Physical activity is the second fundamental component of lifestyle modification. Physical activity contributes to increased energy consumption and the maintenance of body muscle mass while also improving cardiovascular capacity.
Physical activity, however, causes minimal weight loss in the absence of calorie restriction. To put this into perspective: a program of physical exercise of 45–60 minutes daily for 4 days per week will cause a caloric deficit of approximately 1,000 kcal over the course of a week, with a resulting weight loss of 0.15 kg. In contrast, low-calorie diets (LCDs) cause weekly deficits of 3,500–7,000 kcal, with corresponding weight losses of 0.5–1 kg per week.
The greatest benefit of physical activity is its contribution to the maintenance of weight loss. Physical activity can be divided into two types: planned and lifestyle-integrated. Scheduled activity usually involves planned aerobic exercise and is completed in a specific time period (e.g., walking, aerobics, light running, etc.). Lifestyle-embedded activity involves increasing energy expenditure through increased energy consumption embedded in our daily activities. (egg using the stairs instead of an escalator or lift, or choosing a remote parking spot). Increased physical activity incorporated into our daily lives appears to be associated with less weight regain than planned physical activity after 1 year of follow-up (0.08 vs. 1.6 kg, respectively). It seems that this lifestyle-integrated activity is ideal for obese people who often say they hate to exercise.
HOW DOES EXERCISE PREVENT OBESITY?
- By affecting the amount of energy taken in,
This is done by the following mechanisms:- Reduces appetite:
Light and moderate exercise reduces or at least does not increase appetite, while intense exercise increases it. The decrease in appetite is seen primarily in men. - Reduces the desire for fat intake:
It seems that the combination of diet and exercise reduces the desire for fat intake, even in the maintenance phase of body weight and thus reduces the likelihood of obesity relapse. - It has favourable psychological effects:
It is known that good physical condition is directly proportional to the mental health of the person. Especially in obese people, with quite a few primary and secondary mental problems, systematic but moderately intense exercise increases self-esteem and improves the feeling of well-being.
- Reduces appetite:
- Affecting the amount of energy consumed. The mechanisms by which this is done are the following:
- Increases energy consumption during exercise:
It is clear that when you exercise, you increase the energy you need. - Minimizes the loss of muscle tissue during weight loss:
This favourable effect of exercise is perhaps the most important reason to recommend it. The combination of diet and exercise limits the loss of muscle mass to less than 30% - Increases metabolic activity far beyond exercise time:
The reduction in body weight is accompanied by a reduction in resting energy consumption. This phenomenon is an adaptive mechanism of deprivation, but it is also a result of the intense catabolism of muscle tissue with mindless diets. Systematic exercise improves the above phenomenon by increasing the proportion of muscle tissue and improving its quality.
- Increases energy consumption during exercise:
CONCLUSION. THE EXERCISE
- It reduces the possibility of weight gain
- Protects against the increase in morbidity and mortality that “faithfully” accompanies obesity
- Increases energy consumption during exercise
- Increases energy consumption and prolongs exercise time
- Increases resting energy activity
- Increases preference for carbohydrate foods
- Creates an aversion to fat
- It prevents the reduction of RMR during a weight loss diet
- Prevents loss of muscle mass during weight loss diets
- It proportionally increases fat oxidation
- Many positive psychological effects
- Mild forms of aerobic exercise, but on a consistent and long-term basis, have very good results
- However, the best type of exercise is the one that everyone likes and that of course has an objective chance of being long-lasting.