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Weekend warriors have the same risk of mild dementia as more regular exercisers, study suggests | CNN

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Weekend warriors have the same risk of mild dementia as more regular exercisers, study suggests | CNN

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CNN
 — 

People who only exercise on weekends have a similar risk of developing mild dementia to those who work out more frequently, a new study has found.

Weekend warriors who engage in one or two sessions of exercise a week were the focus of the research, published online Tuesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

A team of academics from Latin America and Europe set out to determine whether the frequency of exercise affects the risk of developing mild dementia.

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Researchers found that not only was the weekend pattern of keeping fit potentially as effective in staving off the condition, but that it may also be easier for people with busy lifestyles to achieve.

The scientists examined two sets of survey data from the Mexico City Prospective Study, a longitudinal study that followed the health of thousands of people in the Mexican capital over many years. The initial survey took place between 1998 and 2004, and the second, which resurveyed the same people, started in 2015 and ended four years later.

In total, 10,033 people, with an average age of 51, took part in the surveys, and their responses were included in the study.

In the first survey, participants were asked whether they exercised, how often they did so and for how long.

Based on their answers, the researchers divided the respondents into four groups: those who didn’t exercise at all; the weekend warriors who either played sport or exercised once or twice a week; the regularly active, who worked out at least three times a week; and a combined group of regularly active people and weekend warriors.

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In the second survey, respondents’ cognitive function was assessed using the Mini Mental State Examination, which, according to the study, is “probably the most widely used tool to screen for cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults.”

Similar results for men and women

The researchers found that the weekend exercisers were 13% less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment than those who didn’t exercise at all, while the regularly active and those in the combined group were 12% less likely to do so. The results were similar for both men and women.

The finding led the team to conclude that 13% of cases of mild dementia could be avoided if all middle-aged people exercised at least once or twice a week.

Lead author Gary O’Donovan, an adjunct professor at the School of Medicine at Colombia’s University of the Andes, told CNN that around half of the weekend warriors reported exercising for at least 30 minutes per session, while the rest exercised for about an hour or more each time.

When compared with the group that did not exercise, the weekend warriors were 13% less likely to develop mild dementia, and those in the regular and combined groups were 12% less likely. O’Donovan said that these are “average values” and that the “margins of error overlap.” In other words, he said, “there are similar reductions in risk in the groups.”

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“We found that the weekend warrior physical activity pattern and the regularly active physical activity pattern were associated with similar reductions in mild dementia risks after adjustment for confounders,” the researchers wrote.

These confounding factors included a range of things that could affect the relationship between cognition and physical activity, such as age, sex, education and body mass index.

The researchers continued by saying: “To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first prospective cohort study to show that the weekend warrior physical activity pattern and the regularly active physical activity pattern are associated with similar reductions in the risk of mild dementia.”

Commenting on the significance of the study, O’Donovan said: “The whole weekend warrior physical activity pattern is important because lack of time is a major barrier to taking part in more sport and exercise. Surveys of men and women around the world suggest that two-thirds of adults would like to do more but just don’t have the time.

“I’ve been interested for a long time now in correcting this misconception that one size fits all when it comes to exercise. I feel quite strongly that the weekend warriors around the world should be told that what they are doing is fine.”

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He added: “The weekend warrior research is starting to add up now. It’s pretty clear that the health benefits are much the same as exercising more often.”

According to the study, the researchers believe their findings could “have important implications for policy and practice because the weekend warrior physical activity pattern may be a more convenient option for busy people in Latin America and elsewhere.”

Their conclusions echoed a broader recent study that suggested that weekend warrior workouts could be as effective as more regular exercise when it comes to lowering the risk of developing more than 200 diseases. These scientists, who published their findings in the journal Circulation in September, used data from the UK Biobank project to reach their conclusions.

Chris Russell, senior lecturer at the Association for Dementia Studies at the UK’s University of Worcester, welcomed the research as encouraging, saying “more research needs to be done (on dementia) within middle- to low-income countries,” such as Mexico. Russell was not involved in the study.

“There’s evidence that physical activity can help prevent dementia,” he said, explaining that informal activities such as dancing and walking can be beneficial as well as team sports and other fitness activities.

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Beside the physical benefits of exercise, there is also the company and socializing with others that keeping fit often involves, which would help ward off cognitive decline, Russell said.

He said there is good evidence that “physical activity can prevent dementia” but added that “it’s not in any way certain,” noting that other risk factors, such as diet and smoking must also be taken into account.

More than 55 million people currently have dementia around the world, with nearly 10 million new cases diagnosed every year, according to the World Health Organization.

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PTs have called it- these are officially the best YouTube workouts of all time to boost your fitness from home

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PTs have called it- these are officially the best YouTube workouts of all time to boost your fitness from home

Able to be performed at home, over in minutes and costing you nada — the best YouTube workouts are worth their weight in gold.

