OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the effect of a 1-week intensive home exercise program with a ION/-fat diet on weight loss, fitness (as assessed by heart rate and blood pressure at rest), and circumference at the waist, arms, and legs. METHODS: Seventy-five subjects (46 women and 29 men) began the exercise and diet program; 73 completed the program. The 75 subjects were broken into three groups: group 1 (n = 16) was enrolled in an open-label design; groups 2 (n = 23) and 3 (n = 36) were enrolled as a single-blinded randomized control and active, respectively, and then crossed over. Compliance with the diet was measured on a 7-point scale. The daily exercise program, which included aerobic and anaerobic exercise following a videotaped session, was assessed on a 6-point scale. RESULTS: The average total compliance was 81.6%, with higher compliance for the diet than the exercise program. Even without perfect compliance, the average subject lost 5.15 +/- 3.29 lbs (2.34 kg). The average waist measurement was reduced by 1.4 +/- 1.7 inches (3.5 cm). The average loss in circumference of the arm, thigh, and calf were similar. This corresponded to lost body mass index (BMI) of 0.82 +/- 0.49. Heart rate and blood pressure were reduced by 4.12 +/- 11.35 beats per minute and 8.48 +/- 11.23/5.55 +/- 9.7 mmHg, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The 1-week intensive exercise program led to a corresponding increase in aerobic fitness as shown by improvements in cardiovascular measurements.

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