London - Less may be more when it comes to exercise and weight loss, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of Alabama tracked 72 sedentary women – aged 60 to 74 – who were split into groups and asked to follow different workout regimens for a 16-week period.
At the end of the trial, they found that participants on a four-day-a-week plan burnt more calories per session than those on a six-day programme.
Surprisingly, there was virtually no difference in strength or fitness levels between the two groups.
In fact, the women who had been assigned to exercise six times a week were expending almost 200 fewer calories than at the start of the experiment.
They also complained that the workouts took too much time out of their schedule and made them less likely to be active when they were not formally exercising.
For example, they would drive to destinations instead of walking and take the lift over stairs.
Dr Gary Hunter, who led the study, agreed that “less may be more” as the women exercising four times a week “had the greatest overall increase in energy expenditure” and felt more “physically capable”.
He added that those assigned to a two-day plan “weren’t far behind”.
Each of the groups carried out the same types of activity, which included jogging, bike riding and weightlifting.
“All the groups increased fat-free mass, strength and aerobic fitness, and decreased fat mass,” Hunter noted.
The study, which aimed at finding the optimal amount of exercise, was published this month in Exercise & Science in Sports & Medicine. - Daily Mail