New Study Shows Weighted Vests Help Reduce Weight Regain
Maintaining weight loss can be a daunting task for many individuals who have successfully shed pounds. Despite their best efforts, it’s common for people to experience weight regain, often due to a slowed metabolism and other factors. A recent pilot study published in the International Journal of Obesity has shed new light on a potential solution: wearing a weighted vest during a calorie-restricted diet.
The study, which involved 15 participants, found that those who used a weighted vest daily while following a calorie-restricted diet regained significantly less weight over a two-year period compared to those who did not use the vest. This groundbreaking discovery suggests that adding weight load to one’s daily routine could be a key component in long-term weight management.
How Weighted Vests Work
Weighted vests are designed to provide resistance through added weight, which can be adjusted to suit individual needs. By wearing the vest during daily activities, such as walking, running, or even just going about daily tasks, the added weight load can help stimulate the body’s natural response to exercise.
When we exercise, our bodies undergo a series of physiological changes, including increased muscle contractions and blood flow. This process helps to build and maintain muscle mass, which is essential for maintaining a healthy metabolism. By incorporating weighted vests into their daily routine, individuals can artificially stimulate these physiological responses, even when they’re not actively engaging in traditional exercise.
The Study’s Findings
The pilot study, which was conducted by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), involved 15 participants who were randomly assigned to either a control group or an intervention group. The control group followed a calorie-restricted diet without wearing a weighted vest, while the intervention group followed the same diet but wore a weighted vest for at least 30 minutes each day.
Over a two-year period, the participants were monitored for weight regain, and the results were striking. The control group, which did not wear weighted vests, experienced significant weight regain, with an average gain of 12.4 pounds (5.6 kg). In contrast, the intervention group, which wore weighted vests, experienced much less weight regain, with an average gain of just 2.3 pounds (1.0 kg).
Not only did the intervention group experience less weight regain, but they also showed significant improvements in muscle mass and metabolism. These findings suggest that the weighted vests may have helped to preserve the body’s natural response to exercise, even when participants were not actively engaging in physical activity.
Potential Mechanisms
The researchers behind the study propose several potential mechanisms by which weighted vests may help to reduce weight regain. One possibility is that the added weight load helps to stimulate the body’s natural response to exercise, including increased muscle contractions and blood flow. This, in turn, may help to preserve muscle mass and metabolism, making it easier to maintain weight loss over time.
Another potential mechanism is that weighted vests may help to increase the body’s resting metabolic rate (RMR). RMR is the number of calories the body burns at rest, and it plays a critical role in weight management. By increasing RMR, the body may be able to burn more calories at rest, making it easier to lose weight and maintain weight loss over time.
Conclusion
The results of this pilot study are promising, suggesting that weighted vests may be a useful tool in the fight against weight regain. By incorporating weighted vests into their daily routine, individuals may be able to preserve their metabolism and muscle mass, making it easier to maintain weight loss over time.
While more research is needed to fully understand the potential benefits of weighted vests, these early findings are encouraging. As we continue to explore new and innovative ways to support long-term weight management, the potential benefits of weighted vests should not be overlooked.
Source
https://thepfc.club/blogs/news/can-wearing-a-weighted-vest-help-you-keep-the-weight-off
