Even though all the rats got heavier, those that ran on a wheel lost fat around their insides—suggesting exercise might target belly fat specifically, even when the body gains weight overall.

When rats with high blood pressure did 10 weeks of running, the amount of a specific protein in their belly fat jumped by more than double—and even after just four days of stopping exercise, that protein level stayed high.

After 10 weeks of regular exercise, rats with high blood pressure stopped working out for just 4 days—and their fat cells showed less of a protein that helps move sugar into cells, but their blood sugar control and another blood marker didn’t change.

When rats with high blood pressure did regular exercise for 10 weeks, their bodies showed signs of better blood sugar control—like less of a certain protein in the blood, better insulin response, and more sugar transporters in fat cells.

When rats with high blood pressure did 10 weeks of running on a wheel, they got much better at exercising—80% better—and even after just four days of stopping, they still kept most of that improvement.