More intense workouts better for overall health

KINGSTON, Canada -- If you want to lose weight, you have to eat healthy and exercise.

And now we're finding out which kind of exercise works best, not just to trim the body, but for overall health.

Researchers at Queens University followed 300 overweight people.

All were asked to eat healthy but not restrict calories.

Then some followed a low-intensity workout, 300 minutes per week.

Others did a high-intensity workout, 200 minutes per week.

Both groups lost the same amount of inches.

But the group that did more vigorous exercise saw a significant improvement in blood sugar levels compared to the low-intensity group.

Dr. Karen Cooper, a weight loss expert at the Cleveland Clinic, says, "That's really important for people who have a strong history of diabetes and/or who are diabetic themselves."

There are different ways to increase the intensity of your workouts:

It could mean increasing your speed or incline on the treadmill.

Or it can be short bursts of energy, which take you out of your comfort zone. You the recover and then repeat the cycle.

If you are new to exercise you should check with your doctor before starting any program.