Can physical activity lead to weight loss?
Physical activity on a regular basis is very necessary for your health. If you are trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, then regular physical activity should be part of your routine tasks.
- In the weight loss plan, regular exercise causes the body to burn off more calories. Your body increases the number of calories it burns as a result of physical activity. Thus, combining a lower intake of calories with burning more calories through exercise, results in faster weight loss.
- Most of the weight you lose occurs because you decrease the number of calories you take in. However, if you want to maintain your weight, evidence indicates that the best way is to engage in physical activity regularly.
- Physical activity is also important in reducing your risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Physical activity also helps you to–
- Reduce your blood pressure if it is above normal
- Reduce your risk of diabetes (type 2), stroke, heart attack and many forms of cancer
- Reduce pain due to arthritis and the disability associated with arthritis
- Reduce your risk for osteoporosis and falls
- Reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
How long do I have to get involved in physical activities on a regular basis to lose weight?
The WHO recommends that:
An average of at least 60 minutes (1 hour) of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activities in a day is recommended by the WHO for children and adolescents. Such physical activities should be mostly aerobic and should be carried out across the week. It is important to note that aerobic activities of vigorous-intensities, as well as activities that enhance muscle and bone strength must be carried out at least 3 days in a week.
For adults (aged 18-64 years) and older adults (65 years and above), the WHO recommends at least 150 – 300 minutes (2 hours 30 minutes – 5 hours) aerobic physical activity of moderate intensity throughout the week; or at least 75-150 minutes (1 hour 15 minutes – 2 hours 30 minutes) aerobic physical activity of vigorous intensity in the week should be done; or combining both moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity as this is of significant benefit to the health of the adults.
Adults will gain additional health benefits when they engage in activities that strengthen the muscles at moderate or greater intensities at least 2 days a week.
It is recommended that all pregnant and postpartum women in whom physical activity is not contraindicated should exercise at least 150 minutes (2 hours 30 minutes) per week (moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity) for significant health benefits. Stretching gently on a regular basis may also be necessary.
For women who, before pregnancy, routinely carried out vigorous-intensity aerobic activities, the WHO recommends that these exercises can be continued during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
Adults and older adults with chronic conditions (aged 18 years and older) should engage in at least 150 – 300 minutes (2 hours 30 minutes – 5 hours) aerobic physical activity of moderate-intensity; or they can engage in at least 75-150 minutes of aerobic physical activity of vigorous-intensity; or combining both moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity of equivalent magnitude throughout the week for significant health benefits.
Such chronic conditions include cancer, hypertension, type-2 diabetes, HIV and so on. Health benefits to be gained include: reduction in all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease mortality, cancer-specific mortality, and improvement in the indicators of disease progression, mental health and so on.
For children and adolescents (5-17 years) living with disability, the WHO recommends that they should engage in at least an average of 60 minutes per day of aerobic activity of moderate to vigorous intensity throughout the week.
Additional benefits to this category include: improvement in cognition in individuals who have cognitive impairment such as those with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Physical function may also be improved in those with intellectual impairment.
Adults (18 years and above) living with disability should engage in at least 150-300 minutes (2 hours 30 minutes – 5 hours) of aerobic activity of moderate-intensity; or at least 75-150 minutes (1 hour 15 minutes – 2 hours 30 minutes) of aerobic physical activity of vigorous-intensity; or combining both moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity in equivalent magnitude throughout the week for significant health benefits.
Additional benefits to health outcomes include improved physical function, walking function, strength of muscles, cognition, and overall quality of life. Examples of disabilities include, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, schizophrenia, major clinical depression etc.
How much weight can I expect to lose through physical exercise?
There are variations from person to person when it comes to how much physical activity is needed to lose a significant amount of weight. To attain a healthy weight and maintain it, it is possible that you may require more physical activity.
Physical activity is often encouraged for weight loss, but it is important to aim for loss of fat. You may end up losing muscle as well as fat if you simply reduce the amount of calories you take in to lose weight without exercising. Having a working exercise plan together with a diet schedule can reduce the amount of muscle you might lose.
