EXERCISE varied effects

Exercise seems to simultaneously make people hungrier, yet more readily satisfied by a meal - and differences in these responses from person to person may help explain why some exercisers shed pounds more easily than others, researchers say.

In a study of 58 overweight and obese adults who started an exercise regimen, researchers found that exercise tended to boost participant's hunger before a meal, compared with their sedentary days. On the other hand, they were also more easily satisfied by their morning meal than they had been before becoming active.

But while both effects were generally at work across the study group, there were subtler differences between participants who were more successful in their weight loss and those whose extra pounds stubbornly hung on. In general, exercisers who did not meet their expected weight loss were both hungrier after fasting - that is, right before breakfast - and throughout the day, compared with their hunger ratings at the study's chart.

In contrast, those who were more successful in shedding pounds generally saw their pre-breakfast appetites increase after becoming active. But they were not hungrier throughout the day. The reason that some people are more successful (at weight loss) could be due to a lesser increase in appetite and the prevention of an increase in food intake. But the bottom line for new exercisers is that they should not throw in the towel if they start feeling more hungry than normal - or fail to shed as many pounds as they'd been hoping.

BE aware, other research shows that exercise has health benefits - like improved cardiovascular fitness, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol - even if weight loss is modest. Exercise is good for you, don't expect unrealistic weight loss and don't give up exercising just because of lower-than-expected weight loss.