A weight loss study conducted by Jeff Volek, Ph.D, an exercise researcher and nutritionist at the University of Connecticut, is cited in the current issue of Men’s Health magazine.  Dr. Volek conducted a three group study with participants following a reduced-calorie diet.  One of the groups followed no exercise program, one group followed an aerobic exercise program and one group followed an exercise regimen of both aerobic and weight training. All of the groups in the study averaged the same amount of weight loss, 21 pounds after 12 weeks. However, the participants who followed weight training lost 5 more pounds of fat than the other groups. In the other groups, 25% of the weight lost was muscle. In the group that did weight training, virtually all of the lost weight was fat.  This illustrates why dieting can be harmful to your health. If you are not careful, you will destroy the very parts of your body that are responsible for your strength and your vitality (you don’t really want to lose strength from your heart muscle , do you).  If you are going to diet, the only way to conserve muscle is to do weight training.

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