The table below shows the amount of energy expended in some moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activities for a 154-pound (70 kg) individual.
| Moderate Physical Activity | Approximate Calories/Hr for a 154 lb Person1 |
| Light gardening/yard work | 330 |
| Dancing | 330 |
| Golf (walking and carrying clubs) | 330 |
| Bicycling (<16 km/h) | 290 |
| Walking (5 km/h) | 280 |
| Weight lifting (general light workout) | 220 |
| Stretching | 180 |
| Vigorous Physical Activity | Approximate Calories/Hr for a 154 lb Person1 |
| Running/jogging (8 km/h) | 590 |
| Bicycling (>16 km/h) | 590 |
| Swimming (slow freestyle laps) | 510 |
| Aerobics | 480 |
| Walking (7km/h) | 460 |
| Heavy yard work (chopping wood) | 440 |
| Weight lifting (vigorous effort) | 440 |
| Basketball (vigorous) | 440 |
Source: Adapted from Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, page 16, Table 4
Can I lose weight from just physical activity without taking any medicines?
Weight loss can be achieved without taking medicines. However, physical activity alone will not be beneficial as very rigorous and regular physical activity will be required.
Thus, the CDC recommends that besides physical activity, adjusting your diet and limiting the number of calories you eat or drink will be necessary. To be able to get to and maintain a healthy weight, it requires that both regular physical activity and a healthy eating plan be incorporated into your daily lifestyle to achieve this goal.
What are the different intensities of physical exercises one can engage in?
Experts in exercise measure physical activity in metabolic equivalent of task (MET) or simply put, metabolic equivalent. One MET is the energy expended when one sits quietly (seated at rest)
Light-intensity physical activity:
This refers to activities with energy cost less than 3 times the energy one expends at rest for that person (between 1.5 and 3 METs).
Walking slowly, bathing, using a computer or fishing while sitting, cooking, washing dishes, playing most instruments or concomitant activities that do not result in your heart rate or breathing rate increasing significantly constitute light-intensity of physical activity.
Moderate-intensity physical activity:
Engaging in a physical activity that gets you moving fast enough or in a strenuous manner to expend between 3 and 6 times as much energy per minute as you do when at rest, can be considered moderate-intensity physical activity. Here, there is a noticeable increase in heart and breathing rate but you can still continue a conversation.
On a scale of 0-10 comparative of an individual’s personal capacity, moderate-intensity physical activity can be 5 or 6 (3.0-6.0 METs).
Examples of such activities include brisk walking (about 6km per hour), heavy cleaning (mopping or vacuum-cleaning), using a power mower for lawns, light effort bicycling (about 16 – 19 km per hour), playing tennis (doubles)or badminton for recreational purposes.
Vigorous-intensity physical activity:
On a scale of 0-10 comparative of an individual’s personal capacity, usually 7 or 8 can be considered vigorous-intensity physical activity.
This type of activity burns off more than 6 times as much energy per minute as you do when you are at rest. Here, your heart rate increases significantly and you breathe heavily and rapidly to have a conversation.
Examples of such exercises include jogging (about 10km per hour), bicycling with speed (about 22 – 25 km per hour), carrying heavy loads, playing basketball or soccer, playing tennis (singles).
WRITTEN AND EDITED RESPECTIVELY BY:
Dr. Solomon Kwesi Otchere (Pharmacist)
Dr. Solomon Kwesi Otchere is a Pharmacist by profession in Ghana. He is passionate about informed healthy lifestyle and diet options necessary for preventing many disease conditions. He also empowers patients and clients to make savvy choices on medications needful to promote good health.
MPSGH, MRPharmS, MPhil.
Isaiah Amoo is a practicing community pharmacist in good standing with the Pharmacy Council of Ghana who has meaningful experience in academia and industrial pharmacy. He is a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, England, UK and currently pursuing his overseas pharmacy assessment programme (MSc) at Aston University, UK. He had his MPhil degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He has about 5 years’ experience as a community Pharmacist and has also taught in academic institutions like KNUST, Kumasi Technical University, Royal Ann College of Health, and G-Health Consult. He likes to spend time reading medical research articles and loves sharing his knowledge with others.
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