Dieting alone is as effective as a combination of diet and exercise at cutting weight and fat as long as calories consumed and burned equal out – a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Study also indicated that adding exercise to a weight-loss program doesn’t change body composition and abdominal fat distribution. “It’s all about the calories. So long as the energy deficit is the same, body weight, fat weight, and abdominal fat will all decrease in the same way,” study senior author Dr. Eric Ravussin said in a prepared statement.
While dieting alone can reduce weight, the researchers noted that exercise also improves aerobic fitness, which has many other health benefits. For overall health, an appropriate program of diet and exercise is still the best.