Exercise 1 Hour a Day to Avoid Weight Gain -- if you start thin

[steven johnson]

A new study shows that weight gain in women can be avoided with aging if one exercises an hour per day. The bad news is that you have to have a metabolism that had you starting with a thin body habitus. If your body mass index is less than 25, you're golden. Have a BMI of over 25 and you have to exercise AND limit calories. Too bad.

March 23, 2010 -- Weight gain with age is common. But middle-aged women who start out at a healthy weight and get in an hour of moderate activity every day can avoid weight gain, according to a new study.

All women ate a normal diet, and there weren't instructions to reduce calories.

Lee and her team also looked at a subgroup of women -- those who started out at a healthy weight -- that is, with a body mass index or BMI of less than 25 -- and maintained a healthy weight throughout -- that is, gained less than 5 pounds at the three-year interval. Thirteen percent of the women, or 4,540, had a BMI lower than 25 at the study start and maintained a healthy weight throughout. "We found the relationship between physical activity and less weight gain held only for the women with a BMI of less than 25."

For those whose BMI was 25 or more, "there was no relationship between physical activity and weight gain, but perhaps because they just weren't very active," Lee says. For these women who are already overweight, she says, it seems exercise must be combined with calorie reduction to control weight.

Exercise 1 Hour a Day to Avoid Weight Gain

[BrklynLiberal]

1. uh...How much money was spent on this study??????????????

[ecstatic]

2. That's a lot of time... Hopefully 15 minutes is good enough

because that's more reasonable and something I can stick with.

[abelenkpe]

3. Unfortunately true

I run in the mornings and walk three miles at lunch or swim (depending on sunshine) so that I don't have to monitor my calories. Yes, I'm lazy at math yet capable of exerting that much energy to avoid numbers.

[demosincebirth]

4. I read a month ago, in some magazine, that working out makes you

hungry and you eat more. I know one thing, you eat less...you lose wait. Simple.

[BadgerKid]

5. If you eat too little, your body can eat you.

Eat and exercise in moderation!

[demosincebirth]

8. I didn' t say to starve yourself.

[BadgerKid]

11. It's more complicated than your OP.

I've read a lot on the subject of exercise and diet. I find I less hungry when I exercise.

[Chemisse]

9. Actually I have found my appetite is more subdued after exercise

So I get a double benefit. But an hour a day? I have trouble squeezing out 15 minutes every single day.

[demosincebirth]

10. I gotcha! Especially on the treadmill

[eridani]

6. More ponfificating on who and who is not entitled to have a life n/t

[Big Blue Marble]

7. Interval training is far more effective

in less time. I spend only 35 minutes three times a week doing high intensity interval training. I am over 60 and have struggled with my weight for years. I started HIIT 2 years ago. I have successfully lost over 40 pounds and significantly increased my fitness. Current research supports my results.

In the past I had attempted weight-loss with a very low calorie diet and 2 hours a day of regular cardio to little result. This time I did reduce my calories a little (approximately -300 cals.) each day but not nearly as much as in the past. The results of this combination are nothing but fantastic. I am amazed how easy it has been.

I believe that 5 years from now, HIIT will be the training of choice for most people.

[busymom]

12. Well, I started out overweight....

and began walking 1 hour/day every day. I lost 65 pounds in a year and made very few other changes to my diet (except eventually giving up on fast food). I think exercising 1 hr/day is a good form of stress relief and helps with overall fitness now for anyone!

[Warpy]

13. Uh, did that and more

and people used to tell me I was too thin most of the time.

When I turned 50, I blimped up without changing either diet or exercise.

Something is at work besides laziness, folks.

[Quantess]

14. If you exercise an hour a day, you'll be healthier,

you'll feel better, and you'll look better than if you sat on your ass all day.

Weight and caloric intake notwithstanding.