Around Us

Fitness facts

Here are five important facts from the Physical Activity and Weight Gain Prevention study published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association:

NO DIET REQUIRED: Participants who exercise for an hour every day seemed to maintain their weight without significantly reducing their calorie intakes. (The study did not account for diet.)

MORE IS MORE: You can still reap health benefits working out less then an hour per day, but it isn’t as beneficial for weight maintenance.

GYM NOT A MUST: The study counted all kinds of moderate activities, including a range of pursuits such as biking, yoga and even gardening.

HEART HEALTH: The federal government recommends 150 minutes of weekly exercise to prevent heart disease and other ailments; this study triples that suggestion.

TIME CRUNCH: Don’t have one solid hour? Break it up and still enjoy the benefits. Add activity to your schedule by climbing the stairs, walking more (get off the subway one stop sooner, or buy lunch five blocks farther away than you normally do) or taking half of a 60-minute cardio class.

— Alisa Wolfson