Dieting leads to weight loss, but exercise still needed

The standard recommendation for people who are overweight or obese is, of course, "diet and exercise." But, what exactly does this mean?

For starters, if you want to lose weight and reap health benefits you need to do both.

"Studies show that dieting produces more weight loss than exercise. However, dieting offers none of the other benefits afforded by regular exercise, such as better muscular strength, stronger heart and bones, and a general good feeling," says Stan Reents, PharmD, who is a certified personal trainer and creator of AthleteInMe.com, a Web site focused on exercise and fitness.

Obesity is a serious condition because it can lead to hypertension, stroke, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and many other major health problems that can benefit from proper diet and exercise.

But just how much and how often should you exercise to lose weight?

The American College of Sports Medicine has recommended exercising for 30 minutes per day, at least five days each week. According to Reents, if you can push that exercise to 45 to 60 minutes a day you can achieve even greater weight loss and, more importantly, do a better job of keeping that weight off.

However, for many of us, exercise and proper diet just don't seem to get off all those stubborn pounds.

The most important explanation why exercise isn't that effective for many people trying to lose weight is that exercise represents only a small percentage of the calories burned in any 24-hour period.

"Most people don't realize how many hours of exercise are required to burn off 500 calories," says Reents.

Exercise can be an effective component of a weight-loss program - however, most people simply don't exercise enough to make it work for them. Like saving loose change, small amounts of activity throughout the day can add up.

Here are some suggestions from Reents and the experts at AthleteInMe.com for integrating moderate exercise into your lifestyle:

+ Park at the far end of the parking lot.

+ Take the stairs.

+ Carry your bags of groceries to your car instead of using the cart.

+ Mow your lawn with a pushmower.

+ Walk or bike to the store whenever possible.

+ Convert the daily task of walking the dog into your daily run and take the dog with you.

+ Buy some simple exercise aids (jump rope, exercise bands, exercise watch, running shoes, etc.) and carry them with you when you travel.

+ Surround yourself with other people who exercise regularly; develop social circles based on exercise (walking in the mornings, bike trips on weekends, tennis leagues, etc.).

+ Stick with your lifestyle change long enough until it becomes a habit.

Remember, exercise does not have to be intense to burn calories. For instance, walking has been shown to be effective. It only takes a calorie-deficit of 500 calories per day to produce a pound-per-week weight loss. Reents recommends not trying to lose more than two pounds per week, because rapid weight loss can be unhealthy.

For more information on exercise, fitness and training, visit www.AthleteInMe.com.

(Source: StatePoint)