Is Exercise Essential for Weight Loss?

The American College of Sports Medicine has released a consensus statement that reviews the latest findings on physical activity and excess body weight.

Although exercise has traditionally been part of weight loss programs, the question remains if it continues to be a significant factor in weight reduction.

Most healthcare professionals support weight loss for health reasons rather than appearance.

Carrying excess weight can increase the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and breathing difficulties.

However, prescribing exercise for weight loss is challenging. A lot of exercise is required to make an impact, and those with extra weight are often less inclined to start or stick with an exercise regimen.

One issue is that exercise alone doesn't always guarantee weight loss, even when people follow the same routine.

Some evidence suggests that at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week are needed to affect weight, but experts have not reached a consensus on whether this is sufficient, given the varied results among study participants.

Even then, without reducing daily calorie intake, weight loss remains modest.

According to the ACSM, exercise alone can lead to a small weight loss of about 0.5-3 kg.

Combining diet with exercise, however, significantly boosts weight loss.

The ACSM notes that when paired with a calorie-restricted diet, exercise enhances weight loss by approximately 20% more than dieting alone.

There isn't much evidence to show that one type of exercise is superior for weight loss.

However, higher-intensity workouts burn more calories than lighter activities, so if time is a constraint, this should be considered.

Similarly, no specific diet has been proven more effective than others for weight loss, including time-restricted eating and intermittent fasting.

The critical factor is consuming fewer calories, regardless of how it's achieved. The ACSM states that no one type of diet is more effective for weight loss, provided that it results in a negative energy balance.

The ACSM also explored the hypothesis that timing meals and exercise could benefit weight loss.

Despite theories that exercise reduces appetite and fewer morning calories lead to greater energy deficits, there's little evidence supporting meal or exercise timing as a weight-loss strategy.

Except for high-intensity exercise, physical activity doesn't significantly affect appetite, and any post-exercise reduction in hunger is temporary, not affecting daily calorie consumption.

Wearable technology and apps have emerged as valuable tools in weight loss, enhancing diet and exercise efforts.

The ability to set goals, track activities and diet, and receive feedback and reminders has been shown to aid weight loss.

The ACSM noted that in 73% of cases, increased monitoring of physical activity was linked to more substantial weight loss.

This suggests that self-monitoring raises awareness of behavior related to physical activity and diet, creating a feedback loop that helps individuals progress toward weight-loss goals.

This updated perspective from the ACSM reaffirms that exercise remains a vital component of weight-loss strategies, even for those using anti-obesity medications.

Exercise offers benefits beyond weight reduction, such as better health, energy, sleep, mood, and increased muscle mass.

Even a 5% reduction in body weight can yield health benefits, making every workout beneficial.

The ACSM advocates for incorporating physical activity into efforts to prevent and treat excess body weight and adiposity, emphasizing inclusive approaches to encourage active participation among all individuals.

Source: montrealgazette

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