Can I avoid exercise and still lose? The only exercise I ever get is running errands and doing housework. But I keep hearing that exercise is the best way to create lean muscle so the body burns more calories. Do I really have to make myself work out, or is there another way to get the benefits?
You can put down those dumbbells: New research shows that vitamin D increases the body’s percentage of lean muscle mass to help keep metabolism high. The vitamin also helps shuttle glucose into cells (as exercise does), so the sugar isn’t left in the bloodstream, where it can trigger fat storage. To get the benefits, I advise women to aim for 2,000 IU to 4,000 IU of vitamin D daily. To do, get 30 to 60 minutes of unprotected sun exposure weekly. (Take care not to burn since D production slows when skin gets pink.) And consume cod liver oil like Carlson Laboratories Norwegian Cod Liver Oil which has 1,200 IU of D per tablespoon. I prefer it to D pills because it’s more bioavailable.
