Women who may not have much time to work out can still gain the heart health benefits that come from exercise—as long as they use the little time they do have to work out intensely.
According to a new study out of Canada, researchers found that women who exercise at a higher intensity are less likely to die from heart disease, cancer, and other causes. That’s mainly because intense exercise challenges your body more than moderate exercise, boosting a greater flow of blood to the muscles—which carries oxygen and fuel—as well as increased muscle mass and strength.
Although high-intensity exercise like spin class and boot camps is often marketed to 20 and 30 somethings, vigorous exercise can be appropriate for any age group. In fact, most of the women in the study were between 50 and 75 years old—with each of them being followed by researchers for an average of 5 years.
