Dropping pounds is great for your heart and brain, but take care to keep your bones safe, too. Postmenopausal women who lose weight can also lose bone mass—and regaining the weight won’t bring the bone back, according to a study published in Obesity. Researchers put overweight postmenopausal women (who were not taking any hormone therapy or drugs that might affect their bone metabolism) on a six-month endurance-exercise program. On average, the women lost about nine pounds of fat. However, after 18 months—a year after they stopped exercising—they had gained back an average of 6.4 pounds, almost all of it fat. During the six-month weight-loss phase, the women also lost bone density in their lumbar spines and hips; it didn’t return with weight. The low bone mass in some overweight and obese people may be due to yo-yo dieting, say researchers. To help prevent or reduce bone loss, they recommend adding strength training, which protects bone density, to your exercise routine.

Read: LA Times

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