SURE THING #2: EXERCISE IS THE KEY TO LONG TERM MAINTENANCE

It seems unthinkable that there would be any question about the value of exercise in weight control, but believe it or not, this is the topic of a heated debate.

There's no debate about the need for a calorie deficit. What experts do argue about is whether you should create a calorie deficit by eating less, exercising more, or a combination of both.

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism in early 2007 had fitness professionals up in arms when it said, "Diet and exercise take off the pounds equally."

The study found no difference in pounds lost between one group that created a deficit with exercise and another group which created an equal deficit with food reduction and no exercise.

Other studies produced the opposite result - distinct weight loss benefits were achieved by adding exercise to caloric restriction. Differences in study design, including the type of exercise, may have influenced these conflicting results.

But even if you take the weight off with severe caloric restriction (starvation diets) and no exercise, the real question is: What happens next? That is the question some researchers have failed to ask. Fortunately, others have, and they all came to the same very decisive conclusion:

The difference between "losers" and "maintainers" is exercise.

Most people in our quick fix society don't seem to care about what happens in the long term. They want the weight off as fast as possible.

Ironically, it's these short term quick results that continue to be advertised, rewarded and remembered. What a different story would be told if we did some follow up case studies.

What if there were a three year "reunion" for these starvation diet "success stories" and the extreme makeover and rapid weight loss reality show winners, but with one catch: The "reunion" had to be a surprise (so they wouldn’t have time for another crash diet).

What do YOU think would happen? I think that you'd see confirmation of the statistics we've all heard before: Over the long term, at least 90% of dieters gain back everything they lost.

So why is it that almost everyone insists on following the herd of “losers?” Wouldn’t you like to know what the successful maintainers - the top 10% - are doing differently?

Fortunately, research has given us some answers. One study by Judy Kruger and colleagues published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, found major differences were seen between "losers" and "maintainers."

Successful maintainers exercised 30 minutes or more daily, and added other physical activities such as recreation, sports, and physical work into their daily schedules. Substantially more maintainers also included weight training in their exercise regimens than did the losers.

"Reducing sedentary activities” (less TV watching, etc), was another big difference between losers and maintainers.

One group which has been the subject of much study is the National Weight Control registry (NWCR), which consists of men and women who have lost at least 30 lbs and kept it off for over a year. Many NWCR participants have kept weight off for 5 years or more.

The conclusions drawn from questionnaire-based studies of groups like the NWCR can't prove causation, but this is still a great place to look for patterns of success.

In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh published their research about the NWCR in a paper called, "A descriptive study of individuals successful at long-term maintenance of substantial weight loss."

The part where subjects were asked how they maintained their weight loss was important:

"Nearly every member of the registry reported using a combination of diet PLUS exercise to both lose weight and maintain the weight loss. This finding provides evidence that long term maintenance of weight loss is facilitated by regular physical activity."

So what does all this mean to you? Well, that depends on what stage in the game you’re currently at:

(1) If you haven't started a structured fat reduction program yet, then choose one which emphasizes the long term and not the quick fix, and which includes nutrition and exercise (not just a diet). One program that fits these criteria is Burn The Fat, feed The Muscle.

(2) If you're currently on a diet program that doesn't include exercise - then add an exercise program immediately and you will skyrocket your odds of long term success.

(3) If you've already lost weight with a combination of caloric restriction and exercise, congratulations! But keep in mind that if you want to join the successful maintainers, you have to keep it up! You may be able to cut back on the amount of exercise, but you have to keep training!

(4) If you've lost weight and you've done it with ONLY caloric restriction, you should be also congratulated, but also be warned: NOW is the time to start exercising. At this time, adding an exercise program into your lifestyle is the single most important thing you can do to maintain your ideal weight long term.

If you're overweight and not sure what you can or should do, then start with walking and build from there. Weight training + cardio training is the ideal combination, but you don't need a fancy training program to get started, you just need to increase your energy expenditure - It's all about BURNING more, not "starving" more.

Many things are debatable in nutrition and exercise science today. One thing, however, that almost EVERY expert and researcher now agrees on is that to keep the unwanted pounds off and to maintain your perfect weight for life, exercise is a SURE THING!

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and a certified personal trainer (CPT). Tom is the author of "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using methods of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: www.burnthefat.com