Weight Watchers Endorses High Intensity Interval Training for Weight Loss

As those who read this blog know, I am a strong advocate for Hight Intensity Interval Training or HIIT. Weight Watchers, of course, is the largest and arguably most successful weight loss plan. I am pleased to report that Weight Watchers has acknowledged the benefits of HIIT as an important part of a weight loss plan.

In its September/October 2013 issue of its Weight Watchers Magazine,  Weight Watchers discusses a plan for HIIT, referring to it as the "hottest" approach to walking.  Referring to a study published in the Journal of Physiology, it says that three thirty minute sessions of HIIT are as effective as 5 sixty minute sessions of moderate activity.  The article states that not only can HIIT  supercharge your weight loss program, it can reduce the risk of diabetes and heart problems, at the same time increasing stamina.  

The article suggests three plans, one for the rookie walker, another for the regular walker and a third for the pro.  For the rookie, it suggests 12 repetitions of alternating 30 second push activity followed by 2 minutes of a recovery walk. For the regular, it involves 15 periods of 1 minute of push followed by 1 minute of recovery. and the pro, 20 periods of 1 minute of push followed by only 30 seconds of recovery.

Finally, the article points out three considerations while walking during the push period: 1. take small steps; 2 focus on stepping first on your heel; and 3. pump your arms as though you were running.

Source:  Weight Watchers Magazine, September/October 2013.

Interval Training and Weight Loss

As everyone who reads this blog knows, when it comes to the subject of exercise, I am a strong advocate of interval training.http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2013/07/how-to-use-interval-training-in-office.html; http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2013/04/high-intensity-interval-training.html; http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-many-benefits-of-interval-training.html; http://notjustforboomers.blogspot.com/2013/07/interval-walking-to-lose-weight.html.

Several recent scientific studies have confirmed the hypothesis that short intense periods of exercise may have a greater impact on weight loss than longer periods of exercise. Both studies suggest that the short periods of exercise appear to dampen the desire to eat as much food as do longer periods of exercise. One study was conducted by researchers at the University of Western Australia in Perth, Australia and was published online in the June issue of The International Journal of Obesity.http://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/ijo2013102a.html. The other study was conducted by the University of Copenhagen and it too confirmed that interval training seemed to have the same weight loss effect. See New York Times, "For Weight Loss, Less Exercise May Be More." September 19, 2012.

Can You Lose Weight Just by Exercise?

Can you lose weight just by exercise?  Well, the answer appears to be, it depends.
In an article in the Sunday New York Times Magazine, "The Appetite Workout," Gretchen Reynolds reports on a study conducted by researchers at the University of Wyoming. The study was based upon a group of women who were asked to run or walk on one day and then rest on the next day.

The researchers found that those who ran did not consume as many calories as those who walked.  According to the article, the women who ran at a brisk pace consumed fewer calories because of certain hormones in the body that told them when they had eaten enough food.  On the other hand, those who walked, were more hungry because of an increase in the body of a hormone called ghrelin. Ghrelin was also increased in those who ran but apparently that increase was offset by the other hormones.

So what does this mean for you and me?  If you are seeking to lose weight, more strenuous and longer exercise will probably be probably be your best bet.  This may seem rather obvious, but many people think that walking alone may bring about weight loss and this study suggests that this may not be so. Now walking undoubtedly has many other health benefits, but weight loss may not be one of them.

For the complete article, see www.nytimes.com.