7/24/2007 - Study shows how resting can help burn fat People who exercise to lose weight may burn more fat if they take a break during their workout than if they exercise in one continuous session, a small study suggests. The research was done in Japan and involved seven healthy men with an average age of 25. The men performed two tests on a cycling machine: One 60-minute exercise session followed by a 60-minute recovery period. Two 30-minute exercise sessions with a 20-minute rest in between, followed by a 60-minute recovery period. Men performed each exercise session on the same cycling machine, at the same time of day and at the same intensity level. Researchers monitored the men’s respiratory gas and heart rates throughout each exercise session, and took blood samples every 15 minutes during exercise and every 30 minutes during recovery. The results showed that men experienced a greater amount of fat breakdown during the exercise session that included a rest period than in the session that did not include a rest. This is the first known study to compare the two exercise methods. Researchers said the findings could help with the design of new exercise methods that better manage and control weight. According to the National Institutes of Health, adults may need to exercise 60 minutes a day to prevent gradual weight gain, and people who have been overweight or obese in the past may need up to 90 minutes of daily exercise to keep weight off. Some people may be reluctant to exercise for this length of time in one continuous session, researchers said. But the study results may point to a way to encourage people to get the exercise they need. The researchers are planning to perform additional studies to test their findings in different groups of people and with a wider variety of exercise durations. The study was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology. Back