Sure, you can drop weight through dieting alone, but new research shows that if you don’t exercise too, you could be missing out on a bevy of health benefits. In a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, one group of women worked out five days a week and reduced their calorie intake, while the other just slashed calories. “Everyone lost about 10 percent of their body weight over six months,” says Enette Larson-Meyer, Ph.D.,R.D., the study’s lead author and an assistant professor at the University of Wyoming. “But those who exercised also saw improvements in their cholesterol and blood pressure levels.” What’s more, they upped their life expectancy by about 19 percent. To slim down and improve your health, aim to burn 250 calories a day at the gym and cut an equal amount from your daily diet.

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