Menopause is a significant transition in the lives of women. When a woman reaches her 40s or 50s, reproductive hormones naturally decline. Menopause is signalled 12 months after the last menstruation.

The menopausal transition lasts 7-14 years on average. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, age, race, etc., determine this duration. Menopause affects each woman differently. For example, the body utilises energy differently; fat cells change, and women may gain weight more quickly.

Women in their early postmenopausal years gain fat mass as their oestrogen levels fall. In addition, bone density, heart health, body shape, composition, and physical function also change.

The abdomen is where the maximum weight accumulates. Although losing weight during menopause can be more difficult, there are a variety of strategies that many women find beneficial, with exercise being a vital part of the strategy.

Menopause and Weight Gain

When in their 40s and 50s, women may often gain weight due to the following reasons:

Oestrogen Levels Drop

One of the sex hormones in women is estrogen which is involved in,

• Physical aspects of sex
• Maintaining bone health 
• Regulating menstrual cycles
• Lowering cholesterol levels 

The distribution of body fat gets influenced by changes in hormone levels. For example, many women put on weight when oestrogen levels drop during perimenopause and early post-menopause. Conversely, a study shows that high and low oestrogen levels might lead to increased fat storage.

Muscle Mass Loss

When estrogen levels drop, muscle mass (also known as lean mass) diminishes. Since lean muscle mass burns more calories at rest, a decrease in muscle mass can lead to weight gain.

Other Ageing-Related Issues

Many other changes occur as women age, leading to weight increase. Consider the following situation:

• You’re less inclined to engage in physical activity. 60% of adults are insufficiently active, which rises with age. 
• While exercising, the rate at which you can expend energy slows down. Therefore, to lose weight, you must increase your exercise time and intensity,

The HealthifyMe Note

The end of a woman’s menstrual cycle refers to as menopause. When it occurs after the age of 40, it is a normal part of ageing. However, it can also be due to surgery or damage to the ovaries. Menopause’s hormonal changes may increase your chances of gaining weight around your abdomen, hips, and thighs. To minimise menopause weight gain, increase your physical activity and eat a healthy diet.

Physical Activities that Help Lose Weight During Menopause

It would help if you kept all these routines in mind, including adjustments for those of you suffering from joint pain caused by menopause or an old injury.

However, if weight loss is your prime goal, incorporate cardio and strength training into your exercise routine. These are two different kinds of exercise, but they form an effective fat-loss combination.

Cardio for Weight Loss

Cardiovascular exercise, often known as aerobic exercise, is vital at any age, especially during menopause. It involves performing an activity “with oxygen.” It increases your heart rate, causing your blood to pump more quickly.

To lose weight, you must be in a calorie deficit, which means you must burn more calories than you ingest. You can achieve a calorie deficit by changing your diet or exercising more. Still, the best approach is to combine the two.

People lose weight when their energy input is lower than their energy output. For example, suppose a person consumes the necessary number of calories but burns more calories through aerobic workouts. In that case, their output will exceed their intake, resulting in weight loss.

Not all cardio is created equal. Each type burns a different number of calories and takes a varied length of time. Furthermore, the energy required for exercise varies significantly between men and women due to differences in body composition (muscle mass, etc.).

However, low-impact, low-intensity cardio, such as rowing, incline walking, biking, high-intensity interval training, kickboxing, and weight training, are the best exercises to help with weight loss.

Low Impact, Low-Intensity Cardio

Low-impact cardio benefits everyone, whether someone exercises regularly or is just starting. It’s a workout that raises heart rate while putting the least stress on joints. Many common cardio routines, such as running or jumping squats, have a high impact on your joints, whereas low-impact exercises do not.

There are many different types of low-impact activities that qualify as cardio. Listed below are some great low-impact cardio workout options during menopause. 

Walking

Walking is a low-impact, low-intensity cardio activity included in all sweat regimens. It’s ideal for all fitness levels because you can choose the intensity and do it practically anywhere without equipment.

