Walk, or Run, to Achieve Weight Loss

Walk or run, going the extra mile -- literally -- in hopes of greater weight loss may be something of an exercise in futility. A new study suggests that the typical American dieter can lose as much weight with moderate workouts as with more intense bouts.

This research shows that along with dieting, when overweight women started a new exercise routine after years of being inactive, it didn't really matter whether they came out of the gate running or walking briskly. After a year, there was only a total weight-loss difference of 1 1/2 pounds between them.

"It appears that intensity is not the main factor impacting long-term weight loss," says researcher John M. Jakicic, PhD, director of the Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh.

Read the full article by Michael Lewis.