Little Effort, Big Rewards

by WiredBerries Editors — August 8, 2007

Sometimes "healthy living" seems like hard work. A lot of us feel like we don't even have time to exercise and eat right, but the good news is that research is showing that big benefits come from small changes.

A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that adding just 30 minutes of walking per day was enough to prevent weight gain and encourage moderate weight loss. Don't have 30 minutes? Another study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, found that you can split it up into three brisk 10-minute walks per day. These mini-walks were as effective as a daily 30-minute walk at decreasing the risk of heart disease.

"Just the act of going from sedentary to moderately active gives you the greatest reduction in your risks," says Helene Glassberg, MD, director of the Preventive Cardiology and Lipid Center at the Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

The same rule applies to how you eat--small changes can make a big difference. "Reducing fat intake, cutting down on sugar, eating a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar--over time, these things can make a difference," says Grossman.