Exercise Lowers Triglycerides

Your body turns excess calories into triglycerides which are stored in fat cells. After a carbohydrate-rich meal, your blood can have high concentrations of triglycerides. What can you do about lowering this concentration? According to a study published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, light aerobic exercise and weight training can make a difference.

Researchers had 10 healthy subjects take a brisk walk and work out with light weights an hour before or after a meal where fat accounted for around 38% of the calories. Blood samples collected 2, 4 and 6 hours after the meal showed reduced levels of triglyceride elevation in the exercise group compared to when subjects were inactive.

True Strength Moment: You probably aren't so careless about what you consume that over a third of the calories come from fat. What's interesting about this study is it highlights the beneficial effects of even light to moderate exercise. Staying active certainly has its advantages.