Question: In order to lose weight, your exercise level must be intense.
A. True
B. False
Answer: False
Although intense exercise is beneficial in the long run and does improve aerobic capacity more than light or moderate workouts, in other areas, the latter is just as good (if not better). Non-strenuous exercise reduces stress, blood pressure and anxiety just as much as strenuous exercise does. Furthermore, the risk of developing diseases such as coronary heart disease and cancer are only slightly lower for those who exercise heavily than for moderate exercisers.
In terms of weight control, moderate workouts like walking are just as effective as vigorous exercises such as jogging. In this case, the amount of calories burned depends not on how fast the person runs, but the distance covered. In actuality, light exercise is potentially more effective than vigorous exercise because most people can walk more than they can run.
