TOKYO, July 19 (UPI) -- A Japanese study showed taking a break in the middle of an exercise workout may metabolize more fat than exercising without stopping.
The study, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, compared one single 60-minute bout of exercise to two bouts of 30-minute exercise divided by a 20-minute rest.
"Many people believe prolonged exercise will be optimal in order to reduce body fat, but our study has shown that repetitions of shorter exercise may cause enhancements of fat mobilization and utilization during and after the exercise," lead researcher Kazushige Goto of the University of Tokyo, said in a statement.
Seven healthy, physically active men with an average age of 25 exercised on a cycling machine and rested in chairs. Their respiratory gas and heart rates were monitored continuously.
Trials with the break showed a greater amount of lipolysis -- fat breakdown -- than did the no-break trials. The trial with the break also had a pronounced increase in the final 15 minutes of exercise of free fatty acids and glycerol -- chemical compounds released when stored fat is used, the study said.