Whether you’re a fan of full-body workouts, sweaty HIIT sessions or walking workouts, or you love yoga for relaxation, resistance training or meditation, thanks to the millions of YouTube workouts ready to stream on the platform, there is a PT-approved sesh ready and waiting for everyone.

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The ancient practice of tai chi is more popular than ever. Why?

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The ancient practice of tai chi is more popular than ever. Why?
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While workouts like high-intensity interval training (HIIT) have only been popular since the early 2000s, many other types of exercise have been around much longer. Pilates, for instance, began nearly a century ago as a method of rehabilitation for injured soldiers and dancers. Yoga’s origins can be traced back more than 5,000 years before that. And we know that wrestling is older still – as famous cave paintings of the sport date back to more than 15,000 years ago. 

Tai chi began more recently than that, but is still considered to be an ancient practice because it was started by a Taoist monk who lived around 1300 AD. It’s also something still many practice today – and for good reason.

What is tai chi? 

Tai chi is a yoga-like practice that involves a series of slow, gentle movements and physical postures, a meditative state of mind and controlled breathing, per the U.S. National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). 

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While we know that tai chi originated anciently from martial arts in China, over the years the exercise has become more focused on health promotion and rehabilitation. This is because tai chi has been at the center of more than 500 published medical studies. It’s a body of “credible medical research that has catalyzed tai chi’s popularity in the West,” notes Peter Wayne, director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Harvard Medical School and at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Massachusetts. 

Indeed, today “tai chi is a practice that millions of people around the world participate in,” says Dr. Paul Lam, a family medicine physician from Sydney, Australia, who has been participating in tai chi since 1974 and is now a tai chi instructor. It’s practiced by following specific movements and physical postures in a similar fashion to yoga. In fact, because both tai chi and yoga are low-intensity ancient exercises that have been shown to have similar health benefits and be particularly beneficial for the elderly, the two practices are considered to have more in common than they are different. 

What are the health benefits of tai chi? 

There are numerous health benefits of practicing tai chi with the most well-studied and known benefits being associated with improved symptoms related to “arthritis, Parkinson’s disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),” says Dong-Yun Wang, a physical therapist based in Flushing, New York, who recommends tai chi as a way of helping her physical therapy patients.  

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It’s also known to improve posture and sleep, and to “relieve stress, improve immunity and lower blood pressure,” says Lam. 

Wayne adds that the exercise also “improves balance, mobility and reduces falls in older adults;” and that there is evidence “supporting its ability to reduce neck, back and knee pain,” and even to “improve cognitive function and mood.”

Tai chi can improve both lower-body strength and upper-body strength. “When practiced regularly, tai chi can be comparable to resistance training and brisk walking, which can enhance aerobic fitness in the elderly,” says Wang. 

Are there any downsides to tai chi? 

Despite such benefits, tai chi isn’t for everyone. “Like all activities and exercises, there is a risk of injury when participating in tai chi,” says Lam. Still, 2019 research indicates that tai chi injuries are far fewer than from other forms of exercise, and NCCIH research concludes that “tai chi appears to be safe” for most everyone to do.

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At the same time, because tai chi is so different from other Western exercises with its emphasis on slow movements and mindfulness, “it can take a few weeks to get used to before it becomes enjoyable and beneficial,” explains Lam. To get started, Wang recommends going online to see where tai chi classes are being taught in your area or reaching out to someone who engages in the exercise to experience it alongside them.

If you live in a bigger city, “you may be able to find a group of people who already practice it in the park or other public place,” Wang says. She explains you’ll see an instructor leading the group and that you can simply request to join them before “following the movements of the group as you try to imitate the whole form.” 

To make it more enjoyable and easier to commit to the practice longer term, advises Wayne, “ask an interested friend or family member to start with you.” 

This article contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.  

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5 Best Tabata Workouts To Melt Belly Fat

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5 Best Tabata Workouts To Melt Belly Fat

You’re not alone if you can’t seem to slim down your midsection. A 2023 OnePoll survey found that 95% of U.S. adults tried shedding weight in the past five years. Additionally, nearly half of the responders admitted to struggling with their weight-loss goals, with some even experiencing weight gain. With so much conflicting weight-loss information online, it’s no wonder why so many of us seem to struggle with losing weight. Fortunately, we have you covered with the best Tabata workouts to lose belly fat.

Why Tabata, might you ask? Well, incorporating high-intensity Tabata workouts into your workout routine can help you torch calories and shrink your waistline. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, incorporating high-intensity workouts into your routine can lead to more significant fat loss than traditional steady-state cardio. This is mainly due to the afterburn effect, which means your body continues to burn calories even after the workout is over.

Research shows that Tabata workouts can improve cardiometabolic health. One 2019 study cited Tabata as “one of the most energetically effective high-intensity intermittent training methods.” Tabata workouts are highly versatile, allowing you to target multiple muscle groups and build strength and endurance while burning calories.

To start these Tabata workouts, you need only a stopwatch or timer, a sturdy surface for exercises like box jumps, and your own body weight. Depending on your fitness level and rest intervals, these workouts can be completed in about 20 to 30 minutes.

