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How much Exercise for Weight Loss Benefit?

Those 30 minutes of daily exercise you think you’re supposed to do to keep weight off? You need to step it up, people. As much as twice that amount may be needed to lose weight and keep it off.

A recent study found that overweight and obese women needed to exercise about an hour a day, five days a week to sustain weight loss. The findings bolster what some health experts — and those who have lost weight and kept it off — have been saying for years: copious amounts of exercise and adherence to a strict diet are necessary to take off the pounds and keep them at bay.

The women who exercised more and stuck to their diets kept off a 10% weight loss over two years, compared with others who maintained only 5%. The report, which appeared in the July 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, studied 201 women during an intervention that spanned from 1999 to 2003. All the women were asked to consume 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day and they were assigned to one of four groups: one that burned 1,000 calories a week, one that burned 2,000 calories a week, one that exercised moderately and one that exercised vigorously. Participants also attended group meetings where they learned how to change their diet and activity and received follow-up calls via telephone.

Six months later, all four groups had lost an average of 8% to 10% of their body weight. But it didn’t last. After two years, the average weight of all participants was only 5% lower than their initial weight, and there was no difference among the groups.

But some did better than average. About a quarter of the women who managed to sustain a 10% weight loss exercised more, adhered to better eating habits and engaged more often by phone with the intervention team. For them, exercise amounted to an average of expending 1,835 calories a week, or 275 minutes per week.

"This clarifies the amount of physical activity that should be targeted for achieving and sustaining this magnitude of weight loss, but also demonstrates the difficulty of sustaining this level of physical activity," wrote the authors (headed up by John Jakicic, director of the Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh), who also recommended further research to discover how to continue to motivate people to exercise.

What’s other expert suggesting?

For good health, experts recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity. This doesn't have to be all at one time. To prevent weight gain, most of us need about 60 minutes of physical activity on most days. Studies show that even the most inactive people can gain significant health benefits if they accumulate 30 minutes or more of physical activity per day. Research consistently shows that regular physical activity, combined with healthy eating habits, is the most efficient and healthful way to control your weight. Whether you are trying to lose weight or maintain it, you should understand the important role of physical activity and include it in your lifestyle.

According to FDA:

Do at least 30 minutes of exercise, like brisk walking, most days of the week. The idea is to use up more calories than you eat. You need to use up the day's calories and some of the calories stored in your body fat.

To keep off lost pounds, many of us need about 60 to 90 minutes of daily physical activity. Do some type of aerobic exercise (walking, jogging, swimming, stationary cycling, aerobic dancing, etc.) on a DAILY basis (preferably in the morning) for 30 to 60 minutes! Note: If you haven't been exercising, be sure to gradually increase your exercise time.

According to American Diabetes Association (ADA)

A study called The Diabetes Prevention Program showed that you can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. Losing weight and increasing activity can reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes if you are at high risk. People who took part in the study lowered their risk by losing 10-15 pounds and getting 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week. Usually the exercise was walking, but there are many activities you can choose to get more exercise and lower your risk.

According to Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN:

Most adults should aim for a minimum of 30-60 minutes of weight loss exercise a day on most days. Children and teenagers should get at least 60 minutes of active play each day. Weight loss or active exercise can include things such as walking, gardening, swimming, or house-cleaning. Basically, any type of activity that increases your heart rate and causes you to break a light sweat.

A recent study performed by the Diabetes Prevention Program found that 150 minutes of physical activity each week (a mere 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week) helped prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. The participants in this study also lost 10-20 pounds by including these weight loss exercises in their daily routine.

According to Consensus Public Health Recommendation (supported by the U.S. Surgeon General, USDA, Dept. of Health and Human Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health, and American College of Sports Medicine):

Modern guidelines state that normal weight adults need at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise on four or more days of the week. Adults focused on weight loss need 60 minutes of moderate intensity exercise four or more days per week. The same 60 minute requirement applies to all children, regardless of their weight. However, in all cases, the required activity time can be divided into two or three parts in different times of the day.

Weight loss by strength training:

This specific program is to walk at a medium pace for 90 seconds (1.5 minutes); do a strength-training exercise with resistance tubes for 30 seconds; walk again for 90 seconds; do a strength-training exercise; and continue this cycle. Each strength exercise is done for two circuits. Work in a 10 minute walk before work, at lunch and when you get home -- 30 minutes of exercise broken up into tiny jolts!

When you allow for 3 minutes at an easy pace for warm-up at the start, and another 3 minutes to cool down at the end, the entire circuit will take 30 minutes. The resistance tubes are easy to carry while you're walking.

According to Duke University Medical Center:

Strongly suggests that not only can 30 minutes of daily walking prevent weight gain in most sedentary people, but that any further exercise can lead to additional loss of weight and fat.

The researchers said that their study provides the first scientific basis for a "more is better" approach to exercise. The 30 minutes of daily walking is the equivalent of 10 to 12 miles of walking each week, the researchers said, adding that for most sedentary people, this amount of exercise will offset the slow and incremental weight gain of inactivity.

According to Journal of the American Medical Association:

If you want to enjoy a lifetime of well being, exercise is a key ingredient. Thirty minutes to rev up your metabolism with activity each day that takes as much effort as a brisk walk is recommended for adults. Children should be active for an hour each day.

According to Cordova Medical Clinic, TN:

Exercise physiologists tell us that to maintain our weight; we need 30 minutes of daily exercise 5 times a week. But in order to lose weight, we need 60 minutes of daily exercise 5 times a week. Start slowly and build up. Doing too much too fast can cause injury or burn-out. Start with 10-15 minutes daily, and add 5 minutes every two weeks. In just two months you’ll be up to 30 minutes a day. Just be sure to be here at least 30 minutes before our lunch break or at least 30 minutes before our closing time.

Sources :

http://www.pitt.edu/
http://www.nutristrategy.com
http://www.fda.gov
http://www.freeweightlosscenter.com
http://www.diabetes.org
http://www.weightlossanswersonline.com
http://www.cordovamedical.com/WeightLoss.php
http://www.dukemednews.org
http://activehousehold.com
http://www.weightlossobesity.com