We're making progress, guys. A new batch of numbers are in, and they say that it would be fair to call the last 10 years the aerobic decade. To name just two signs, between 1987 and 1993, sales of stair-climbing machines grew by 1,000 percent, and the number of treadmills in American homes quadrupled. No question about it, we're off and running, but we're not quite there yet. To complete the exercise equation, we need to add weight lifting.
Muscle takes much more energy to maintain than does fat.
Fat will fade away without dieting. Lifting weights increases the density of your bones, making them less likely to break. This is especially important for older men, who otherwise lose bone strength as they put on years. Combining aerobic exercise with weight lifting helps reduce blood pressure. Borderline diabetics who get aerobic exercise and lift weights can often get by without medications.