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Strength training builds muscle and bone but does
nothing for the heart. |
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Strength training plus aerobic exercise may be the
ideal exercise regimen not only for the waistline,
but also for the heart. One analysis of 11 clinical
trials found that strength training can reduce levels
of LDL cholesterol, artery-clogging cholesterol
(though it has little effect on HDL cholesterol,
artery-clearing cholesterol). Aerobic exercise has
a complimentary benefit: It improves HDL but does
little for LDL. Further, some studies suggest that
strength training, like aerobic exercise, may help
reduce blood pressure. (Check with your doctor for
guidance before starting a muscle-building program
if you have hypertension, since straining can temporarily
increase blood pressure.) One final benefit: By
fortifying the muscles, strength training reduces
the likelihood that sudden or unaccustomed exertion,
such as moving furniture or shoveling snow, will
trigger a heart attack. |
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Aerobic exercise tends to make you hungry, so it
actually undermines your efforts to lose weight. |
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Aerobic exercise, such as jogging or brisk walking,
may indeed increase your appetite - but only, it
seems, if you need extra calories. Studies suggest
that lean individuals do get hungrier after such
exercise; that helps prevent them from getting too
thin. In contrast, working out does not seem to
boost appetite in obese individuals; so exercise
should help them slim down. |
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