The big question was: can overweight people stay healthy by working out on a regular basis? It sounded like a legitimate question because exercising just fifteen minutes every day makes a tremendous difference for overweight people.

Blood pressure goes down and cholesterol levels drop, leaving the person in question in a better mood because of the extra energy. One might almost say that it’s not that bad to be fat if you’re feeling great and you’re heart is not threatening to split your chest and jump out every time you go up a flight of stairs.

However, the fact is that being overweight is a risk factor for many health conditions and that exercises simply make you healthier for the moment. Exercises can’t lower the risk of developing diabetes later on and are not a surefire way of preventing heart problems. Whether you’re exercising or not, those extra pounds have got to go.

On the other hand, an interesting fact is that people who don’t exercise are just as much as risk, regardless of their weight. Simply maintaining a healthy weight without regular exercise is not enough. You have to get off the couch and start on some brisk walks. Fifteen minutes a day, from three to six days a week are just what you need to stay healthy for many years.