Elliptical

Ellipticals are low-impact exercise devices that can get used in a stationary setting. They imitate the motion of jogging without the impact on joints and provide a full-body workout because you must move the machine with your arms and legs.

Swimming

Swimming is another low-impact cardio workout choice. It elevates the heart rate and strengthens the muscles throughout the body. It also relaxes you and alleviates stress. It is a mild form of low-impact therapy.

Cycling

Cycling is an excellent technique to raise your heart rate while having little impact on your joints. You can do it on a stationary bike at home, in the gym, or by riding a bike outside.

High-Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T.)

Suppose you’re short on time yet want a highly effective routine. In that case, a high-intensity interval training (H.I.I.T.) program is a good option.

It is a type of training in which participants exert maximum effort for long periods before resting for short periods. Each session consists of many rounds designed to increase heart rate, providing a quick and effective cardio option. 

The H.I.I.T. sessions provide you with opportunities to push yourself. It means you should work hard, but not to exhaustion. If you are a beginner, try one to three minutes at closer to 80% of maximum effort, followed by up to five minutes of lower-intensity exercise. A study found it helpful for weight loss in obese people.

Tabata is a high-intensity interval training (H.I.I.T.) program that tries to provide significant results in the shortest amount of time. Do a challenging activity for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds between each set. Then, repeat the exercise eight times. Thus, it gets performed at a higher intensity than a typical H.I.I.T. session.

Here are a few short H.I.I.T. routines to get you started:

• For 30 seconds, cycle as hard and quickly as you can on a stationary bike. Then pedal for 2–4 minutes at a modest, comfortable pace. Repeat this procedure for 15–30 minutes.
• Sprint for 15 seconds as fast as possible as a warm-up after jogging. Then walk or jog slowly, for 1–2 minutes. Repeat this process for 10–20 minutes.
• Perform squat leaps as quickly as possible for 30–90 seconds. Then stand or walk for the next 30–90 seconds. Repeat this process for 10–20 minutes. 

While these examples can help you get started, you can customise your regimen to suit your needs.

Strength Training for Weight Loss

Strength training, often known as resistance training, is a type of exercise that helps people gain muscle. ‘Strength training’ refers to moving your body against a restricting or resistant force. The high risk of osteoporosis makes strength training critical after menopause.

Weight training, like other forms of exercise, burns calories. However, a regular weight training session burns fewer calories than a hard aerobic session. Therefore, both together help you in achieving your weight-loss objectives. You should undertake some strength training for an hour, three to five times per week, to maximise the benefits of strength training. 

The best exercises to perform under strength training are compound movements that activate numerous muscle groups at the same time. 

Some instances are as follows:

• Lower Body: Back squat with a barbell, deadlift with a barbell, lunges with a dumbbell, squat variations with splits.
• Vertical Pressing of The Upper Body: Shoulder press with dumbbells, handstand push-ups, or timed handstands.
• Vertical Pulling of The Upper Body: Variations on pull-ups, pull-down variants for the lats.

Focusing on F.I.T.T. Principles

It’s natural to be frustrated if you’re exercising for an extended period and not losing weight. That is when you need to take a step back and make some adjustments to your program, you can use the F.I.I.T. principle to help you. It’s convenient if you thrive on the structure because then this regime would be easier to follow. It’s also helpful in tracking your cardiovascular and strength-training progress.

The term FITT stands for:

Frequency

It refers to how frequently you work out. The goal is to achieve your objectives without putting your body under too much stress. 

• With respect to cardio, aim for at least three sessions each week as a general rule. Regarding strength training, perform it three to four times per week.

Intensity

It relates to the level of workouts. When it comes to strength training, start with exercise program at a comfortable level and gradually raise the intensity as your strength and endurance improve. Don’t make the plan too difficult as a beginner, as it could lead to injury or burnout.

