanding job. Sometimes that is a half hour run at 530am, but usually it’s not that crazy. 7pm is now the exercise hour, after work and before making supper.