Chris Mohr, PhD, RD, an exercise physiologist and Fitness and Nutrition Advisor for Fortune Recommends, instructs, “Perform each workout with the prescribed number of rounds and intervals. The idea is to push yourself during the 20 seconds of work and rest adequately between each exercise. Aim to incorporate these workouts into your routine two to three times per week for optimal results.”

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Now, let’s dive into the five best Tabata workouts to lose belly fat.

Workout #1: Full-Body Tabata

1. Jump Squats (8 rounds)

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  1. Begin in a squat position with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Push through your heels and jump up explosively.
  3. Land softly back into the squat position.
  4. Repeat for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds between rounds.

2. Pushups (8 rounds)

illustration of woman doing pushupsillustration of woman doing pushups
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  1. Start in a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart.
  2. Lower your body toward the ground while keeping your back straight.
  3. Push yourself back up to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for 20 seconds, resting for 10 seconds between rounds.

3. Mountain Climbers (8 rounds)

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  1. Begin in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders.
  2. Rapidly drive your knees toward your chest while alternating legs.
  3. Maintain a steady pace for the duration.
  4. Repeat for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds between rounds.

The Only 10 Exercises You Need To Melt Lower Belly Fat

Workout #2: Cardio-Focused Tabata

1. High Knees (8 rounds)

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  1. Stand tall and run in place, lifting your knees as high as possible.
  2. Pump your arms for added momentum.
  3. Keep your core engaged as you move.
  4. Repeat for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds between rounds.

2. Burpees (8 rounds)

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  1. Start standing, then drop into a squat and place your hands on the ground.
  2. Kick your feet back into a plank position.
  3. Perform a pushup.
  4. Jump your feet back toward your hands.
  5. Leap into the air.
  6. Repeat for 20 seconds, resting for 10 seconds between rounds.

3. Lateral Skater Jumps (8 rounds)

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  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Jump to the right, landing on your right foot with your left foot behind.
  3. Repeat on the other side, mimicking a skating motion.
  4. Repeat for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds between rounds.

Melt Belly Fat With This 30-Day, Low-Intensity Workout

Workout #3: Core-Focused Tabata

1. Plank (8 rounds)

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  1. Start in a forearm or high plank position with your body in a straight line.
  2. Keep your core tight and hold the position.
  3. Focus on your breathing to maintain endurance.
  4. Hold for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds between rounds.

2. Russian Twists (8 rounds)

illustration of how to do the russian twist core-strengthening exerciseillustration of how to do the russian twist core-strengthening exercise
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  1. Sit on the ground with your knees bent and lean back slightly.
  2. Twist your torso from side to side, holding a weight if desired.
  3. Ensure your core stays engaged throughout.
  4. Repeat for 20 seconds, resting for 10 seconds between rounds.

3. Bicycle Crunches (8 rounds)

woman doing bicycle cruncheswoman doing bicycle crunches
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  1. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head.
  2. Bring your right elbow to your left knee while extending your right leg.
  3. Alternate sides in a cycling motion.
  4. Repeat for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds between rounds.

The Ultimate Dumbbell & Bodyweight Workout To Melt Belly Fat

Workout #4: Lower-Body Tabata

1. Walking Lunges (8 rounds)

illustration of woman doing walking lungesillustration of woman doing walking lunges
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  1. Step forward into a lunge position, ensuring your knee doesn’t go past your toes.
  2. Alternate legs as you walk forward.
  3. Keep your core tight for stability.
  4. Repeat for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds between rounds.

2. Squat Jumps (8 rounds)

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  1. Start in a squat position with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Jump up explosively, landing softly back into a squat position.
  3. Use your arms for momentum.
  4. Repeat for 20 seconds, resting for 10 seconds between rounds.

3. Wall Sit (8 rounds)

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  1. Press your back against a wall.
  2. Slide down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
  3. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the position.
  4. Focus on your breathing to help endure the time.
  5. Hold for 20 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds between rounds.

10 Easiest Workouts To Lose Belly Fat

Workout #5: Upper-Body and Agility Tabata

1. Box Jumps (8 rounds)

illustration of box jump exercises to avoid after 50illustration of box jump exercises to avoid after 50
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  1. Jump onto a sturdy box with both feet, landing softly.
  2. Step down and repeat.
  3. Repeat for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds between rounds.

2. Tricep Dips (8 rounds)

tricep dips illustrationtricep dips illustration
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  1. Place your hands on the edge of a bench or sturdy surface.
  2. Lower your body until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
  3. Press back up to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for 20 seconds, resting for 10 seconds between rounds.

3. Jump Rope (8 rounds)

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  1. Grab a jump rope and stand tall.
  2. Jump for 20 seconds, keeping a steady rhythm and focusing on light, quick jumps.
  3. Rest for 10 seconds between rounds.

Adam Meyer, RHN

Adam is a health writer, certified holistic nutritionist, and 100% plant-based athlete. Read more about Adam
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