To lose weight, nutritionists recommend the following: Eat a calorie-reduced diet and get plenty of exercise. But could exercising while obese actually make it harder to lose weight? According to new research published in the Journal of Exercise Physiology, it could–by increasing their physiological stress responses.
The research, which will be published in June, says that exercise alone may not be enough for those battling obesity.
“It’s often said obese people should change their diet and exercise to lose weight,” says Brynjar Foss, an associate professor in the Department of Health Studies at the University of Stavanger in Norway. “But they may also need to deal with stress.”
The Research
Studying 17 adults who had a body mass index (BMI) greater than 35, a number which indicated they were significantly obese, Foss, along with other researchers from Norway, had them participate in a 22 week program to improve their health, which included diet, exercise, and lifestyle seminars. However, when the study ended, researchers found that the participants didn’t lose as much weight as expected–despite reliable evidence from the past which showed they should have lost more weight.
Then, they looked at their cortisol, a type of stress hormone. As it turned out, exercise caused cortisol levels to elevate, stressing out their entire body–and mentally, they showed the wear and tear of chronic stress as well.
This isn’t good, as prolonged stress can slow down the metabolism and increase a person’s blood sugar–something that can cause bigger, more insatiable cravings for sweets and junk food.
“Physical activity alone has a limited effect on weight reduction, but a positive effect on quality of life is the main cause of better health,” say researchers. “Lifestyle change measures can provide a weight reduction of 10.5 percent, which is considered a successful outcome, but proves difficult to maintain over time.”
In conclusion, researchers say that multiple lifestyle measures should be combined together to result in better weight loss outcomes for overcoming obesity. One measure alone, such as exercise, won’t work. On the other hand, obese individuals shouldn’t skip working out just because it makes them more stressed out.
“If you’re physically active, you can be in good health even if you’re overweight,” says Martha Loland, a physiologist from Norway. “The chances of suffering cardiovascular disease are smaller for obese people who exercise than for those who don’t make any effort to keep fit.”
What You Should Do
Battling obesity? Getting in your 30 minutes of daily exercise just isn’t enough, according to research–in fact, it could make you fatter. For an easier way to lose weight, make sure you’re also eating fewer calories as well, while making sure to stay active throughout the day.
Readers: What else do you do to help you lose more weight?
Source:
Study: Exercise May Make it Harder to Lose Weight For Obese Adults – Fysioterapeuten.no
From the Fat Into the Fire: Why Stress Hormones Make it Harder For Obese People to Lose Weight – UIS.no
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