Page 56 - BBC - The Scientific Guide to a Healthier You
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Fend off fat
Exercise burns calories, which inevitably aids weight loss,
but running also stifles the production of the ‘hunger hormone’
One of the most apparent benefits good as gym training for those looking calories.” Running a marathon will only
exercise can bring about is weight loss to lose or maintain their weight. hit around a third of that figure. By
and weight management. A whole host Interestingly, a study of 50,000 creating a daily deficit of 500 calories,
of research, including studies from the patients between 1999 and 2012 found through heart-rate raising exercise and
Journal of Applied Physiology, highlight that those who walked regularly had controlling your calorie intake, you can
how a combination of aerobic exercise lower body mass indexes (BMIs) make serious in-roads into your body
and resistance training (using weights, than patients who took part in fat percentages.
machines or bodyweight to train high-intensity exercise. Researchers from the University of
muscles) can have a positive impact Although the results aren’t and Western Australia have also found that
on fat levels and waist circumference shouldn’t be immediate, regular running contributed to weight control
among overweight subjects. Resistance exercise in conjunction with a balanced by regulating appetite. Runners
training has been shown to contribute diet has been shown to be the safest, performing interval sessions in a trial
to the development of muscle mass, most effective means of shedding fat reported fewer cravings for snacks as a
changes in body composition and and keeping it off. result of the exercise regime curtailing
fat reduction. “The body fuels exercise with energy the production of ghrelin, nicknamed
Just moderate-intensity aerobic drawn from within – from blood sugars the ‘hunger hormone’.
activity, such as walking, can make and body fat,” explains Prof Brewer.
serious in-roads into weight loss, too. “In order to lose weight and reduce
In one recently published study, from body fat levels you need to create a
the London School of Economics, calorie deficit – burning more calories
researchers found that brisk walking – than you consume. To burn off 2lbs
when done regularly enough – was as (1kg) of fat costs around 8,000-9,000
