Should I Split Up My Workout -- or Go for It All at Once?

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Should I Split Up My Workout -- or Go for It All at Once?

Should you split up your daily treadmill workout or finish your exercise in one go? Get the answers from a fitness pro.

By Betsy Stephens

Question: "Is walking on the treadmill for 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night as effective as walking 30 minutes straight?"

Answer: Both routes are equally effective if you're just interested in getting heart-health benefits, says Gary Scott, president of East Coast Instructor Training School in New York City. However, if you're more interested in weight loss, you're better off working out for 30 minutes straight. That's because the percentage of calories you burn from fat will be higher after 15 minutes of cardiovascular exercise, says Scott. Still, if you don't have the endurance or the time for 30 minutes at once, splitting your workout is much better than skipping it altogether.

Originally published in Fitness magazine, April 2006.