The Least Amount of Exercise to Still See Results

Let’s be honest: Maintaining a consistent exercise routine can feel daunting, especially with the ever-present demands of work and family life. If you can relate, you may wonder what the least amount of exercise you can do (also called “minimum effective dose”) while still reaping the many health benefits of regular exercise.

The good news is you don’t need to spend countless hours at the gym or purchase expensive fitness equipment to see results. Here, we’ll explore the minimum effective dose of exercise according to fitness experts and share strategies for incorporating fitness into your busy day.

How Much Exercise Do You Really Need?

The “minimum effective dose” of exercise refers to the smallest amount of physical activity required to achieve noticeable health benefits. “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise weekly. This works out to 30 minutes, five days a week, or 20 minutes daily if you prefer shorter sessions,” notes Anthony O’Reilly, CPT, CNC, a certified personal trainer and NASM-certified nutrition coach.

Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise includes activities like brisk walking, cycling or swimming—anything that raises your heart rate but doesn’t leave you gasping for air. 

For those short on time, the guidelines recommend 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise. Stephen Sheehan, CSCS, CNC, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and certified nutrition coach, points out that running or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) are considered vigorous-intense activities and can achieve similar results as moderate-intense ones. 

However, cardio (AKA aerobic exercise) alone isn’t enough to optimize your health. Resistance training is just as important. “Start with two resistance training workouts and at least two moderate-intensity cardio sessions a week,” Sheehan suggests. “This combination supports overall strength, cardiovascular health and lean muscle development.” This recommendation aligns with the CDC’s physical activity recommendations. 

A 2021 meta-analysis found that doing just one set of six to 12 reps at 70 to 85% of your max effort two or three times a week can significantly increase strength in trained men. Over eight to 12 weeks, participants saw gains of about 17.5 kg (38 lbs) in the squat and 8.25 kg (18 lbs) in the bench press, indicating that even minimal training can result in noticeable results.

How 20 Minutes of Exercise Daily Can Benefit Your Health

“Aerobic exercise is vital to maintaining cardiovascular health and managing your weight,” O’Reilly explains. “It’s also beneficial for mental health, bone density and maintaining balance.”

Here are the benefits of incorporating the minimum recommended amounts of aerobic exercise and resistance training into your weekly routine:

You May Improve Cardiovascular Health

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, moderate-intensity activities like walking or cycling enhance heart health by improving blood flow and reducing the risk of heart disease. Regular cardio exercise strengthens your heart muscle, lowers blood pressure and helps regulate cholesterol levels.

You Can Build and Maintain Strength and Muscle Mass

Strength training isn’t just for bodybuilders. The National Institute on Aging highlights that incorporating strength training into your fitness routine is crucial for maintaining muscle mass, which naturally declines with age.

“Strength training gives you an opportunity to develop strength and build lean muscle,” says Sheehan. “Adding lean muscle improves metabolism, reduces the risk of diabetes and enhances overall functionality in daily life.”

You May Enhance Mental Health

Physical activity is a natural mood booster since it releases endorphins, your body’s feel-good chemicals. Research has suggested that exercising outdoors can even be extra beneficial and help reduce stress and anxiety. Sheehan notes that simple activities like a morning walk can “set a positive tone for the day.”

You Can Improve Bone and Joint Health

Weight-bearing exercises like walking or resistance training strengthen bones and support joint health, reducing your risk of bone loss and developing osteoporosis and arthritis. O’Reilly says, “Even minimal effort can improve bone density and overall balance, especially in older adults.”

You May Increase Longevity

A 2019 review concluded that those who meet the 150-minute exercise guideline have a significantly lower risk of chronic diseases, including diabetes, some types of cancer and hypertension. “Resistance training reduces all-cause mortality and decreases the risk of metabolic conditions,” O’Reilly explains.

Tips for Fitting Exercise Into Your Day

With schedules busier than ever, finding time to exercise can seem impossible. Fortunately, these strategies can help make incorporating exercise into your day more manageable.

• Break It Into Short Sessions: Split your physical activity into three 10-minute sessions, like taking your dog for a brisk walk or jumping on a mini trampoline while watching TV or making phone calls.
• Start Your Day with Movement: Begin with a morning walk or light stretches to set a positive tone for the day. If mornings are hectic, go for a post-dinner stroll to unwind.
• Schedule and Protect Your Workout Time: Time-block your workouts and eliminate distractions by setting your phone on “do not disturb.”
• Keep It Simple: To build strength without equipment, do bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges and push-ups.
• Incorporate Playful Activities: Make movement joyful and fun by dancing, playing in the backyard with your kids, going for a bike ride or engaging in any other physical activity you enjoy.

Everyone’s preferences, schedules and needs are different. The key is finding what works for your schedule, lifestyle and fitness level. If you’re a beginner, start small and gradually increase your exercise intensity and duration to prevent burnout and reduce injury risk.

“It’s essential to focus on quality over quantity,” says O’Reilly. “Doing the right amount of exercise effectively is better than overdoing it and burning out.”

The Bottom Line

Getting 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week, combined with two resistance training sessions, can significantly impact your physical health and mental well-being by improving cardiovascular health, maintaining your strength and muscle mass, reducing your risk of depression and anxiety, supporting your bone and joint health and increasing longevity. 

But don’t let that number scare you! If you divide 150 minutes per 5 or 7 days per week, it comes down to 20-30 minutes daily. And to fit that time into your busy schedule, try splitting your workouts into shorter sessions, incorporating movement into daily routines, and prioritizing simple, enjoyable activities that can make squeezing in exercise time easier.