Fight festive weight gain with a Christmas Day stroll
Men who are unlikely to stick to their healthy diet plans over the festive period may be able to limit their weight gain by taking a traditional walk on Christmas Day, experts say.Researchers at the University of Glasgow performed a small study which found that exercising may alter the structure of blood fats, making it easier for the body to clear them from the bloodstream.
The scientists showed that overweight men who walked on a treadmill for two hours produced the same amount of blood fats as they did before exercising.
However, exercise increased the clearance of these fats from the blood, potentially helping the men to lose weight and protecting their heart health.
Lead researcher Dr Jason Gill, whose findings are published in the American Journal of Physiology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, revealed: "The lipid lowering effect of each exercise session lasts for a couple of days, so it is important to undertake regular physical activity to maximise the benefits."
Professor Jeremy Pearson, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, which funded the study, added that the results "give us a clue to how some of the benefits of exercise might take place".
