MANILA, Philippines – A study conducted by researchers from the University of Ottawa and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that women who push themselves to the limit eat the most after exercising. They consume more than 90 percent of the calories they burn, as compared to low-intensity exercisers who only eat 30 percent of the calories they burn.

Weight loss results will be slow or unnoticed if you burn 1,000 calories a day then eat two slices of cake or two slices of pizza right after a tiring workout, which is equivalent to 800 to 1,200 calories.

If you want to sustain an active lifestyle while losing weight, do not overdo physical activities so as not to over-consume food. If you exercise for 90 minutes, do not exceed your cardio workout for more than an hour to avoid overeating, and preserve lean mass which is important for metabolism. Do 45 to 60 minutes of cardio exercise five to six days a week, such as brisk walking or jogging, and 30 to 45 minutes of resistance training or core training.

For weight loss, choose physical activities that are practical and sustainable. A great example is walking because you can do it anywhere and anytime, even when you are inside the mall.

Engage in other outdoor activities like cycling, tennis, badminton, and water sports. Cardio machines like the rower, treadmill, elliptical machine and bike are supplementary.

Resistance training

For effective weight loss, do resistance training which improves your metabolism, helps you burn more calories, and prevents you from developing injuries. Choose exercises which will require you to use your whole body.

Perform a diagonal reverse lunge by bringing your right leg back while lifting both arms as you carry a three-kilogram medicine ball (or dumbbell) as the first move. Then lift your right knee as you reverse the upper body move and finish with a twist. This exercise will work on buttocks, thighs and calves, shoulders and core muscles.

Strength-training machines, like those for leg curl, leg extension, hip abduction and adduction, and abdominal crunch, help strengthen muscles but will not maximize the calorie burn in the same amount of time as combination exercise.

E-mail the author at mitchfelipe@gmail.com.