When it comes to cardiovascular exercises, your heart rate, measured in beats per minute, can be used to determine how hard you work. First, determine your desired heart rate zone based on your fitness level and age. The heart rate zone you should aim for gets calculated as a percentage of your maximum heart rate.

Time

It refers to how long each workout lasts. A minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week is recommended. A cardio workout should last at least 20 minutes, while resistance training should last between 45 and 60 minutes. Depending on your present fitness level, age, weight, health, and other considerations, you can extend or shorten this time.

Type

It refers to the activity you’ll undertake as part of your cardio or strength training routine.

Metabolic conditioning, often known as Metcon (or MetCon), is a type of exercise that uses direct and intermediate energy pathways. To use these pathways, perform metabolic conditioning exercises at a specific time and intensity. Metcon allows the body to burn fuel more efficiently using moderate to high-intensity interval sessions.

In metabolic conditioning programs, the amount of time and effort you put into the workouts is more important than your exercises. By altering the repetitions, doing the exercises into a circuit, or adjusting the rest times, you may adopt many activities for higher or lower intensity programs.

This training requires hard work; therefore, it takes a long time for the body to re-establish balance. In addition, it results in a significant increase in calorie burn.

The HealthifyMe Note

Moving more is one of the most basic strategies to maintain and reduce weight during menopause. Choose an activity you enjoy and stick to it to stay active and fit. It varies from person to person, as does the amount of exercise required to lose or maintain weight. On the other hand, adults must do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of HIIT per week.

Mind Body Activities

Stress can provoke the signs and symptoms of menopause. According to a study, stress leads to weight gain. The mind-body activities combine body movement, mental focus, and controlled breathing to promote strength, balance, flexibility, relaxation, and overall health. Yoga, tai chi, and simple breathing exercises can assist in managing stress and reducing weight. You can also use walking as a form of relaxation and meditation.

The Conclusion

A variety of variables can influence weight gain during menopause. Your weight can be affected by changes in fat and sugar metabolism, body composition, gut microbiota, and lifestyle factors. Be physically active, get plenty of rest, and eat a balanced diet. Minimise processed foods to avoid weight gain during menopause. Commit to a healthier lifestyle and for a healthier you.

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Weight loss without exercise may seem impossible, but Raven-Symone proves nothing is such. Her 40-pound weight loss has stunned followers, especially when she claims she doesn’t exercise. The actress and former The View host stopped by the show for their 25th season celebration to discuss life now and the remarkable weight loss journey that has fans buzzing.

Last year Raven said that she wanted to focus on her health. When asked what made her want to change, Raven said, “What made me want to change was her,” gesturing to her wife, Miranda Pearman-Maday. “I want to be here for her as long as I can, and I found out some numbers at the doctor that were not pleasant for someone in my age bracket or any age bracket, to be honest with you.”

Raven-Symone contributes the support and guidance of her wife for her successful weight loss. Raven nixes all sugars from her diet, eats keto-friendly whole foods, and practices intermittent and extended fasting. The lifestyle changes that Raven has incorporated have contributed to her 40-pound weight loss, taking her from 210 pounds down to 170. Raven solely credits her weight loss to dietary changes and zero exercises—although she does regularly take walks.

RELATED: 16 Celebs Share How They Make Oatmeal

So, what does cutting sugar from one’s diet include? Sugar is addictive, and it affects the brain and body in many unhealthy ways. Simple carbohydrates from foods such as candy and soda turn into glucose in your bloodstream, contributing to the “sugar high” most people experience after consuming such foods. Starchy foods such as bread, white rice, pasta, and french fries contain complex carbs that turn into simple sugars. These foods can make your blood sugar levels surge and crash, just like the sugar from a candy bar.

Sugar is associated with weight gain, fatigue, and diabetes, among many other health problems. Most of us take snacking very seriously, so here are some ways you can snack smarter while limiting the sugar in your diet:

Keep it fresh by substituting sugary sweets for the natural sugars found in berries and other organic fruits. Try tossing diced strawberries into a cup of low-sugar yogurt or oatmeal for a satisfying snack. Craving cookies? Raven says she still eats them but chooses homemade keto cookies rather than sugary processed ones.

