Put on weight over Xmas? Study finds exact amount of weekly exercise that’ll shift the festive bulge by February
Gained a few pounds over the festive period? It’ll take two and a half hours of exercise every week for at least two months to burn it off.
That’s according to a review of 116 clinical trials which found this amount of physical fitness — equivalent to more than 30 minutes, five days a week — is enough to shift a ‘meaningful’ amount of weight.
Specifically, the researchers, from Imperial College London, found that, by sticking to this for at least eight weeks, overweight and obese people could lose a maximum of three stone.
They also noted a half a centimetre reduction in waist size per week, as well as a 0.37 per cent weekly drop in body fat percentage.
At least 150 minutes per week of aerobic exercise at moderate intensity is required to achieve important weight loss,’ said Dr Ahmad Jayedi, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London, and first author on the study published in the medical journal.
Dr Jayedi said that for people who are overweight or obese, losing five per cent of body weight over the space of three months is regarded as clinically important, The Guardian reported.
The findings echo the advice of the NHS, which recommends that adults do around 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The new analysis included trials that reported data for almost 7,000 adults who were overweight or obese meaning they had a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or more.
Data revealed that the more aerobic exercise — which increases your heart rate and breathing rate such as running, swimming or cycling — someone did a week the more their body fat, body weight and waist size decreased
Dr Jayedi admitted that the target of 150 minutes a week may feel daunting, and suggested a few simple ways people can build up the amount of exercise they do a week.
One way is getting off the bus or train a stop earlier than usual or by changing the route you walk to work to make yourself walk a little bit further.
‘Motivating people can be quite challenging, especially when it comes to altering their lifestyle and boosting their physical activity levels,’ he said.
‘Habits like consuming a lot of ultra-processed foods and having a sedentary life are deeply ingrained, making them tough to change.
Researchers said they didn’t find any differences between the type of exercise and how much weight people lost.
However they added aerobic activities such as walking or running are exercises that can easily fit into daily routines.
Another study that was published in the journal Obesity revealed ‘weekend warriors’, people who cram their 150 minutes of exercise into one or two sessions a week as opposed to working out a little everyday, get similar results.
The US study found those who did their exercise all in one go had similar reductions in abdominal fat, waist circumference and body mass index to those who hit the gym on a regular basis.
But it’s not just about how much exercise you do.
The study authors highlighted a major flaw in their analysis — that the studies included did not all control for the diet participants ate when partaking in their new fitness regime.
Some experts say that diet is responsible for 80 per cent of a person’s body weight, while 20 per cent lies in the amount of physical activity they do.
The average woman is advised to consume around 2,000 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight, while 2,500 is suggested for men.
Dr Jayedi said a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and fish, and low in red meat, sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.
