Weight loss and exercise

How long should I exercise?

Should I train for 30 or 45 minutes at a time? This is a question we're asked regularly.

If you pay any attention to the fitness industry, you'll know that there's a constant turnover of new fads, gadgets and ideas. Currently there are many professionals in the industry who say that in our time poor society, 30 minute training is the way to go.

The idea is that shorter training sessions ensure you can work, train, and have a family and social life, while getting the results you want out of your training.

At MyoFunction, we disagree. We think that to make long-term changes for your body, you need to work out for longer than 30 minutes. Let's explain why.

The role of the Endocrine system

Most people who undertake an exercise program do so with one or more of the following goals in mind: tone up, lose weight, improve posture, increase fitness, increase strength or gain muscle. The body is a complex organism and for us to reach any goal we must work with our body and its complex processes to ensure success.

The Endocrine system is one part of the body that plays a major role in us achieving our exercise related goals. The Endocrine system secretes hormones into the bloodstream that regulate many functions of the body including metabolism, tissue function, mood and growth and development.

Three hormones in particular play a crucial part in us reaching those exercise related goals:

Endorphins: The hormone responsible for blocking pain also decreases our appetite and creates that feeling of euphoria, as well as reducing tension and anxiety. Endorphins increase by up to five times their resting levels while exercising, but only after 30 minutes.

Testosterone is responsible for helping to maintain muscle tone and increase metabolism, but only increases in levels in the blood stream after 20 minutes of exercise.

Glucagon helps break down fat so it can be used as fuel, but this only begins after 30 minutes of exercise.

As you can see, a 30 minute workout won't effectively make any long‐term change to your body as many important functions have not yet kicked into gear. or have only just done so.

If you'd like to make long-term changes to your body, call us on (03) 9387 0800 to find out how we can help.