Here are 5 Specific Steps To Stop Sugar Cravings, According to a Brain Doctor.

Sugary foods taste sweet on your tongue, so your tastebuds must be retrained not to crave those sweet sensations. Try skipping dessert or lessening the amount of sugar you mix into your coffee or tea. Small changes over time can add up to long-term weight-loss results in the future.

Still curious? This Is What Happens To Your Body When You Quit Soda For 100 Days.

Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants that help support a healthy heart. Reach for 70 percent cacao content or higher to slay your sweet tooth without sabotaging your health. Keep in mind that dark chocolate is calorie-dense, so nibble in moderation.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Want to know more about this sweet treat? Here’s What Happens When You Eat Dark Chocolate.

Sometimes sugar cravings may just be your body’s way of letting you know it’s dehydrated. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to ward off unnecessary cravings. Add a slice of fresh lemon, lime, or orange for a refreshing flavor that may aid in digestion and provide additional health benefits.

Find out more about the Surprising Side Effects of Drinking Lemon Water.

Extreme sugar cravings or dizziness may signify something more serious such as vitamin or mineral deficiencies such as magnesium, or hypoglycemia. See your healthcare provider to determine whether your blood sugar levels are imbalanced or if there are other underlying issues.

Managing your sugar intake could help aid in weight loss and provide you with more energy. Maintaining a healthy weight increases your quality of life and may prevent health issues in the future. Raven-Symone is an excellent example of what eliminating sugar and making healthier lifestyle choices can do. Her zest for life, successful career, and ambition make it hard to deny that she can achieve anything when she puts her mind to something.

READ MORE: 7 Mind-Blowing Celeb Weight Loss Transformations

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Sobriety is a wonderful thing. That said, whether you’re just getting out of a detox center in Ohio or you’ve been living clean for years in Florida, you probably understand how scary relapse is. How tempting it can sometimes be.

There are a lot of different ways to fight back against this impulse: you’ll want to get professional help, as well as removing yourself from situations. Exercise can also be a powerful tool in the fight against relapse and to help you stay sober.

How Exercise Helps To…

Reduce Stress

Stress is one of the major triggers that can precipitate relapse for many people. Exercise counteracts this by releasing endorphins into your system.

These endorphins have short-term effects, meaning it’s a good habit to start exercising when you’re concerned about your stress. That said, it also has long-term effects, and putting together a regular workout plan can help you feel better consistently.

Improve Your Mental Health

Exercise has been shown to help reduce anxiety and depression. By keeping your head as clear as possible, you get rid of any distractions that could potentially get in the way of your recovery. The better you feel, the less likely you are to fall back on an addictive substance.

Find A Purpose

Especially during the early stages of recovery, it can be hard to find meaning. Often, people turn to substances to try to escape something, and that can lead to a lack of self-worth once you’re no longer defining yourself with that substance.

It’s even better if you manage to find a community. Talking to someone at the gym or on your regular run can help you meet people who are similarly committed to their health and happiness.

Do Different Kinds Of Exercise Have Different Benefits?

The research on the positive effects of aerobic is stronger than that on the positive effects of anaerobic exercise.

That said, when trying to maintain your sobriety, we recommend choosing one that you really enjoy doing. Along with the sense of accomplishment, you also want to find a physical activity that you can engage in regularly and feel accomplished with.

This feeling of accomplishment will be stronger if you enjoy what you’re doing and this will help you stay sober.

Does The Effectiveness Of Exercise Vary Based On The Substance You’re Addicted To?

Research has been done into how exercise impacts the likelihood of relapse for smokers, alcoholics, and polysubstance drug users. In all these cases, exercise has been linked to a decrease in relapse.

