By Esther Diaz
CSMS Magazine
Exercising is more important than dieting for weight loss. In a study, researchers followed three groups of people who wanted to lose weight. One group exercised and dieted, the second dieted without exercising, the third exercised without dieting. After two years, only the group that exercised without seriously dieting maintained their weight losses.
Reason: These people said that, after working out, they didn’t want to fill up on high-calorie, high-fat foods and instead ate sensibly and lost weight.
For the average American, it is clear that moderate exercise is best. Moderate exercise minimizes the risk of musculoskeletal injury. It’s a realistic level of exercise for most people. It’s easy and it doesn’t take a lot of time. The best exercises to perform to obtain health and longevity benefits, in no particular order, are cross-country, skiing swimming, running, cycling, and walking. You can also perform indoor or outdoor versions of these activities and mix match among them to keep up your interest.
Note: Esther Diaz is an education major at UNF (University of North Florida). She is our contributor.
