VERY-LOW-CALORIE DIET WITH CONCURRENT VERSUS DELAYED AND SEQUENTIAL EXERCISE

Obese females undergoing very-low-calorie diet (VLCD) were studied for 12 weeks to determine the effects of concurrent vs delayed and sequen tial exercise. Subjects were assigned to one of six groups: control (C ) n = 28; endurance exercise (EE) n = 18; weight training (WT) n = 26; endurance exercise plus weight training (EEWT) n = 21; control for 4 weeks with subsequent EE (C4EE) n = 10; WT for 4 weeks with sequential EE (WT4EE) n = 12. EE was performed 4 days a week which progressed fr om 20 to 60 min per day. WT was performed 3 days a week using five wei ght lifting exercises. toss in body weight did not differ between grou ps. Expressed as a ratio of fat-free mass (FFM) to weight loss WT4EE s howed a 8.1%, 9.7%, and 11.4% difference compared to EE, C4EE, and C, respectively (P < 0.05). WT4EE also showed significant increases from baseline of 8.2% in aerobic capacity (L/min) and 12.5% in the strength index (Sl/kgFFM). WT4EE showed the smallest decrease of all groups in resting metabolic rate of 6.1% of the baseline value; however, this d ecrease was significant. Although WT4EE showed some favorable changes from baseline, the magnitude of the changes between groups was small. There were no significant differences found between C4EE and the other study groups. Thus, the delay or sequential use of exercise during VL CD provided only small differences for WT4EE compared to the other gro ups and any clinical significance for the individual is presently unkn own.