Research shows that most people gain about a pound and a half each year between ages 25 and 55. But now, a new study released in the Journal of the American Medical Association, reveals the secret for maintaining your weight throughout adulthood without dieting.
According to the study, women can keep off the pounds by exercising for an hour a day, seven days a week. Other experts say that 35 minutes a day is enough to achieve the same goal, but either way, women need to keep up a consistent routine of physical activity to keep up their figure without restrictive dieting.
Dr. I-Min Lee, an epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and lead author of the study, noted, “If you’re not willing to do a high amount of activity, you need to curtail your calories a lot.”
The study looked at data from more than 34,000 American women over 13 years, who gained nearly six pounds on average during the length of the study. The average starting age of participants was 54.
The only women who didn’t pack on the pounds were a normal weight to start, and they engaged in moderate-intensity activities – like walking, biking, dance, yoga and swimming – for an average of 60 minutes a day, seven days a week.
Similar studies have shown that men require less exercise to maintain their weight as they age.
