From the Editor/El Diario
miércoles, 03 mayo 2023 | 06:27
It’s not surprising that exercise is one of the first things we turn to when we decide it’s time to lose weight. We went to the gym and committed ourselves to taking more walks with the dog, believing that if we do enough exercise the scale will give us some joy.
As expected, many of us get discouraged when we follow this routine for months and see no change on the scale. That’s why I ask myself frequently: does exercise help to lose weight, or is it just the diet? The answer, I warn you, is not simple.
To lose weight without a diet, you have to sweat a lot
During the last 70 years there have been many studies dedicated to examining the role exercise plays in weight control. Recent investigations on the topic have concluded that exercise alone has a minimal impact on weight loss.
Among them is included a meta-estudio that, after examining all the relevant studies in the area, found that those who used the exercise alone lost a minimum weight compared to those who exercised at the same time that reduced their energy intake.
Another investigation from 2018 found that it was unlikely that substantial weight loss would occur when participants followed the minimum guidelines that govern physical activity. That’s right, 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week.
To achieve significant weight loss without dieting, the total exercise volume should be significantly greater than the minimum recommended levels. Specifically, you need to do about 60 minutes of moderate physical activity a day to achieve significant weight loss.
However, before you skip the gym, keep in mind that an important number of investigations confirm that it is vital to focus on exercise as part of any weight loss program.
help to maintain
Exercise improves our body composition and prevents muscle deterioration. Our metabolic rate –the amount of energy we burn at rest– is determined by the amount of muscle and fat we have, and muscle is metabolically more active than fat, which means it burns more kilojoules.
Relying solely on the diet to lose weight will reduce muscle along with body fat, slowing down your metabolism. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that sufficient and adequate exercise has been incorporated into your weight loss plan to maintain your muscle mass reserves.
It’s also important to incorporate endurance exercises to increase strength. This does not imply going to the gym every day: it is enough with two days a week, even in the comfort of our own home.
The exercise has general health benefits
Before starting to see the results of the exercise on the scale, we experience the numerous benefits for the physical and mental health that the exercise brings.
Even low levels of exercise reduce the chances of developing illnesses such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. .
