Those of us who are overweight or obese know that exercise can play a part in weight loss. Sometimes, though, it can seem like a waste of time, especially after a weigh-in reveals little or no change.
The temptation for many at such moments is to ‘abandon ship’ on the exercise front. “Clearly exercise not doing me any good” is a common – and understandable – sentiment. “I’ll just focus on improving my diet.”
And while it is true for many that a change in foods and the amount consumed are key factors in weight loss, it does not mean that exercise provides no health benefits. In fact, new research shows that exercise benefits overweight and obese people in previously unknown ways.
The discovery was made when the researchers compared two groups of obese study participants. One group did regular exercise and the other did not.
Exercise versus no exercise when obese
It probably will not surprise you to learn that the regular exercise group had better health outcomes. What may surprise you is the type of benefits gained. Rather than measuring weight loss or heart rates, the researchers look specifically at body fat.
Body fat comes in three major types. Essential fat is found in your brain, bone marrow, nerves and membranes that protect your organs. This is all good fat. Then there’s subcutaneous fat, also known as subcutaneous adipose tissue. That means fat that’s stored under the skin and, provided there’s not too much of it, it’s not considered unhealthy.
The third type of fat – visceral fat – is where the problems generally begin. This is what most of us call belly fat. It collects around the waistline and is stored in the abdomen and around the major organs, like the liver, kidneys, pancreas, intestines and heart. Fat stored in those places is not good.
So how does this relate to the exercise and non-exercising obese study participants? Well, the researchers found that the exercising group had a capacity to store fat subcutaneously. The exercisers also had had more blood vessels, mitochondria and beneficial proteins (all good things). They also had less of a collagen type that can interfere with metabolism and fewer inflammation-causing cells (bad things).
In for the long haul
The encouraging thing about the research was that it involved long-term participants. The exercise group had all exercised four or more times a week for at least two years. In fact the average among the group was 11 years.
Co-author Jeffrey Horowitz, professor of movement science at the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology, summarised the findings.
“Our findings indicate that in addition to being a means to expend calories, exercising regularly for several months to years seems to modify your fat tissue in ways that allow you to store your body fat more healthfully if or when you do experience some weight gain – as nearly everyone does as we get older.”
So the next time you feel a little bit disappointed when looking in the mirror after exercising, cheer up. Because while you may not notice any difference on the outside, chances are you’ll be healthier on the inside.
Are you overweight or obese? Do you sometimes feel that exercise seems like a waste of time? Let us know via the comments section below.
Also read: Ozempic effective at preventing heart attacks, data shows
Disclaimer: This article contains general information about health issues and is not advice. For health advice, consult your medical practitioner.
