Studies Show

Good News: It’s Better If You Don’t Work Out Every Day After Work

You know how you are always dragging yourself to the gym after work (or, uh, thinking about dragging yourself to the gym)? Well take a break, because it turns out that a four-day-a-week fitness plan burns more calories per session than a six-day program. Now you can just go home and watch TV (or stay at work and order food)!

The study found that the women who had been assigned to exercise six times per week were expending almost 200 fewer calories than at the start of the experiment. The women tested also complained that the workouts took too much time out of their schedule and made them less likely to be active when they weren’t formally exercising. For example they would drive to destinations instead of walking and take the elevator over stairs. So that explains it. I’m cranky and feel lazy because I exercise too much!

It should also be noted that recent research published in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management found that “On exercise days, people’s mood significantly improved after exercising. Mood stayed about the same on days they didn’t, with the exception of people’s sense of calm which deteriorated.” The study group was made up of 200 university staff and employees working for a pensions company and an IT firm.

Other key findings were:

• 72% reported improvements in time management on exercise days compared to non-exercise days.
• 79% said mental and interpersonal performance was better on days they exercised.
• 74% said they managed their workload better.

The study was published this month in Exercise & Science in Sports & Medicine.

TAGS: fitness | work/life balance

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