Adherence
Long-term maintenance of weight loss is significantly predicted by and facilitated by regular physical activity, with exercise serving as the strongest predictor of success in both correlational and randomized controlled trials.
To keep weight off long-term, you must incorporate regular physical activity into your lifestyle. Dieting alone is rarely enough to prevent weight regain. Aim for moderate aerobic exercise (like brisk walking) 3-4 times a week. Supervised exercise programs may help you build the habit and adhere to the routine better than unsupervised efforts.
Consistently, these studies point to the adoption of an exercise habit as a key component in successful long-term weight control... Both literatures were striking in the consistency with which activity emerged as a determinant of long-term maintenance of weight loss.
Why this rating
The review synthesizes consistent findings from both correlational studies and randomized controlled trials, though it acknowledges limitations in self-report data for correlational studies.
Source
Physical Activity and Long‐Term Maintenance of Weight Loss
Nicolaas P. Pronk et al. · Obesity Research · 1994
DOI 10.1002/j.1550-8528.1994.tb00110.x
Related findings · Adherence
- Regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week of moderate-intensity) reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by 20-30% and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by 25-35%.Strong
- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →