How 4.5 minutes a day can save your life?

Researchers found that those who did vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA) for 4.5 minutes a day had a 32% lowered risk of developing certain types of cancer, including kidney, bladder, stomach, and lung cancers, over the next six to seven years.

What is vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA)?

VILPA means getting bursts of vigorous physical activity during daily living. Those are usually one to two-minute sprints and can include things like very fast walking or stair climbing while you go about your day.

VILPA is a bit like applying the principles of High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to your everyday life.

With VILPA the goal is really to get your heart rate up quickly. If you want to do it in a classic workout setting you can try the following: Burpees, Sprints, Medicine ball slams, Speed bursts on a bike, Fast rowing.

If you prefer to toss VILPA into your day in a less formal way, climbing stairs quickly, power walking, carrying heavy grocery bags, and running around with kids can qualify—as long as it gets your heart rate up.

Since most people live in apartment building, researchers recommend to take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk a few minutes to a nearby destination instead of taking the bus, or park your car a distance away from where you are going.