Q & A: How many times a week do I have to exercise for it to be beneficial?

Q. How many times a week do I have to exercise for it to be beneficial?

A. Any exercise is better than no exercise. Research has shown that regular walking for as little as an hour or two a week can reduce the risk of heart disease. If you are a beginner, start off with 30 minutes of exercise two to three times per week and gradually increase the duration and intensity of your workout.

Q. My son wants to begin an exercise program to look better and lose weight: What should I do?

A. The best approach would be to begin with some form of aerobic exercise everyday. Aerobic exercise is going to provide the greatest caloric expenditure for the time investment. Once an aerobic program is established, he should begin a weight resistance program to develop lean muscle that will assist in the fat burning process. Based on your son's weight loss objectives, 60-70% of his exercising time should be dedicated to aerobic exercise.