Keep From Regaining Weight

You've exercised faithfully, watched your diet and finally reached your target weight. How much exercise do you need to keep it off?

Maybe more than you thought, according to a study at Fitness Online.

Researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of Wisconsin at Madison recommend daily exercise of 80 minutes of moderate activity (walking, playing softball, golf or ping-pong) or 35 minutes of vigorous activity (jogging, active dancing, tennis).

These findings came after following 33 women, ages 20 to 50, for one year after they had lost at least 26 pounds. These levels of exercise are much higher than the half hour a day of moderate intensity activity usually recommended to promote health.

John Foreyt, a leading obesity researcher at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, disagrees with the new findings: "Many people are able to maintain their body weight with less exercise [than this]."

So who's right? Only your scale and regimen can answer that.

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