Weight Loss Tips: Scientists Say Cardio Training Does Not Help Shed The Pounds
Doing cardio exercises alone will not result in weight loss, a new research has revealed.
While many people engage in a lot of cardio exercises in hopes to shed some excess pounds, a new study has revealed that exercising alone will not do the trick in losing weight. According to the findings of the latest study, people who do cardio exercises three times a week for eight weeks will not have a significant drop in their weight as long as they don't alter their diet.
"To be effective, exercise training for weight loss needs to be integrated into a lifestyle approach to weight loss, including exercise combined with diet...Seeing no change on (the) scales may be enough to make people give up on their exercise training, not realizing that they have actually improved their body by gaining muscle mass," said Dr Hans-Peter Kubis from Bangor University, co-author of the study.
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The study on the effect of cardio exercises on weight loss was participated by women, aging between 18 and 32, who engaged in circuit exercise training programs three times a week for between 45 and 90 minutes per session. Within the period of the study, 34 women were asked to exercise for four weeks while the 36 others were told to stick to the program for eight weeks.
Prior to and after the study, the hormone levels, fat, muscle, and weight of the participants were all recorded, and they were told that the study was meant to determine the impact of exercises on their brain and heart health and was not about weight loss. The diet of the participants was not altered within the period of the study.
While the study revealed that the normal-weight participants increased their muscle mass, the same thing cannot be said about the overweight participants as it was even discovered that their so-called "hunger hormones" increased. Because of this, researchers believe that the effects of exercise can be invalidated once a person indulges in food due to his increased appetite.
"Whether they are aware of it or not, someone undertaking more physical activity or exercise may experience increased appetite as a result and this makes it difficult for people to achieve their goals," Kubis said.
