Many Americans make new year's resolutions to lose weight, and gym memberships surge in January. By March, many resolutions have been dropped. The pounds didn't melt away as predicted, so the exercise sneakers went in the back of the closet.
Fitness experts say people may overestimate how many calories they burn when working out, or they may not do enough to move the scale. That 30-minute cardio activity that left you sweating and breathless may have burned only 200 to 300 calories.
Glenn Gaesser, a professor of exercise physiology at Arizona State University in Phoenix, claimed “That can be completely undone by consuming one donut in like, what, 60 seconds,”
“So we can undo with eating in a matter of minutes what it took us to burn that many calories over the course of many, many minutes, sometimes hours.”
Regular exercise gives many benefits beyond burning calories, so there are lots of reasons to keep moving in the new year.
“Research shows that exercise affects pretty much every cell in the body, not just our heart, not just our muscles, but it also affects all the other organs, as well,” Gaesser added.
“Exercise is something that is vital for good health.”
Among the benefits mentioned by the CDC include sharper thinking, less sadness and anxiety, better sleep, help with weight management, stronger bones and muscles, and reduced risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and breast, colon, and other cancers.
For "substantial health benefits," federal health recommendations urge individuals to complete 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical exercise or 75 to 150 minutes a week of vigorous physical activity, or an equivalent combination.
Exercise to live longer
Gaesser said research shows that people who are overweight who exercise consistently, like McCollum, receive several health benefits.
“We have found that exercise basically improves health outcomes largely independent of weight loss,” he said.
He co-wrote an article published in iScience in October that compared weight loss to exercise for enhancing longevity and improving overall health.
Most of the data were based on observational studies and can't be used to show cause and effect, Gaesser said, but the research suggests purposeful weight loss reduces mortality risk by 10% to 15%. Studies reveal that increasing physical exercise or improving fitness reduces mortality risk by 15% to 60%.
“The major take-home message is that just being physically active and trying to improve your fitness seems to provide better prospects for longevity than just trying to lose weight,” he added.
Another study published this year indicated that exercise boosts longevity, even walking fewer than the prescribed 10,000 steps. Middle-aged persons who walked at least 7,000 steps a day on average were 50 to 70% less likely to die of cancer, heart disease, or other causes during the next decade, according to JAMA Open Network.
Cherish every day and your life will be magical
(Source articel: New science shows how exercise affects nearly every cell in the body)
