22 January 2023
Game-changing new research leads experts to conclude that efforts to eat healthy should be backed up by solid weight training.
You don’t need to fit into a specific size of clothes or see a certain number on the scale to feel good. However, keeping your weight within a healthy range can protect you from many diseases such as heart problems, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and even some types of cancer. The fact is that over the last decade the number of people suffering from obesity has risen dramatically. In this regard, at the beginning of this year as well, millions around the world will include losing weight among their New Year’s goals.
If you are one of them, it is important to know the basic components. Yes, diets can work. You will reduce sugar and semi-finished products, you will try therapeutic fasting or the Mediterranean diet, and why not even the keto regime. For some people it works and will show some results. But is it for everyone and for how long?
A 2015 study of 176,000 overweight people showed that a very small proportion lost only 5% of their total body weight, and more than half gained more weight in the following 2 years. Another study shows that the more attempts to lose weight are made over time, the more pounds are gained afterwards. It becomes clear that shedding excess pounds may be difficult, but keeping the desired pounds off is even more difficult.
Fortunately, scientists at the University of Alabama are delving into the nature of this phenomenon and what we can do to combat it. They find that losing muscle mass during the weight loss process actually promotes weight gain afterwards. The study group included 141 overweight premenopausal women who lost 12 kilograms after a specific diet. While on the diet, one-third of them did no exercise at all, one-third did aerobic exercise and the last one-third did endurance exercise.
Those who didn’t exercise at all lost the greatest percentage of weight that was not fat, or in other words – muscle mass. Those who did strength training also lost weight, but only in the form of fat. The non-exercising ladies regained 20% more of the weight lost during the experiment over the next 12 months.
Another similar study supports the finding. It was conducted among a group of overweight police officers. Half of them only dieted for 2 months, and the other half both dieted and exercised. Both test groups lost weight, but only those who exercised managed to maintain the achieved results after the first 2 months.
Scientists suspect that our increased appetite is actually directly related to muscle mass. Therefore, if you want to control your appetite and maintain a sustainable and healthy body weight, it would be a good idea to start strength training today.
A fitness routine will not only help you lose weight, but it will also improve your overall lifestyle and self-esteem. It will help you get rid of stress and worries, build a positive and motivated attitude towards the start of each new day and, respectively, feel more successful. Regular training also keeps the immunity in shape to fight most viruses, improves metabolism and the strength of bones and joints.
Not sure where to start? Let us recommend the Les Mills BODYPUMP™ workout. A full-body strength workout that builds strength and improves your body’s health.
Try it right now by saving your spot in the schedule of the Next Level club that is most convenient for you. See the calendar here.