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With swimsuit season here, many are looking to trim down and fit into last year’s swimsuit. A new study about the relationship between exercise and a person’s metabolic rate might help shed a few pounds. KSMU’s Matt Evans has more.
Can someone lose weight by exercise alone? That’s a question that has many misguided answers. Many people believe if they exercise, they can eat whatever they want and just work it off. However, a new study published by the journal Exercise and Sports Science Reviews, says exercise does not curb your metabolism as much as people think. Metabolic rate was once thought to increase after a period of exercise, and although people do burn more fat while exercising, their metabolic rate returns to normal after the workout. David Dade is a registered and licensed dietitian at Cox Fitness Center in Springfield.
“The bottom line is that nutrition and exercise are very important components and are the cornerstone of health and fitness and weight management,” Dade said.
Dade said the study’s findings do not surprise him. He explains that to lose weight, a person must simply burn more calories than they take in. For example, one can eat fewer calories and exercise a little, or continue to consume more calories and workout for an extended period of time. Jim Raynor, the executive director of St. Johns Sports Medicine explains this using the metaphor of a cookie.
“You pick up two cookies, if it’s loaded in calories and saturated fat; you’ll accomplish that [eating the cookies] in a minute or two. Then it takes you over 30 minutes to jog it off, bike it off, swim it off, something like that,” said Raynor.
Raynor also elaborates on how people don’t understand how much work it takes to burn off those cookies. To lose weight, both Dade and Raynor suggest finding a good plan that includes dietary control and an exercise regimen. When finding that plan, experts advise to make sure the plan isn’t too ambitious. Start out slowly and work into a more vigorous plan. Raynor explains why some people can’t stick with a tough workout plan from the start.
“They go a complete 180 from where they were and then the sustainability of it because the body fatigues out. The body is like okay, wait a second, you are shocking me into a mode than I am not ready for and I cannot sustain,” Raynor said.
For more information on exercise and diet, you can visit these websites: www.health.com, www.coxhealth.com/fitnesscenters, and www.stjohns.com/sportsmed. For KSMU News, I’m Matt Evans.