How Sobriety Helps You Exercise

If you or a loved one are currently suffering from addiction, regular exercise may seem impossible. Depending on the substance being used and the amount of time it was used for, it can take your body time to begin feeling more energized after withdrawal.

That said, over time, exercise helps you build back your strength. Instead of being focused on a substance, you’ll have the clarity that allows you to commit to an exercise regimen. As you build muscle, you’ll find exercise more enjoyable since it can give you a sense of achievement.

Even stranger? You may even start enjoying the workout! Relapse is often a scary idea for people recovering from addiction, but exercise can help you feel more confident in your ability to stay sober.

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Yoga is a great activity that can be beneficial for all areas of health—physical, mental and emotional. But many people have the misconception that it is not enough to be the only form of exercise they do. But is it? If you use yoga for exercise, is it enough for your fitness needs? The answer depends on several factors, including the intensity of your yoga sessions and your overall level of fitness.

Yoga for exercise

Yoga is one of the best ways to stay fit and healthy. It can be used to improve health, flexibility, strength, posture, and so much more. It is not only a rewarding physical activity, but it is also a holistic lifestyle that promotes emotional well-being and good mental health.

Yoga has always been a popular way of exercising, and for good reason: it’s a low impact holistic workout, it’s accessible to just about anyone, and it calms the mind and reduces stress. The poses are easily adaptable, so you can do them regardless of your age, level of fitness or physical limitations. Yoga can be your only exercise, depending on the type of classes you’re taking and their intensity. Depending on the style and length of class, it may or may not count towards your physical activity tally.

Intensity level

The intensity of your yoga workout depends on which classes and forms of yoga you choose. Each type of yoga class will have a different level of intensity which requires a different amount of physical exertion. There’s a vast difference in the intensity between a yin or gentle yoga class and a fast-paced vinyasa class or a challenging hot yoga practice. And there are many variations in between like Sivananda, Kripalu, and Iyengar yoga.

The intensity will also be based on your current level of fitness. You will need to experiment and take different classes and with different teachers to find the practice that gets your heart rate up and builds muscle strength. If you are practicing at home, make sure you add in several sun salutations to make your practice more of a workout.

About 20 minutes of a sequence of active yoga poses a day is the minimum amount to satisfy your fitness requirements. If you are practicing a low to medium intensity style, then a longer practice is recommended.

Is yoga considered an aerobic or anaerobic exercise?

Yoga is considered an anaerobic exercise. It is not an aerobic exercise in the same category as walking, running, biking, or using an elliptical machine. The more athletic types of yoga, like power yoga, will make you sweat and bring you to a higher heart zone rate where you’re working the heart enough to be an aerobic workout.

What other exercises can you combine with yoga?

Physical exercise is one of the most important things that we can do to improve our health and well-being. You may not want or be able to achieve all of their weight loss, strength, and flexibility goals through yoga alone. You can practice any other type of physical exercise or activity in addition to yoga in your weekly workout routine. The most compatible exercises will be low-impact aerobic workouts like brisk walking, biking, and swimming. Weight training is a great anaerobic workout to combine with yoga as it helps build muscles and burn calories.

Can yoga improve muscle strength

Yes, yoga is a good way to build muscle tone and strength. By regularly doing yoga, you can build muscle, improve your flexibility, improve your posture, and help you maintain a healthy weight. Poses like Downward-Facing Dog and the Warrior poses work to increase strength in just about every muscle in your body.

How many calories do you burn during yoga?

Depending on the intensity of the class and your level of fitness, you can expect to burn between 200 and 600 calories per hour.

Is yoga enough to be your only form of physical exercise?

When it comes to a workout, many people are under the impression that only those who do high-intensity activities like running and weightlifting are the ones that get results. In reality, there are many other kinds of exercises that are extremely helpful for the body, even if they are low impact, like yoga and walking. In general, it is best to do more than one type of workout to ensure you strengthen and move the maximum amount of muscles and joints in your body.

