Diet plus aerobic exercise actually led to greater muscle loss than dieting alone. Among those who dieted only (no exercise), 16% of the weight they lost was muscle. Among those who dieted and did aerobic exercise, 20% of the weight they lost was muscle. On the other hand, among those who dieted and lifted weights, just 10% of the weight they lost was muscle. Weight training won out in another way, too. Participants who dieted and weight trained lost 17 pounds of fat, on average, while those wh
