Science behind reducing body fat

If you're trying to lose weight, chances are you've seen a lot of advice on how to do it. Some say that cutting down on calories will work. Others say that exercise is the way, and still others argue for a combination of both. But what do the research results tell us? And how can we use the findings from these studies to help us make our own plans for losing weight and keeping it off. What's the best way to lose weight? A new study gives us some answers. It shows that if you follow a diet in which you reduce calories, you'll lose some weight, but only till your body goes into "starvation mode" and tries to hold onto fat. However, if you exercise while dieting, you're more likely to keep losing weight over time. And even better: Exercise alone can help people lose weight for up to 2 years after they stop exercising. A typical weight loss diet In the new study, researchers looked at the results of two dieting studies. In the first study, participants followed an average weight loss plan. The diet called for a calorie-restricted diet (average calories per day were 1,200), plenty of exercise (like walking or other forms of physical activity), and no added weight loss supplements. The result: after 6 months, people lost around 5% of their initial body weight. The following year, they lost around 7% more. That amount is typical for a successful weight loss program—a little less than some people will lose by dieting alone. But, the people in this study also found out that it didn't last. The weight lost—on average, about 20 pounds for women and 40 pounds for men—returned after the full year of dieting was over. For some people, their former amounts of body fat stayed off. But many put some or all of their weight back on after several years. It's possible to lose more than 7% of your body weight over 6 months if you push very hard with exercise and dieting. A second study in this research looked at a very different type of meal plan.