February** Dynamic Incentive Program
Recently, some have highlighted that running can help you lose fat is a myth. Of course, there is convincing scientific evidence that after initially reducing fat mass as a result of exercise, the body lowers its overall energy expenditure to conserve energy and eventually store fat mass. This is a natural insurance policy created by our ancestors to prevent hunger during periods of restricted food**.
However, a new study suggests that running can prevent an increase in body fat in the long run. The work was published in the journal Frontiers in Sport and Active Living.
If, after a hopeful start, you can't lose weight by running, don't be discouraged. Recent research from Jyväskylä University has shown that running can help prevent weight or fat gain in those who continue to run. Hopefully, this will help keep the momentum going down the next few months after the quick gains wane.
Our data clearly show that lifelong running, whether long distances or repetitive short runs, maintains lower fat mass levels than a typical physically active lifestyle and also participates in more competitive strength sports," said Dr. Simon Walker, Exercise Physiology Instructor in the College of Exercise and Health Sciences.
The fat mass of the older sprinters and endurance athletes in the study was even lower than that of the younger strength athletes and physically active control groups.
This result definitely motivates me to keep running. When I'm in my 70s and 80s, I'm definitely happy with a 16%-18% fat percentage," Dr. Walker continued.
The same study showed that people who participated in lifelong resistance training maintained muscle mass better than those who participated in sprinting and long-distance running sports. In addition, older strength trainers have similar muscle mass to their younger counterparts.
Dr. Walker suggests that an integrated training approach may be most beneficial for optimizing body composition throughout the lifespan. "There seems to be a comprehensive approach to enhancing body composition by increasing muscle mass and maintaining fat mass that does not compromise on health. We know that both tissues, fat and muscle, have opposite effects on overall health and function. Therefore, the best strategy is to optimize both.
Walker suggests that two to three endurance sessions and the same resistance exercise (i.e., 4-6 times per week), depending on your preferences, mood, motivation, or taking into account seasonal variations, should lead to the same results as the athletes in the study.
The key may be to prevent fat mass gain or muscle mass loss in the first place, and to maintain exercise throughout the lifespan. Therefore, regular exercise throughout your life does help maintain a healthy body composition. This is not a myth.
This study was conducted using a study conducted by Marko Kohonen, Ph.D., and Emer., respectivelyData from a large cohort study (ATHLAS and CALEX family cohorts) led by Prof. Sulin Cheng were conducted. It includes men aged 20-39 and 70-89 who are competitive sprinters, endurance runners, and strength athletes, as well as a control group that is physically active but does not compete in sports.
Although we only studied men, I see no reason why our results should not apply to women as well, especially given menopause and other age-related effects.