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Posted on Mar 24th 2010 4:00PM by Amber GreviskesFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Fit After 40
Many of us have a hard time carving out 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week for exercise. Now, a new study reveals women over 40 may need to spend considerably more time working out just to maintain a healthy weight. Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) researchers followed more than 34,000 healthy American women for 13 years to examine who kept weight off and reported that those who were active for an hour a day maintained their weight, while their less-active counterparts didn't.
Don't get frustrated just yet. The findings don't mean you need to live in the gym just to button your pants.
"What this study says, especially in women over 40, is that you have to honor the energy in-calories burned equation," said Pamela Peeke, M.D., the author of "Body for Life for Women" and a spokesperson for the American College of Sports Medicine. "Most women after the age of 40 are not doing anywhere near the level of physical activity that they need, and they're eating like they're 20-year-olds."
Metabolism peaks in your 20s and declines after, explains Peak. By the time you're 40, if you haven't modified your eating habits to accommodate your decreased caloric need, you're setting yourself up for weight gain.
"Women just need a reality blast," Peeke said. "You can't eat with abandon, go to jazzercise three days a week and expect to cut calories. That doesn't work."
So, what are you supposed to do?
Reign in your calories by satisfying cravings with smaller, nutrient-rich portions. For example, opt for one decadent piece of chocolate over a bag of M&Ms.
And, yes, you'll have to burn more calories. But logging in 60 minutes of exercise doesn't have to mean hour-long sweat sessions at the gym. It does mean you'll have to increase the intensity at which you complete daily activities. Two brisk 15-minute walks with your dog eliminates half of that 60-minute quota. If you walk to get your lunch instead of ordering it, you've got even less of a workout waiting for you at the end of the day.
The hour-long workout guideline isn't new to those who study exercise and obesity according to John M. Jakicic, Ph.D., who serves as the Director for the University of Pittsburgh's Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center. An hour of exercise per day is already recommended for children. Additionally, the study supports similar findings that have been presented, but used smaller numbers of test subjects or were shorter in length.
Are you still stressed about the new guidelines? According to the American Heart Association, a half hour of exercise a day five days per week will still give you health benefits like cutting your diabetes and cancer risk while improving your heart health.
"These findings shouldn't obscure the fact that for health, any physical activity is good, and more is better," I-MinLee, M.D., ScD, study researcher said in a press release. "It is important to remember that weight is only one aspect of health."
Not convinced? Check out Vanessa Williams' tips to stay fit after age 40.
