FAT, MUSCLE, BODYWEIGHT.
Two Sample Studies regarding fat loss, muscle loss/gain, & body weight change.
1. Ref: (Westcott 1991)
77 adults were given the same dietary guidelines and the same amount of exercise time. They exercised for 30 minutes a day, 3 days a week for 8 weeks.
22 did aerobic exercise only.
55 did 15 minutes aerobic and 15 minutes strength/resistance training.
Results for Aerobic exercise only, resulted in 3lbs of fat loss & 0.5lbs of muscle loss.
Results for Aerobic & Strength exercises resulted in 10lbs of fat loss & 2lbs of muscle gain.
**Adding Strength/Resistance training will increases your calorie burning capacity resulting in greater fat loss, and a positive effect on lean healthy muscle size.

2. Ref: (Kraemer 1999) Summary:
35 overweight males all put on the same diet.
Group 1 was *Diet only

Group 2 was *Diet and aerobic endurance exercise
Group 3 was *Diet, aerobic endurance, and strength training
The 2 exercise groups trained 3 times per week for 12 weeks.
All 3 Groups lost between 9 and 10kg of body weight, however the fat loss differed.
Group 1, Diet only: —————– 69 percent of bodyweight loss was fat
Group 2, Diet & Aerobics ex:——- 78 percent of bodyweight loss was fat
Group 3, Diet, Aerobic & Strength: 97 percent of bodyweight loss was fat
**Clearly a greater muscle loss in the first two groups, where no resistance/strength exercises were included in the programme.  Note that where a good diet, aerobic and resistance training becomes a trice weekly habit including a good circuit training class once or twice per week, lean muscle gain, and bodyfat loss can have zero ‘weight change’. in other words, your shape can change for the better e.g. better fitting clothes and a more toned body look.

The WHO recommendations are to aim to accumulate 300 minutes per week, 150 minutes moderate intensity and 150 minutes vigorous intensity, and that some of these minutes and intensity can be achieved during our daily/weekly activity.