We’re supposed to get at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise—walking, running, cycling, swimming, or whatever gets your heart rate up—at least 5 days a week, according to government recommendations. The goal is 150 minutes over 7 days. This new study finds that 1 year after starting (and sticking to!) an aerobic exercise regimen, postmenopausal women who worked out twice as much—300 minutes a week—lost more weight and twice as much body fat, plus they dropped more inches from their waists. MORE: 10 Mistakes You’re Making After Your Workouts The study, published in , followed 384 women between the ages of 50 and 74, who at the start of the study were mostly inactive. Their BMIs ranged between 22 and 40. The women were assigned to two groups: One group followed official guidelines by working out 5 days a week, 30 minutes per session, for a total of 150 minutes; the other group exercised 5 days for 60 minutes at a time to reach 300 minutes a week. Any aerobic activity was allowed, as long as it was vigorous—enough for the women to break a sweat, but still be able to carry on a conversation. JAMA Oncology After 1 year, the women who exercised longer lost nearly twice as much total body fat and more total body weight (3.3% lost versus 2.5%), compared with the women who followed the 150-minute program. Exercising longer also led to lower BMI, less abdominal fat, and slimmer waists—nearly 2.5 inches lost versus less than 2 inches—and all of this was accomplished while the women continued to follow their normal diets. (Got 10 minutes? Then you’ve got time to lose the weight for good with Prevention’s new 10-minute workouts and 10-minute meals. Get Fit in 10: Slim and Strong for Life now! ) Doubling the loss in body fat is especially exciting, says study author Christine Friedenreich, PhD, scientific leader of cancer epidemiology and prevention research at Alberta Health Services in Canada. Body fat is a known risk factor for breast cancer and other chronic diseases for this group of women; previous studies have shown that lowering body fat also helps prevent endometrial and colon cancers, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. “This study provides definitive data on exercising longer to decrease fat levels,” Friedenreich says. “Yes, 150 minutes of exercise per week is beneficial, but 300 minutes is better.” MORE: 6 Ways To Firm Up Faster And Double Your Results Phew—ready for the challenge? You can do 60 minutes 5 days a week like the women in the study, or you could aim for 40 minutes of vigorous activity every day. For extra motivation, try working out with a friend, , or switching up your routine with a variety of gym classes, like yoga, spin, dance, or Zumba. adding these songs to your playlist