Can you combine yoga and exercise together?

Yes, yoga provides an excellent workout, but it won’t do much for your cardiovascular health. Since it can be an aerobic workout, many sports teams are adding yoga sessions into their training regimen to help them get in shape and recover from injuries. Many famous athletes do yoga as part of their training, like LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant.

Should you do yoga before or after a workout?

If you are new to yoga, or practicing an advanced or vigors style, it is best not to do it before a workout. It can be a great way to warm up, but it is generally best to put it after a workout. Doing it before a workout can be too intense and it can be better used after to allow your body to recover. The bottom line thought is that it doesn’t matter a great deal what order you do it in. You should do the practice that you feel the most comfortable with, whether it’s before or after.

Conclusion

The question of whether or not one can get enough exercise just by doing yoga is a hotly debated topic. It is a great way to exercise, but it may not be enough for your needs, unless you take vigorous classes like vinyasa or ashtanga yoga. It is an excellent way to maintain flexibility and tone muscles, but it does not burn as many calories as other traditional workouts. It does, however, offer many powerful health benefits that other types of exercise do not.

When it comes to fitness, it’s important not to be too swept up in what you think you “should” do. As with anything in life, just be sure you’re doing what you enjoy and that it improves your overall quality of life.

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Being a superhero is hard work—and training to play one onscreen is no walk in the park, either. Chris Hemsworth‘s trainer has just revealed the exact meal and workout plan the star adheres to in order to get in shape to play Thor, and it’s nothing short of grueling.

Read on to find out how Hemsworth gets into superhero shape, and for more on how your favorite stars get fit, check out “Bachelor” Star Matt James Reveals His Secrets to Staying in Amazing Shape.

It’s not just breakfast, lunch, and dinner that factor into the Chris Hemsworth diet when he’s getting ready to play Thor. In a new interview with Page Six, Hemsworth’s trainer, Luke Zocchi, says that the star eats significantly more than he normally would in order to bulk up for the role.

“When we go into prep for movies like Thor, it’s a massive increase in food,” explained Zocchi. “He eats, like, six to eight meals a day.”

For more on how your favorite A-listers shape up, check out Christopher Meloni Reveals the Exact Workout That Gave Him His Famous Butt.

To ensure that he’s eating enough to build muscle, but not so much that he’s too sluggish to train, Hemsworth eats his eight meals spaced out every two hours throughout the day.

“He found if he eats a really big meal he, like, feels too heavy, so they’re 450-calorie meals broken up into the eight,” Zocchi explained to Page Six. “We try to eat every two hours and getting 450 calories in [each time].”

Related: The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now

To start off his day on the right foot, Hemsworth kicks off his meal plan with a daily smoothie.

“Chris’ day always starts with a large green shake made up of 5-6 different types of leafy greens and vegetables, low-glycemic fruits, nuts, seeds, fats and small amounts of sea salt to aid in electrolyte balance, nerve transmission and glucose metabolism,” Sergio Perera, a chef who works with Hemsworth, told Men’s Health.

Related: 40 Best Breakfast Smoothies for Weight Loss

To ensure he’s eating enough protein to fuel his muscle gains, Hemsworth typically bulks up his meat intake.

“Chris eats a bit more red meat than usual, but limits it to daytime as it requires more energy to digest. This is unless he trains later in the evening, in which case he may have a lamb chop after his workout,” Perera told Men’s Health.

Related: What Happens to Your Body When You Cut Red Meat From Your Diet

Of course, it’s not dietary changes alone that get Hemsworth into amazing shape to play Thor.

“It’s just heavy weight lifting, training at least once a day, sometimes twice a day,” Zocchi told Page Six of Hemsworth’s workout routine, noting that the star also integrates boxing and HIIT into his exercise plan.

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Worldwide, the prevalence of obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. Today, there are 650 million people who qualify as obese, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Obesity can lead to serious health conditions, like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and treating obesity—that is, losing weight and keeping it off—is not easy.

