Video | The Study | Key Points | Protocol | Fine Print

When fat loss is your main goal, diet takes center stage, and rightfully so. However, this primary focus can cause us to overlook the need for exercise. In fact, starting an exercise program at the same time you start a diet introduces some obstacles, one prominent obstacle being that exercise increases hunger.

A research team wanted to see if they could pinpoint the amount, type, and intensity of exercise needed per week to see clinically significant changes in weight, belly fat, and body fat percentage. 

They analyzed findings from 116 studies and found the answer. Here is what they came up with. 

Aerobic Exercise CAN Cause FAT LOSS When Done This Way [Video]

In this video, you’ll learn…

• The conclusions of a meta-analysis about exercise.
• Practical ways to implement these conclusions in your life.
• Additional factors to consider before implementing.

The Study

Many studies have examined the link between exercise and weight loss. The problem is that a lot of them were all-or-nothing experiments, meaning they compared an exercise group to a sedentary group. Not surprisingly, they found that moving more helps you lose weight. 

It is a nice fact, but at the end of the day, you’re left wondering what exactly “moving more” means.  

A study published at the end of 2024 decided that it was time for clarification. The researchers asked themselves this question: What is the dose-response association between aerobic exercise and measurements of body weight, waist circumference, and body fat? 

By dose, they mean how long and intense you must exercise to get the desired result. It’s very similar to a dose of medicine, but in this case, the research team is determining the dose of exercise you need to prescribe yourself to lose fat (1).

The meta-analysis reviewed 116 studies involving more than 6,800 overweight or obese subjects. The research team found that the “magic” started at 150 minutes a week, and all of the measurements, from body weight to waist circumference to body fat, continued to decrease linearly, meaning in a predictable path, with increasing duration.

This might not sound like earth-shattering news yet, and I will explain what I mean by “magic” in a moment, but before we go further, I want to share how this understanding is a potential game-changer. 

Losing weight and reducing your body fat percentage are long-term goals that require consistent effort. Those efforts can get old fast and leave you wondering if they are really making a difference. When those “is-this-really-worth-while” thoughts enter your head, they are very deflating and can cause you to abandon your plan.

This study assures you that you will see results if you put in the time. A key component of any successful plan is seeing continual evidence that it is working. This study gives you that assurance. 

Key Points of the Study

Earlier, I said that the “magic” happens at 150 minutes. Actually, benefits started at as little as 30 minutes, but those results were not clinically significant. 

When a research paper is looking for clinical significance, what it is doing is attempting to find the level or dose needed to make a big enough difference for you to say, “Hey, this is working.”

In other words, clinic significance is where the “magic” happens. 

With that understanding, let’s look at the key points of the study. 

Type of Exercise

The study focused on aerobic exercise. That is any form of continual activity that raises your heart and breathing rate. Examples include walking, jogging, stair climbing, swimming, dancing, biking, and similar activities. 

Duration

The investigators found that clinical significance started at 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week. The benefits were linear, meaning the more you did, the more weight loss, belly fat loss, and body fat loss you achieved, up to 300 minutes a week.  

Intensity

The study looked at all intensity levels, from light to moderate to vigorous, and found that benefits were seen at any level. However, to reach that “magic” clinically significant level, a moderate pace or more was needed.

Moderate intensity is largely determined by you and your current physical activity level. I find the easiest way to identify intensity is to pay attention to your breathing. When you are exercising at a moderate intensity, you can talk, but you cannot talk in complete sentences. If you feel like you need to take a breath every three or four words, you’ve likely entered that moderate range.

Predictable Results

I will give you a protocol so you can get started using this information today if you’d like. But, I wanted to address the predictability of results that I’ve referred to. In other words, if the results are predictable, just tell me how many pounds I will lose.  

Let me share what the study revealed and what you need to consider for your body. 

The findings suggested that every 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per week helps overweight and obese adults reduce body weight, waist circumference, and body fat. These improvements continued linearly with more exercise.

To reach the clinically significant threshold, aerobic exercise requires at least 150 minutes per week. At that level, participants lost over 6 pounds or about 3 kg on average.

I’m sharing that information to better illustrate what clinical significance and linear improvements mean. These numbers are the collective results of 116 studies that varied in exercise intensity, length, and participant demographics. 

The meta-analysis allowed studies with different intensity levels, but to be included, the study needed to be at least eight weeks in length. And while all 6,800+ participants were overweight, they varied in age, sex, and other demographics. 

I’m not telling you that you will lose 6 pounds if you get on a treadmill for 150 minutes this week. However, I am telling you that if you do that weekly, you will see results, provided you keep other variables consistent, which I will go over. 

With that said, let’s lay out a practical plan so you can start a program today. 

Protocol

Your goal is to perform 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week at a moderate pace.

You can mix and match the exercises throughout the week, so go for a brisk walk one day and hop on a stationary bike the next day.

You can split up your exercise sessions to fit your lifestyle. Exercise for 50 minutes three days a week, 30 minutes five days a week, or perform multiple 15-minute sessions – whatever works for you. 

For clarity, a simple approach would be to add 30 minutes of brisk walking five days a week.

Make sure your pace is brisk enough to elevate your breathing rate, making it challenging to talk in complete sentences. 

That is all there is to it, but I will add a goal for you. That is to do this for two weeks in a row. I want to challenge you to perform 150 minutes of your preferred aerobic exercise each week for the next two weeks. 

The more weeks you do this, the more results you’ll get, and the studies in the meta-analysis were at least 8 weeks. But, a two-week commitment is easier than an 8-week commitment, and I will say confidently that if you commit to two weeks, you will feel and see results. Those results will become their own motivation, and you will want to do more. 

Fine Print

I want to wrap this up with a few considerations. 

Eating Matters

The first one is that you can out-eat your results. Exercise can increase hunger, and depending on what you’re doing, your body may require a bit more food, but adding exercise should not be looked at as a green light to eat whatever you want. If you want fat loss results, monitor your food intake.

Also, if hunger is a concern, start slowly and allow your physical fitness to develop to keep pace with hunger.

Pace Matters

If this article encourages you to move from a sedentary lifestyle to a 30-minute stroll around the neighborhood, then great. Moving more is wonderful for your body, but if you’re looking for fat loss results, keep working toward that moderate pace where the magic happens.

Duration Matters

The study showed that weight and fat loss benefits started at as little as 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per week, hit clinical significance at 150 minutes, and continued to build up to 300 minutes weekly. 

If you are currently not exercising, set a goal to get 30 minutes a week and then work up to 150 minutes. 

If you are currently exercising, don’t look at these 150 minutes as a replacement; look at them as an addition. For instance, if you lift weights or exercise against resistance, keep it up and add aerobics to your routine. If you already do aerobic exercise and want more results, add more minutes. 

Takeaway

Weight loss and lowering your body fat percentage are long-term goals that require ongoing effort. It’s easy to become discouraged and question the effectiveness of your efforts. These doubts can lead to frustration and giving up on your goals altogether.

This study shows that consistent effort will produce results. When you see evidence that the work you are doing is getting you the result you want, momentum and motivation build, and you keep going. 

I hope you take me up on the challenge to perform 150 minutes of your preferred aerobic exercise each week for the next two weeks. There will be days you don’t want to exercise, but I promise if you just do it, you will reap the rewards. 

Reference:

(1) Jayedi, Ahmad, et al. “Aerobic Exercise and Weight Loss in Adults: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis.” JAMA Network Open 7.12 (2024): e2452185-e2452185.

About the Author

Becky Gillaspy, DC, is the author of The Intermittent Fasting Guide and Cookbook and Zero Sugar / One Month. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with research honors from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1991.