To Your Health
March, 2007 (Vol. 01, Issue 03) |
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Get a Handle on Your Weight
By Editorial Staff
Everyone makes New Year's resolutions - vowing to lose weight, spending hundreds of dollars on gym memberships, fitness equipment and weight-loss programs - but for many, the battle of the bulge can seem never-ending.
In a recent study, 175 adults between 40 and 65 years of age, all considered overweight or mildly obese, were assigned to one of three exercise groups for six months; or to a control group that did not exercise. The exercise groups were defined as follows: low amount/moderate intensity, equivalent to walking 12 miles per week; low amount/vigorous intensity, equivalent to jogging 12 miles per week; or high amount/vigorous intensity, equivalent to jogging 20 miles per week.
According to the researchers, the amount of exercise related to changes in visceral fat (a type of fat surrounding the abdomen). They emphasize that "even a relatively modest exercise program ... prevented significant increased visceral fat," and recommended that "until we are able to prevent weight regain after short-term dieting success, a greater emphasis toward prevention should be a major goal in the U.S."
So this year, keep that New Year's resolution and get rid of your beer belly, spare tire or love handle by adopting a consistent exercise program. Consider it the start of a new, healthier you.