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine endeavored to find the most effective way to maintain healthy weight loss. In a randomized clinical trial, the researchers looked at 215 participants with obesity and found that the most effective way to lose and maintain weight may be to initially control one’s diet and then combine moderate-to-vigorous exercise with appetite-reducing obesity medication.

The medication in question, an appetite-suppressing hormone called liraglutide, is prescribed in the U.S. under names like Saxenda and Trulicity. Liraglutide is an analog to a natural appetite-inhibiting hormone GLP-1, which is secreted by the intestines when we eat.

RELATED: 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work

“Common side effects [of liraglutide] include nausea,” Professor Signe Sørensen Torekov, the lead researcher on the new study, tells Eat This, Not That! However, starting with a low dosage and increasing dosage slowly should help, she says.

Study participants were divided into four groups: two received placebo medication, and two received liraglutide. One of the groups receiving medication either performed vigorous exercise for 75 minutes a week or moderate activity for 150 minutes a week (or some combination of the two), while the other group did not have an exercise program. The same was true for the two placebo groups.

After a year, while participants in the placebo group with no exercise gained half their weight back, the participants who had exercise alone and medication alone both managed to maintain their weight loss. However, researchers found that the combination of exercise and liraglutide witnessed the most dramatic improvements. These participants lost more fat mass while retaining muscle mass. They also reported higher fitness ratings, reduced blood sugar levels, and improved quality of life.

While these results are promising, liraglutide is a prescription medication, and therefore not available to everyone. In fact, some registered dietitians, like Dr. Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, CDN may even advise against such appetite suppressants.

“I do not recommend appetite suppressants as your body gets used to them and you do not learn healthy behaviors,” she says.

As the study shows, even without liraglutide, participants who followed a moderate-to-vigorous exercise regimen were able to maintain their weight loss even without the appetite suppressant. Focusing on diet, as all the participants did during the first part of the study, is crucial.

“I recommend behavior modification, portion control, creating healthy habits, and choosing healthy foods which are not too calorie-dense. And of course, exercise is key too,” explains Young. “It’s important to create a lifestyle program you can sustain.”

For exercise tips, be sure to check out 3 Workouts Proven to Change Your Body Shape, Says Exercise Expert.

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Here’s a fundamental law of exercise: If you want to burn more calories for the sake of losing weight, you have to constantly challenge your muscles to work harder. After all, if you’re used to doing the same amount of work each and every time you hit the gym—whether it’s the same amount of weight you’re lifting or the same amount of reps you’re doing—you’re simply not going to burn those extra calories. In fact, your body becomes more efficient doing the same thing over time, and you may find that you end up actually burning less calories.

If you’d like to challenge yourself to do just a little bit for the sake of weight loss, you can try this one exercise trick that takes remarkably little time and will turbocharge your workout: Perform a plyometric exercise for 10 seconds before you work your way up to a heavier load.

Why? Well, performing plyometrics, which are powerful, explosive movements, help ramp up your central nervous system. They also allow your body to “wake up” so it has more power to move more weights. The goal here isn’t to fatigue your body, but rather to get it to be explosive. If you’d like to give it a go, what follow are four terrific examples of plyometrics that I personally love to do before transitioning to heavier weights. (Note: Do the jumps before your lower body exercises, and the pushups and slams before your upper body movements.) In every case, you should perform 2-3 sets before going into your main routine. And for more great healthy living advice, check out these Simple Ways to Get Fitter That Aren’t Exercise, Say Experts.

Start by placing your legs about hip-width apart. Keeping your core tight, throw your arms and hips back at the same time. Swing your arms forward and jump up as high as you can. Land soft into a half squat before jumping again. And for more great workout advice, consider trying This 20-Minute Walking Workout to Get Fit and Burn Fat.

Begin by being in a split-squat position. Jump up as high as you can and switch legs so you land with the alternating leg. Land soft with your knee tracking straight before jumping up and switching again. And for more great fitness routines to try, see these 5 Ways to Get a Perfect Butt.

