"Many people struggle to do the recommended amount of exercise each week. But research suggests even a small amount has powerful effects.
But sometimes it can be hard to find the time (and motivation) to exercise. So, what's the least amount of exercise you can get away with doing while still seeing these benefits? That answer depends on how fit you are to begin with.
Here's some good news: the lower your starting point is in terms of fitness, the less you have to do to see a benefit.
However, one study in which sedentary people were trained to complete an endurance event, such as a marathon, found that once participants reached seven to nine hours a week of training, they saw noticeable changes in their heart's structure.
So, while the additional hours of exercise don't provide further benefit in terms of reducing cardiovascular disease risk, these changes in the heart's structure will mean improvements in fitness – and hopefully, running a faster marathon.
These sorts of changes were previously only thought possible in elite athletes – but this study is proof that if we're willing to commit, we can not only get the cardiovascular benefits but also develop the heart of an athlete.
After you start doing an hour or two of exercise a week to improve your heart health, something incredible and unexpected might happen. You might actually enjoy it. Four hours a week is the sweet spot that gives the greatest reduction in cardiovascular risk – but if you enjoy training or find a sport you love, you shouldn't let this stop you doing more.
The idea of going from never exercising to working out four hours a week can be daunting – especially if you don't have much spare time. This is where the intensity of your workouts is important.
If you want the biggest bang for your buck in terms of reducing cardiovascular risk, you need to break a sweat. High-intensity interval training (Hiit) is one time-efficient way of maximising your returns from exercise. It's typically a 20-minute workout comprising short, 30 to 60-second bursts of intense exercise followed by a brief rest in between.
So, for a self-professed lazy person who wants to improve their cardiovascular health, the message is simple: even a small amount of any type of exercise can make a big difference.
* Peter Swoboda is an associate professor of cardiology at the University of Leeds."
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