Exercise has long been hailed as a critical component in the fight against obesity, even among those who loathe working up a sweat. While it’s still unclear just how large a role it can play, a recent review of “The Biggest Loser” competitors who had dropped considerable Weight reveals that it can be an essential component of the equation.
Obesity journal Obesity examined data from the show’s competitors in the August 2021 issue. Kevin D. Hall, the author of prior research, found that candidates’ metabolisms slowed dramatically after a significant amount of weight dropped.
According to him, the metabolism does not return to its original level when Weight is gained back, which explains why it is so challenging to maintain a healthy weight following weight loss.
The “constrained model of human energy consumption” is used in new research by Hall to explain these findings in further detail.
To maintain a stable level of energy expenditure, the body will lower its metabolic rate as a person loses weight, according to this theory.
That our hunter-gatherer ancestors could rely on the body’s exact energy-balance-keeping function to help them through hard times is fantastic news from an evolutionary viewpoint.
However, in the present day, where there are much too many calories available, that survival strategy may be contributing to increased obesity rates.
According to Lisa Cooper, a registered dietitian at Orlando Health Center for Health Improvement, “the data tends to confirm the need for continuous physical exercise for long-term weight loss and maintenance.”
Maintaining a long-term workout regimen is necessary to keep the weight you’ve shed off. In the study, the researchers found that “the participants who sustained the biggest improvements in physical activity expenditure at six years also maintained the greatest weight decreases,” which implies that a continuing exercise plan might help keep the weight you lose off.
Shaun Carrillo, lead wellness coach at Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange County, California, says this is in line with findings from several previous research. “Exercising while losing weight is supported by several research.”
“70 percent of persons who lost weight and kept it off engaged in regular exercise regimens,” according to research in 2018. Less than a third of those who didn’t manage to keep the Weight off did so through regular exercise.”
Exercise, according to clinical dietitian Andrea Whitson of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, California, and certified aerobics instructor with the Athletics and Fitness Association of America is a great way to create a calorie deficit, meaning burning more calories than you’re consuming.
“To shed one pound of weight, the body needs to expend 3,500 calories,” “Says Whitson. “Reducing consumption, increasing activity, or mixing the two are all viable options.”
Do you have to exercise to lose weight?
Weight reduction can be achieved by nutrition alone, but “the combination of diet and exercise is vital because of the physical function activity plays in energy balance, assisting with weight loss and retaining additional weight once it has been reduced,” adds Cooper.
Carrillo believes that dieting alone will result in the loss of both fat and lean mass, or muscle. Thus he recommends combining dieting with exercise.
To compound matters, “lean mass plays a critical role in weight loss” since more lean mass burns a more significant number of calories.
Cooper adds that “physical exercise helps decrease belly fat and protects muscle throughout weight loss.” You may lose some muscle mass if you eat a strict diet without exercising. Maintaining a healthy metabolism relies on preserving or growing lean muscle mass.
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Carrillo explains that it’s all about finding the right balance. By following rigorous or “magic pill” diets, many people set themselves up for failure.
Making “a good balance between eating healthily and exercising while occasionally indulging” is the superior strategy. Weight loss can be more sustained this way.
How much exercise Do You Need to Lose Weight?
As Cooper points out, the amount of activity necessary to shed pounds differs from one to individual. “Many may need more than 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to lose weight or keep it off.”
Carillon notes that the American College of Sports Medicine recommends more than 250 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week to lose weight and prevent regaining it.
To lose weight, you should aim to burn 300 to 400 calories every workout and work out at least three times a week, ideally daily.
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition notes that both people who want to lose a substantial amount of Weight, meaning more than 5% of their body weight, and those who are trying to keep a significant amount of weight off once it has been lost, may need to do more than 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week to meet weight-control goals, Cooper says.
It all comes back to creating a sustainable calorie deficit, Whitson says. If you don’t exercise, you’ll need to eat 500 fewer calories daily to lose 1 pound weekly.
It’s possible to lose 500 calories a day by cutting your caloric intake by 250 calories a day through exercise and nutrition, which is “more practical” and may help you stick to your weight-loss plan.
Which Exercises Work Best?
High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, “is one of the most efficient methods to burn calories,” according to Carrillo.
A combination of high-intensity exercise and little rest makes HIIT so effective. According to several studies, you’ll be burning calories for hours after your workout is complete.
Carrillo adds that whichever form of activity you enjoy might help you lose weight. “There is no one-size-fits-all approach to exercise. The key is to choose an activity you like and stick with it for a long time. Weight loss is a long-term process, and sustainability is the most crucial component.
Consistency Is Key
Maintaining a regular diet and exercise routine is essential for weight loss. Whitson adds that it will be necessary to prepare ahead to stay on track.
For example, you may keep a bag in your car filled with sneakers and workout gear. Then you’ll be prepared to go for a stroll or a run whenever the mood strikes. Or lay out your workout gear and sneakers before you sleep.
Read More: Can I Lose 30 Pounds In 6 weeks? Is It Safe?
She also advises creating little objectives and praising yourself if you achieve them. She does warn, though, that the prize should not be limited to food. Go to the movies or get some new sporting gear instead if that’s what you want to do.
Start Small and Build
Taking only a few minutes of exercise daily can have a significant impact. When it comes to exercising, Whitson recommends breaking it up into three 10-minute sessions: one at lunchtime, one at the end of the workday, and one after supper.
There is no need to be afraid of exercising,” Carrillo adds. Begin walking for 30 minutes a day and work your way up to resistance and interval training.”
However, higher outcomes will be achieved if you are persistent in your exercise and food regimens.
Cooper stresses the need for physical activity and a proper diet to achieve healthy weight reduction. “See a licensed nutritionist and a professional fitness trainer for precise, tailored dietary and activity regimens.”
