(WGN Radio) — From getting 10,000 steps in a day to “parasite cleanses,” there are any number of health trends that have made the rounds, especially in the New Year, when resolutions are being crafted. One such trend catching attention, however, may be more effective than hitting an arbitrary step count or removing non-existent parasites.
Dubbed the 6-6-6 challenge, participants are encouraged to walk for 60 minutes a day, at 6 a.m. or 6 p.m., with 6-minute warm-up and cool-down periods (some variations say you should walk at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.) to encourage weight loss.
“I think it’s a great thing,” Dr. Jeff Bohmer, Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital, told Bob Sirott of Nexstar’s WGN Radio.
The structure, he explains, is easy to remember, which can help make it easier to stick to.
“Even if you do it four days a week, you’re [going to] get more than 150 minutes of that cardiovascular activity that they recommend,” Bohmer explained. He noted that research has shown walking has “many health benefits,” including improved bone strength and bone, digestive and mental health.
You can listen to Bohmer’s full conversation with Sirott in the audio player below. They also discussed an increase in sugar-based drink consumption, how to shop for balanced meals at the grocery store, and how earbuds could harm your hearing.
When it comes to burning fat, however, Bohmer reminds that it’s best to get your heart rate into what is known as zone two.
There are five heart rate zones. If you work out in zone one, you are likely burning fewer calories, roughly 85% of which are fat, but you can usually maintain this intensity for longer, according to the Cleveland Clinic. At zone five, when you are at or near your max heart rate, you are burning carbs and protein. You likely cannot maintain zone five intensity for more than a few minutes.
To reach zone two, you’re working at a moderate intensity level and the calories you burn will be around 65% fat, the Cleveland Clinic explains.
The American Heart Association recommends that weekly, you should get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity — roughly equal to three and a half days of observing the 6-6-6 challenge — or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity.
“I think that providing that structure, it’s easy to remember 6-6-6,” Bohmer said. “There’s definitely something there with this and walking … it’s a very cost-efficient mechanism to get up there and get moving and get some exercise.”
If you don’t enjoy a structured, timed workout, experts say a step goal is also fine to follow.
“It gives a person credit for all the things that they’re doing throughout the day,” Dr. John Jakicic, a research professor in the Division of Physical Activity and Weight Management in the Department of Internal Medicine at KU School of Medicine, previously told Nexstar. “And it can help them build a pattern of activity without them having to carve out 30, 45, 60 minutes at one time to go out and do this exercise.”
He adds that one method isn’t better than the other, “but they apply to people for different purposes.”
Whether you’re on a step count, a timed challenge, or just simply trying to get up and moving during the day, Dr. Tamanna Singh, co-director of Cleveland Clinic’s sports cardiology center, told Nexstar it’s important to “do what you can commit to and stay consistent.”
“The most important thing is to incorporate intentional physical activity most days of the week if not daily,” Singh notes. “Your body does not care whether you are walking, jogging, swimming, biking, rowing, dancing – again, physical stimulus on a consistent basis will contribute to improvements in both cardiovascular and physical wellbeing.”
