Are Diet and Exercise Together A Key to Weight Loss?

A recent study (New England Journal of Medicine) found that the type of diet–Atkins vs. Weight Watchers vs. South Beach–was not important as long as the person consumed about 680 calories less than they had been eating, and that their level of exercise was increased to an hour of aerobic exercise 5 to 6 days per week. To maintain weight loss, it was crucial that caloric intake continued to be reduced by the 680 calories, and that the new exercise level also was maintained. So a permanent lifestyle change in regards to both diet and exercise is key to both losing weight and maintaining that loss.