To perform this exercise, position yourself with both hands on the bench. Lower yourself to where your chest touches the pad, then explode up as high as you can. Land softly with your hands on the bench, then perform another rep.

With your feet shoulder-width apart, grab a giant medicine ball. Raise it above your head, then slam the weight down on the ground, flexing your abs hard when you finish. Squat down with a straight back to pick it up again before performing another rep. And for more great exercise advice, see here for The 15-Second Exercise Trick That Will Change Your Life.

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If you find exercise simply too much of a chore, you’ll be interested in a new military-led study whose findings were recently published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, which sought to answer perhaps the single biggest question that those who prefer to live a more sedentary lifestyle have been asking for eons: “What is the bare minimum amount of exercise one needs to do to keep ‘fit?'” Read on for the clear answer provided by the study. And for more news from the front lines of science, see why This Super-Quick Workout Is Scientifically Proven to Work, According to the Mayo Clinic.

Finding a benchmark minimum for exercise is obviously relevant for those who serve in the military—and especially for the personnel who are deployed overseas and may find that they don’t have as much time to log in the weight room. As such, the study was led by Barry Spiering, formerly Nike’s research director, who oversaw a group of researchers at the United States Army Institute of Environmental Medicine. Ultimately, the researchers loosely define keeping fit as “preserving endurance and strength.”

There are three main fitness components that the researchers highlighted: how often people should train, the volume of the training (distance, reps), and how intense those sessions are. The experts reviewed a series of previously conducted studies for answers.

“In general populations, endurance performance can be maintained for up to 15 weeks when training frequency is reduced to as little as 2 sessions per week or when exercise volume is reduced by 33-66% (as low as 13-26 minutes per session), as long as exercise intensity (exercising heart rate) is maintained,” concludes the study.

So, if you like to run or swim for cardio, Spiering and team say that you only need to lace up your shoes—or put on your swimsuit—twice a week for less than half-an-hour at a time. Also, while you can bring down your frequency and your reps, you shouldn’t shirk the intensity. If you’re working out for 13 minutes, make it count.

“Strength and muscle size (at least in younger populations) can be maintained for up to 32 weeks with as little as 1 session of strength training per week and 1 set per exercise, as long as exercise intensity (relative load) is maintained,” concludes the study. “Whereas, in older populations, maintaining muscle size may require up to 2 sessions per week and 2-3 sets per exercise, while maintaining exercise intensity.” And for more fitness news, see Why Everyone Is Going Crazy Over This Viral Walking Workout.

The researchers observed that one of the three aforementioned components was the most important when it comes to maintaining a bare minimum for fitness: exercise intensity. “Our primary conclusion is that exercise intensity seems to be the key variable for maintaining physical performance over time, despite relatively large reductions in exercise frequency and volume.”

So if you’re only hitting the gym one or twice a week for a small amount of time, you need to maximize that time by keeping the intensity of your workouts high.

Remember, the point of the study is not to see how much exercise people need to do to be fitter. Rather, it was to pinpoint exactly how much exercise is required to maintain a healthy state of endurance and strength. This is about finding a “bare minimum.”

With this benchmark in mind, you can take steps to actually grow your strength and fitness levels, and improve your health. If you only need two days a week to maintain your endurance levels, you can grow from there. If time is an issue—and it always is—remember that there are plenty of reasons why high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is such a popular way to train and keep fit. Vigorous bursts of exercise test your muscles, your heart, and your lungs, and science has proven that—when contained to reasonable lengths—it totally works. But let’s face it: The single biggest benefit to short bursts of training is arguably the fact that they’re short bursts. Why camp out at the gym for hours when you can reap the benefits in 10 minutes or less? For further proof, see why This Workout Drives 29 Percent More Fat Loss, According to Science.

Read on for More Great Workouts from Eat This, Not That!

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