Research

Energy balance

Daily moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (approx. 500 kcal/session) for 14 weeks significantly reduces total, abdominal, and visceral fat in obese women, even when caloric intake is adjusted to maintain body weight (exercise without weight loss).

Perform daily moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (like brisk walking or jogging) for about 60 minutes, aiming to burn roughly 500 calories per session. You do not need to restrict your calories to see fat loss. Even if you eat enough to maintain your weight, this exercise routine will significantly reduce your total and abdominal fat over 14 weeks. Focus on waist size and how you feel, not just the number on the scale.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Daily exercise without caloric restriction was associated with substantial reductions in total fat, abdominal fat, visceral fat, and insulin resistance in women. Exercise without weight loss was also associated with a substantial reduction in total and abdominal obesity.
Robert Ross et al. · Obesity Research · 2004

Why this rating

Randomized Controlled Trial with clear outcome measures, though limited by dropout rates and small sample size (n=54).

Source

Exercise‐Induced Reduction in Obesity and Insulin Resistance in Women: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Robert Ross et al. · Obesity Research · 2004

DOI 10.1038/oby.2004.95

rct · n=54Cited 695×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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