Consistency is a big factor in obtaining great health and fitness results.
Yes, some exercise is obviously way better than none. However, the more consistent you are with your exercise, the better results you will have.
If you are basketball player trying to improve your free throw percentage, shooting just one day a week won’t improve your percentage very much. If you practice three times or more a week, your percentage is very likely to improve.
The more you practice, the better you will get. Additionally, if you are trying to lose weight but only eat healthy once a week, the weight isn’t going to come off. The same holds true for working out. As a weekend warrior who only goes to the gym once or twice a week, you won’t get the same results as someone who goes on a consistent, weekly basis.
To be fair, a recent study released by JAMA Internal Medicine researchers found that weekend warriors had about a 40% lower risk of death due to cardiovascular disease, a 30% lower risk of overall death, and an 18% lower risk of death due to cancer than those who didn't exercise at all.
So yes, some exercise is obviously better than none, but the fact remains that consistency will get you better results and lower those risks even further.
By only working out once a week, you are more likely to have muscular and joint issues. In addition, depending on your overall level of fitness, your muscles will begin to atrophy just a few days after non-use. That means if you only workout once every five or six days, you’re basically starting over every time. That’s no way to get results.
If you have any questions about how to get into a consistent routine or any other health and fitness questions, please feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I’m more than happy to help!