Can You Save Workouts for the Weekend?

Sometimes, squeezing in a few workouts during a jam-packed week is like wearing spandex — you'd rather not. So can you skip those sessions and just work out longer on the weekend? Heck, we're not talking about giving up your daily 30-minute walks; but what about shelving those muscle-working, heart-pumping sessions? Can you save the sweaty stuff for the weekend?

Not if you're fighting high blood pressure, or lousy cholesterol counts (high LDL or low HDL), or extra pounds — especially around your waist. In other words, not if you care about how long you live. It's burning 1,000 calories over four or five sessions — not one or two — that sets you up for a longer, healthier life.

Here's how frequent sessions do their magic: Brisk walking, running, biking, or any aerobic activity lowers your triglycerides — unhealthy blood fats linked to high levels of lousy LDL cholesterol — for 24 hours. Get active every day and your triglycerides will be progressively lower after 4 days. "Weekend warrior" calorie torching just can't match that.

Blood pressure is similar: A brisk walk lowers your BP immediately and for a few hours afterward. So the more frequently you do it, the closer you are to a happy and healthy 100th birthday.

Admittedly, there is one exception: Weekend warriors may add years to their lives if they're in virtually perfect health to begin with. That means they have NO risk factors for heart disease: no extra pounds, no smoking, no hypertension, and no less-than-great cholesterol numbers. But let's face it — few of us fall into that charmed space. We know you're working on it! Keep at it!