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With all the news and science being reported in the fitness industry today it's hard to stay on the cutting edge, even when you are a full time trainer. That's why it's so important to have a network of peers that keep you abreast of all the cutting edge news.
With my background in chemistry I'm not interested in theories; I'm interested in science and scientific studies that clearly demonstrate results.
So when a colleague of mine, John M Berardi, PhD, CSCS, sent me an email on the latest study findings debating diet and exercise you can be sure I read it through! And guess what... the endless debate about whether exercise without diet can cause fat loss has been ended.
I know from my training experience that men and women over 40 generally need to make dietary changes when embarking on an exercise program to reclaim lost muscle tone and lose belly fat. But I always thought that maybe the 20 and 30 year olds could out train a bad diet and still get results. It would take longer, but the results would come.
Well guess what? I was wrong! (It does happen from time to time.)
Here's what John had to say...
This study, published in the April 2008 issue of Nutrition and Metabolism, demonstrated that after 10 weeks of training (3 endurance sessions and 2 strength sessions per week), 38 previously overweight, sedentary subjects saw minimal changes in body composition with training.
Body Weight -
In this study, neither the control (no exercise) group nor the exercise group significantly changed their body weight. Both groups saw about a 0.6lb loss in body weight on average. But again, neither change was significant.
Fat Mass -
When it came to fat mass, the exercise group lost 2.4lbs while the control group lost 0.9lbs. This means that the 50 exercise sessions lead to a mere 1.5lb fat loss vs doing nothing. Better than a kick in the teeth, I guess. But not all that stellar.
Lean Mass -
The exercise group gained 1.7lbs of lean mass while the control group gained 0.2lbs of lean mass. This means that the 50 exercise sessions led to a 1.5lb gain in lean mass vs doing nothing at all. Again, not bad. But not great either.
Different vs. Important
Sure, in both studies, the changes were "statistically significant." In other words, participants did lose more fat and gain more lean mass when training vs. not training. However, let's not confuse different with important. After all, these changes are small, really small. And I would suggest, unimportant.
I mean, come on now, people exercise to actually change their bodies in noticeable, measurable ways. They want to fit better into their clothes. They want to go from overweight to normal weight. They want to be able to walk up the stairs without getting winded. They want to lower their cholesterol.
In my estimation, and it might just be me, they're just not all that interested in dumping big dollars and lots of time into something that leads to a one pound fat loss. Seriously, that's not all that good.
The Lesson - No, It's Not To Stop Exercising!
Ok, At this point you might be wondering if it's my advice to stop exercising. Of course not! Exercise is critically important to looking better, feeling better, and performing better every single day. And don't you forget it!
However, my point is that exercise ALONE just doesn't cut it. What you really need is exercise PLUS a sound nutritional program. Now that's just what the doctor ordered.
Consider what happens when people actually eat well... and follow a solid exercise program!
Real Results for Real People
Falita F. -- Mother of 3 and wife who lost 16lbs of fat and 6 inches in 6 weeks training with Jenny May!
She lost a pant size, expanded her wardrobe and found new confidence!
How did she do it?
I dialed in her eating habits and coupled that with a 4 day a week solid resistance training program - and Falita followed it!
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Craving something sweet? This recipe is the perfect summer dessert. If you don’t have nectarine or pear on hand, be creative and use other fresh fruits. Servings: 2